Here we go again....sigh!
Voters in the Richmond County Democratic Party's July straw poll might have rejected the idea of a baseball stadium on the Savannah River, but downtown business owners and residents who attended a meeting with Ripken Baseball officials Thursday enthusiastically embraced it.
In all, about 50 businesspeople and residents attended the meeting at the Downtown Development Authority to voice their opinions and hear those of Ripken Baseball Group President Chris Flannery and Vice President Jeff Eiseman.
"Downtown will benefit," said Realtor David Moretz. "It puts us on another map."
Olde Town resident and former Metro Augusta Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Ed Presnell said the stadium could be the Renaissance for the entire downtown tourist area.
"It's the best project I've ever seen," he said. "It's the best use of the land."
Ripken Baseball and Jim Jacoby, developer of Atlantic Station in Atlanta, are out to sell citizens -- one small group at a time -- on the $36 million multipurpose stadium and retail complex that would be built on the 16-plus-acre Golf and Gardens property.
Thursday's meeting was not the first, and it won't be the last.
"Our job over the next few months is to have more of these community meetings with different populations," Flannery said. "You can't show a community a plan that doesn't work."
The project would be a public-private partnership that would be "revenue neutral" to taxpayers because of tax income from the project's commercial development and use of Tax Allocation Districts, Flannery said.
Details of the financing package have not been completed, but Mayor Deke Copenhaver has proposed the city issue bonds to build the stadium.
Thursday's discussion ranged from drawbacks of the current GreenJackets stadium at Lake Olmstead to the boom a downtown stadium might foster. Much of the discussion centered on parking, specifically whether there would be enough when a ballgame and another big event were taking place simultaneously.
Flannery said there were any number of solutions to a parking shortage, such as shuttle buses.
District 1 Augusta Commissioner Matt Aitken asked whether any consideration had been given to rebuilding the stadium facing Lake Olmstead. The response was that patrons would be facing the sun. Also, the stadium lacks space to move people around efficiently, and parking there is more of a problem than it would be downtown.
Janie Peel, owner of Prime Commercial Properties on Broad Street, said Augusta needs contiguous, quality office space the commercial development could provide. She also praised the Ripken Group and Jim Jacoby for their expertise and professionalism and ability to bring the project to fruition.
Aitken said that was true, but until they could sell it to the community, he didn't know how far they would get.
"This (gathering) doesn't represent Augusta," he said. "This represents the downtown business community."
DDA Executive Director Margaret Woodard said 500 people had been invited to the meeting, which prompted Aitken to say again that the entire community has to buy in to the project.
Ripken and Jacoby waited to push forward and seek input until construction began on the TEE Center and now have to work quickly, Flannery said.
And, Peel said, they need to do what city leaders did with the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax referendum: educate people about the advantages.
Flannery praised downtown Augusta and said Ripken Baseball officials invested in the community because they liked it.
"We could have invested our money in a baseball team in Savannah, into Greenville, into Columbia," he said. "We looked at all those places. We love Augusta. We like the potential Augusta has. That's why we chose to be here."
Afterward, Greg Kirby of Columbia County said the stadium would be positive for Augusta and would bring more people to the GreenJackets' games.
"It makes sense," he said. "It's beautiful. The right location. Everything."
Asked what he thought about the meeting, Aitken said he was on a fact-finding mission, but did think officials need to "grow Augusta."
"And I think how we develop the riverfront is key to the success," he said. "I think we're missing a big component of something. I've heard that over and over. We don't have something that draws people downtown. Is it a multi-use center? Or is it something else?
"But I definitely think we need to have this kind of dialog. It helps us kind of understand to help take Augusta to the next level. And I think we all agree we're not at the level we ought to be."
Comments
Here we go again....sigh!
These people are living in a bubble and are completely out of sync with most of the folks in this city. Atleast matt Aitken seems to understand this.
Bring baseball downtown! All the naysayers probably never go to a Green Jackets game or do much of anything except write negative comments in the AC comments section
I personally would like to see the baseball stadium downtown because it would open up a lot of opportunities outside of just green jacket games. With it's location on the river-walk just walking distance from the Marriott we'd be able to make very attractive bids for NCAA and other baseball tournaments and classics. Which would also attract more businesses and restaurants to the downtown area increasing the cities appeal to tourists and other investors. Not to mention concerts and performances...
