Wednesday, February 6, 2002
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Wednesday, February 6, 2002 |
| Lines drawn
in PTC Tennis Center dispute
By JOHN MUNFORD
If Peachtree City Mayor Steve Brown has his way, the city's amphitheater and tennis center could have big changes coming. Both are currently operated by the Peachtree City Development Authority and both are funded largely with revenues from the hotel-motel tax. But Brown wants to create a "Sports and Entertainment" authority to operate both facilities and steer more hotel-motel tax money "for other projects in the future." The proposal is on the agenda for Thursday night's City Council meeting. Tate Godfrey, chairman of the Development Authority, said he plans to ask council to take time to study the issue instead of rushing into a decision. "The Development Authority is exceptionally proud of the way we have built up the amphitheater and tennis center," Godfrey said Monday afternoon. "The Development Authority needs to be conducting the business of community development and looking for quality opportunities, like other development authorities in the state." Brown said in a press release Friday. "Anything to the contrary is not fair to our city." Godfrey countered that the authority uses the facilities as economic development tools. Virgil Christian, who oversees the tennis center and the amphitheater for the authority, recently said both would be used to attract companies to hold conventions and training in Peachtree City as a way to get them to come have a look at what the city has to offer. "Tourism bringing people to spend the night here, eat here and get their hair cut here is a part of economic development," Christian said. Brown, who said council should look at maintaining service levels at both facilities, also alleged that the tennis center "readily consumes funding with its substantial overhead." "Council would not take any action that would jeopardize the day-to-day operations of these two important facilities," Brown said. Godfrey said Brown hasn't asked to meet with the authority to discuss these particular issues. He pointed out that the city's disbursement of hotel-motel tax funds to the authority is outlined in the intergovernmental agreement the authority inked with the City Council last year. The agreement, set to last 15 years, spells out year-by-year how much of the hotel-motel tax is appropriated to the Development Authority, the Airport Authority and the city. Godfrey said some members of council may be looking at the hotel-motel revenues as "a pot of gold they can use somewhere else." "We want to be an ally of City Council and we have always been that way," Godfrey said. "I don't know why they want to take away two of the most successful projects in the city." Last year, the tennis center used $150,000 in hotel-motel tax revenues to balance its budget, which was bolstered by over $854,000 in income from its public memberships and other fees. The center is open to the public, but those with memberships don't have to pay hourly court fees. The amphitheater used $90,900 in hotel-motel funds to balance its budget last year, but it recorded $1.146 million in income. The amphitheater's main event the summer concert series is largely underwritten by a host of sponsors. The deficit was due to the cost of bringing high-level performers here for the series, Christian said. "Are we striving to break even? Sure." Christian said. "But were are also running a business that evolves and we offer a variety of programs and courts for the public's use." Tennis centers in other cities rely on the cities for between 40 and 60 percent of their gross income, while the Peachtree City Tennis Center needed only a 16 percent supplement with those funds coming not from the city but from the hotel-motel tax. Christian said the authority feels accountable to the public, but he hopes that those criticizing the authority take time to understand the various issues. Brown has been a vocal critic of the $2.5 million project to expand the tennis center with six covered courts and a separate building that will include a clubhouse, restaurant, pro shop and offices. At a recent meeting between City Council, the Development Authority and the Airport Authority, Brown complained about the bidding process on the expansion and the eventual selection of Group VI of Peachtree City as the contractor for the job. Members of the Development Authority defended the process, contending that Group VI was the most qualified bidder.
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