Wednesday, January 15, 2003
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Wednesday, January 15, 2003 |
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'Under new management' - PTC, Development Authority close to agreement to move amphitheater, tennis center under proposed Sports Authority By JOHN MUNFORD
If all goes as planned, Peachtree City's tennis center and amphitheater will be managed in the future by a proposed sports and entertainment authority. But this plan is not the handiwork of Mayor Steve Brown rather it was developed by a subcommittee of city council and development authority representatives. The matter will be discussed at Thursday night's city council meeting. Subcommittee representatives said Tuesday that enough council and authority members support the proposal to ensure passage of the measure through both bodies. Although the details have yet to be worked out, at least one current development authority member would be on the new sports and entertainment authority to help insure a smooth transition, according to authority member Robert Brooks and Councilman Murray Weed. "Every member of the subcommittee said we certainly need a transition group at least for the immediate future," Weed said. "We want to make sure we don't lose the quality we've got" at the tennis center and amphitheater, Brooks said. Creating a sports and entertainment authority is one legally permissible way to operate the tennis center and amphitheater because of conflicts in the state law on development authorities, according to a recent opinion from new city attorney Theodore P. Meeker III and bond attorney Earle R. Taylor III. The city could use the sports and entertainment authority as a vehicle to issue bonds to pay off the development authority's current $1.456 million debt which was accrued over the past eight years after the authority agreed to assume operations of the facilities in 1993. Before that, the authority had over $200,000 of its own money in the bank and wasn't in debt. The subcommittee's goal is to "continue to be able to run the facilities in a manner that's best for the citizens of Peachtree City and kind of depoliticize it," Brooks said. Representatives from the development authority's tennis center and amphitheater advisory committees which are composed of citizens may also be considered to serve on the new sports and entertainment authority, according to the proposal. Other representatives may come from the city's recreation commission, the Fayette County Development Authority, the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce and perhaps another citizen member. "Obviously, we'll still need a vote from both bodies to adopt the idea," Weed said. Brooks and Weed were on a subcommittee consisting of authority and council members who hammered out the deal. Councilman Dan Tennant and authority members Doug Warner and Brian Palmitessa also participated in the negotiations. Brooks pointed out that in reality the city could do what it wishes with the tennis center and amphitheaters but he appreciated Weed and Tennant's goodwill in the negotiating process. "They are interested in our support and we are interested in giving it because we're interested in what's best for the community," Brooks said. The creation of a new sports and entertainment authority will require legislation to be passed by the Georgia general assembly and Sen. Mitch Seabaugh will be asked to handle the matter in the current legislative session, Weed said.
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