Well, well, well, we have a clear issue for the mayoral candidates. Deke and this small group want the county to issue bonds to build the stadium while Lori Davis and 70% of the voters believe Lake Olmstead stadium is fine and dandy.
No wonder they are in favor of it. All they see is an opportunity for THEM to make miney. No consideration is given to what the citizens want. Personally, I will NEVER visit a downtown stadium.
As long as Cal and company put up the money, why do they need to sell anyone? Sounds like he is planning to ask the taxpayers to foot the bill, which the voters and the commissioners will never approve.
Two words: "Revenue neutral"
Two words not mentioned: "Cost neutral"
This is the perfect time to build a downtown stadium. The economy is booming, and the city budget is bursting at the seams.
Lake Olmstead Stadium has a seating capacity of 4,822. Average attendance is around 2,700 (which close to the record). Roughly 44% vacancy. I would love to see some statistics on exactly how many people in the CSRA have even been to one game. Why quote someone from Columbia County, since it's not their tax dollars at stake? The solution is simple, have Ripken and the downtown merchants build it and call it Ripken DDA Stadium.
I like the idea of a new stadium downtown, however I don't think taxpayers should foot the bil)l. If private investors like the idea, then they should go for it. If it's the right thing, what are they worried about?
They will reap the profits.
Last week Austin Rhodes had Gil Gilyard on his program. Gilyard is running for mayor. A caller asked Gilyard where he stands on a public/private baseball stadium downtown and Gilyard was unequivocal. He said he opposes the public/private stadium because it is not the highest and best use for that property. The city should not be pouring any tax dollars into a new baseball stadium when they already are on the hook for the existing GreenJackets stadium (which is a fine facility if you ask me; and I hope that the Jackets and the city do not allow it to run down merely to gain approval for the proposed new one).
Well I am glad that Margaret invited 500 people to the meeting. Uh, how many were from my neighborhood? Or were they all the very important and upwardly mobile "stakeholders" that must make our decisions for us?
Matt had it right, the meeting didn't represent a consolidated city. What is amazing is that there is no problem with parking downtown, but it is congested at lake Ohlmsted?
And the reason they keep comming back isn't because Augustans are easier to get money out of, its because they LOVE Augusta and want whats best for us. YEAH.
BTW if we "issue" bonds, isn't that like a no interest loan that we the people are responsible for? How much longer are we going to keep this DDA group on board which has had no success in the last 4 - 5 years and who continually keep eating money from the taxpayers?
500 people were invited (wonder how much that cost, and who paid for that), 50 people showed up.
That pretty much says it all.
All right, let's examine the claim made by fdn315:
With it's location on the river-walk just walking distance from the Marriott we'd be able to make very attractive bids for NCAA and other baseball tournaments and classics.
First, what is this we bit? What we are you talking about? You and the mouse in your pocket? I want a city government that takes care of public safety issues, that takes care of its infrastructure, that supervises its employees and disciplines appropriately, that runs an honest and efficient court system. I do not want a city government that plays games!
Second, we already have a nice baseball stadium and we have lots of hotels and motels (too many, if you ask me). NCAA tournaments can be sought by the trustees of GreenJackets stadium. Why have they not done so? I don't know.
fdn315 wrote:
. . . baseball tournaments . . . would also attract more businesses and restaurants to the downtown area increasing the cities (sic) appeal to tourists and other investors.
Poppycock! If you and other tourists cannot find a bite to eat or something to drink downtown right now then you are not looking. We need accountability in government, not a new baseball authority or new tourist bureau. We need a tax commissioner who will pay attention to his store so that city employees will not pilfer the tax commissioner's safe and get away with it. We need a city administrator who will take responsibility for day to day activities and make his employees earn their day's wage.
fdn315 wrote:
Not to mention concerts and performances...
Well, Bob Dylan played a concert at GreenJackets stadium. You can't get any bigger than that. There have been several concerts out there with top country acts. The city government does not need to get into the concert promoting business. They've got their hands full already. We are taxed enough already. And anyone who believes Copenhaver when he says the baseball stadium will be "revenue neutral" to the taxpayer believes in Santa Claus. Please join me in throwing the mayor out of office this November.
