Friday, November 14, 2003
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Friday, November 14, 2003 |
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PTC hands DAPC probe to GBI By JOHN MUNFORD The Georgia Bureau of Investigation’s Financial Investigative Unit has been called in to evaluate documents related to the Development Authority of Peachtree City and its operation of the city’s tennis center and amphitheater. Police Chief James Murray requested the GBI’s assistance and turned over documents to agents in a meeting Wednesday “for their expert evaluation,” police said. Murray has spent the last six weeks conducting an in-depth review of documents pertaining to the operation and construction projects of both venues. That came at the request of Peachtree City Mayor Steve Brown, who said he was urged by state officials to have the documents reviewed for possible criminal activity. But a statement released by the department Thursday afternoon indicates that no assessment has been made as to whether anything in the documents pointed to any crimes. “This review was not based on a conclusion of criminal activity on anyone’s part,” the statement said. “The request was initiated to allow an outside, professional and qualified law enforcement agency to review and make recommendations to the city of Peachtree City Police Department concerning any possible discrepancies.” Because the investigation is now in the GBI’s hands, further comments from the department will be withheld until the investigation is concluded, Murray said. The authority, which for a decade has operated the Frederick Brown Jr. Amphitheater and the tennis center, will turn over the operation of both venues to a non-profit organization created by the city council on Dec. 1. Although Brown has been a vocal opponent of the way the authority has operated the tennis center and amphitheater, he and other city officials have recently been mum on the subject. That’s because City Attorney Ted Meeker warned city council members and other city employees that the matter is being investigated by a law enforcement agency. Former authority vice chairman Scott Bradshaw resigned in September with a lengthy letter critical of how the authority has managed both venues. Bradshaw was particularly upset at the state of the authority’s financial affairs. “We received highly optimistic financial reports throughout the year,” Bradshaw wrote, “and I was stunned to learn on Sept. 15, two weeks before the end of the fiscal year, of serious cash flow problems.” Bradshaw also disclosed a sponsorship agreement that obligated the authority to guaranteeing $366,306 in sales of Adidas products through the privately-owned Trading Post tennis pro shop at the center in exchange for $15,000 in promotional items such as T-shirts, hats and travel bags for distribution at the tennis tournaments and the amphitheater. Bradshaw contended that agreement was never voted on by the authority. The Trading Post was owned and operated, rent-free, by former authority executive director Virgil Christian under his contract with the authority. That clause dated back to when he was first lured to Peachtree City to become the tennis center’s director, officials said.
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