Wednesday, December 25, 2002

In response to the recent article concerning the collective resignation of the "volunteers" who sit on the Peachtree City Development Authority, I would like to enlighten the average citizen on a few important facts regarding two particular individuals mentioned in the article, Virgil Christian and Tate Godfrey.

First, let me state that I am a former Division 1 collegiate tennis player and teaching professional for Harry Hopman International Tennis Academy, one of the largest training facilities in the world. Although I am not a member of the PTC Tennis Center, I was the captain of the 1996 and 1998 Men's AA2 ALTA Teams which represented PTC Tennis Center. I think, therefore, I am well qualified to judge the job that Virgil has done with this facility.

Second, my profession for the past 18 years has been in the commercial real estate industry, thus placing me in a very good position to judge Tate Godfrey's performance over the past five to seven years.

I can honestly say that I am not aware of many individuals who have done more for our community than these two people. Tate and Virgil, as well as other "volunteers" on the Development Authority, should be praised for their excellent work rather than chastised. Virgil has built a world class tennis facility which has some 35-plus Alta teams, a very professional teaching staff, and a host of other collegiate and professional tournaments each year, not to mention various amateur tournaments and social events.

I can assure the citizens of Peachtree City that he has done an impeccable job and he should be commended for it. Without question, an individual with Virgil's level of experience and expertise would command a six-figure compensation package in the private sector. Had Virgil gone to, say, Alpharetta, Dunwoody, or Duluth, I can assure you that the residents of these affluent suburbs, who demand the highest standards when it comes to public facilities, would be ecstatic over the job that he has done with the Tennis Center and the Amphitheater.

A 10 percent cost overrun due to change orders and or weather conditions is not uncommon and would be a non-factor in the overall scheme of things, given the end result.

Let me also mention that the operation of a tennis facility of this magnitude involves far more than most people realize. Virgil has earned the respect of countless numbers of individuals in this community over the years and has, what most would consider, an impeccable reputation. He is generally regarded as a man of the highest integrity.

As far as Tate Godfrey is concerned, I am not aware of anyone who has been responsible for attracting more business, development and industry to our city over the past five to seven years than he. Tate has attracted companies such as Husky, Wilden Plastics, Lawson-Mardon, Gardner-Denver and Cooper Lighting to Peachtree City, just to mention a few.

Tate is a very specialized executive who is judged primarily on performance, and he has always delivered. Transactions of the size and scope of Cooper Lighting are highly complex and best left to the true professionals in the commercial real estate field.

The citizens of Peachtree City also need to be made aware that public facilities in upscale suburbs are not typically built to be profit centers or break-even propositions, and are normally subsidized by local municipalities to some extent, especially in the case of first-rate facilities such as the Amphitheater and the Tennis Center. These facilities are generally viewed as amenities that assist in attracting residents, developers, business and industry to the area, which is precisely what they have done.

If we choose to operate these facilities on a shoestring budget with less qualified employees, then we will basically end up getting exactly what we paid for. Should the city decide to go this direction, we will be reaffirming once again that no matter how much we like to think that we are similar to the aforementioned Northside suburbs, we are in fact "Southside."

It is my understanding that the city-run Kedron Field House and Aquatic Center require approximately double the annual subsidy that is required to operate the Tennis Center and the Amphitheater combined. Translation: This is not about money. Case closed.

Tom Thompson

tthompson@noromgt.com