"Revenue Neutral", That tells me that it will not help the tax digest, So why would I (The City) invest?????
Amen, Brother Joe! This "revenue neutral" jargon is meant to deceive the public, not to enlighten.
Now, let's talk a bit about this "Tax Allocation District" nonsense. The concept was sold to the public as a way to rehabilitate blighted sections of the county. Any property tax revenues generated by the increase in valuation of the property after development stays in the district where the developed property is. Well, surprise! Is 13th and Reynolds now considered blighted? Why would we want any increase in property taxes collected on the baseball stadium property to stay only downtown and not available to the general fund? Downtown has already received special goody after special goody. And right now property taxes on that parcel are zero. When Ripken buys it at auction in a few months it presumably will go back on the tax rolls. Let's pay close attention to how the city taxes the parcel after the auction.
Wow! You can't get any bigger than Bob Dylan? Downtown Augusta will never progress beyond what it is now if people are afraid of change. Please visit Chattanooga, a beautiful downtown stadium that really made a difference, in addition to the Aquarium, IMAX theatre and restaurants all have combined to make that city a destination. Augusta has to look beyond the first week in April as a city to lure visitors.
"the city budget is bursting at the seams" Do What?
If that is true then the $ bursting out should be spent on education, RCSD, things that are NEEDED, not WANTED.
Riverman, where do you get 70% of voters are against it??? The straw poll was based on 10-12% of the democratic voters in the county.....
Jim Jacoby(developer of Atlantic Station)wants to invest into downtown Augusta.... I'm 200% behind the new mix-use project.... I live downtown and it would generate tons of tax revenue... Which can be used on education, police, fireman, roads, bridges, trash pick up, etc...
Deke Copenhaver and Clay Boardman have a vision.
Every Sunday-Saturday downtown should be vibrant, thousands in foot traffic, and fun similar to First Friday..
Countyman wrote:
I'm 200% behind the new mix-use project.... I live downtown.
Selfishness.
I think madsnapper is right. However, I think we should wait to see the way this thing is financed. I would prefer to see this city not have to borrow money against itself to spend on this project. Yes, there needs to be incentives to strengthen the deal - but Augusta should limit its involvement and investment.
Littlelamb, How is that selifishness?? I can't support the project because I live downtown?? And you cut my sentence in half to find your agenda..
Intresting article from August 27th, 2010
http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?id=4080373
For the third time in the last five years, the Augusta GreenJackets are set to surpass a franchise record for fan attendance. With sellout crowds expected on both nights of the upcoming Fan Appreciation Weekend, the team should surpass their previous record attendance of 200,222 by Saturday night's home finale. The new record means many things, but perhaps most importantly it means more people are coming out to the ballpark than ever before in Augusta.
I am convinced. A downtown stadium will be good for the city. Now, let the powers-that-be sell the idea to an investment group. If it is a good idea, then there should be no problem. Investors recognize a good deal when they see one.
Countyman, you are right that the poll had a small number of citizens responding, but that's the only poll we have to go on. It was on the Democratic ballot. Do you think the Republicans would be more inclined to vote for the stadium? I don't.
About the revenue generated read what Joe Bowles and others said above. This will not help the tax digest. Revenue neutral means the city gambles taxpayer money in hopes of breaking even.
I'd like a casino and yacht club downtown too but it isn't the taxpayer's responsibility to fund them.
I don't think the people of Augusta are against a downtown baseball stadium as much as they are leary about the funding. There have been so many "clunkers" in the past, the confidence level is pretty low in governments ability to enter into agreements that don't saddle the taxpayer with a white elephant. Many current needs in the city/county aren't addressed because of budget shorfalls, so why are they trying to burden the taxpayer with more debt? Very understandable.
However, having personally seen the affect a vibrant downtown can have on the entire area in other cities, it would behove the citizens to at least keep an open mind for workable proposals. I can only imagine a 50/50 public/private investment would show that it's a viable project.
In fact, why not ask N.A. and Columbia County to chip in 10% each, as many citizens would enjoy and benefit from the project. While I live in C.C., Augusta is vital to the continued success of both entities.
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