Wednesday, February 27, 2002
|
Wednesday, February 27, 2002 |
|
Pro shop was part of deal for director By JOHN
MUNFORD
Proving how "unique" the business model is for the Peachtree City Tennis Center, its pro shop is not operated by the city or even the Development Authority, which oversees the center's operations. The pro shop otherwise known as The Trader's Post is operated by Virgil Christian, the former director of the tennis center who was recently promoted to executive director of the Development Authority. The arrangement, which in essence provides Christian with free rent for the pro shop space at the center, was originally suggested by the consultant who conducted the national search for the fledgling tennis center's director, said Development Authority Chairman Tate Godfrey. "We were told it was an industry standard," Godfrey said, pointing out that in three of the five years Christian has operated the pro shop it has lost money. In those five years, the shop has a net profit of $18,940, though Christian used it one year to give Christmas bonuses to tennis center employees to the tune of "several thousand dollars," Godfrey said. "Not only is this not a windfall, but it's a pittance," Godfrey told The Citizen Friday. In an e-mail from Mayor Steve Brown to Dan Tennant that was read at Thursday's City Council meeting by councilwoman Annie McMenamin, Brown accused Christian "of pocketing the profits" from the pro shop. In actuality, Christian is the proprietor of the pro shop, and he took the risk of purchasing merchandise to sell at the shop with a personal loan, Godfrey said. "To say that he is doing anything but a great job and exactly what he have expected of him to do is wrong," Godfrey said. Godfrey argued that providing the services in the pro shop such as stringing rackets has benefitted the tennis center. The arrangement was detailed in the employment agreement signed by Christian and the authority when he first came to work here in 1994, Godfrey said. The agreement calls for the arrangement to be renegotiated once the new building is built for the tennis center. The building, which includes space for a pro shop, is part of the $2.5 million expansion the center is currently undergoing. Christian will pay rent for the space at the new facility, Godfrey said. The authority chairman also said Christian was selling shares to other key tennis center employees so they could become involved in the operations of the pro shop if they choose to. The tennis center itself, which is open to the public, is mainly funded with revenues from memberships and court fees which are assessed to non-members who play there. The center also receives funds from the hotel-motel tax as a supplement to help it break even.
|
||