Title
City of Gainesville Sports Arena (B)
This item recommends that the City Commission select one of two Sports Arena proposals and authorize its submission in a Request for Proposals requested by Alachua County for establishment of a Tourist Venue.
Explanation
The Alachua County Board of County Commissioners has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) from municipalities for the purpose of constructing a capital project (facility) that promotes Tourism within Alachua County. Request for Proposals are due to Alachua County no later than 2:00 pm, Wednesday, May 17, 2006.
Funding would come from an additional one percent (1%) Bed Tax levied on all Alachua County lodging, estimated to produce $550,000 annually. This anticipated annual amount could be bonded for twenty years generating a maximum of $6,000,000. The types of projects (facilities) that would qualify are publicly owned and operated venues such as:
Convention Centers Zoological Parks
Sports Arenas Fishing Piers
Sports Stadiums Nature Centers
Coliseums Museums
Auditoriums
City staff evaluated a number of options and felt that Sports Arenas can have a significant financial impact on local tourism and are known entities that draw youth and adult sports teams competing in local, regional and national amateur sporting events. It is felt that the City of Gainesville is ideally positioned within the State of Florida and would likely draw participants from an approximate five-hour driving radius or as far north as Atlanta, GA and as far south as Miami, Florida.
Therefore staff is proposing that the City of Gainesville submit an RFP to Alachua County for the construction of a Sports Arena to be located at one of two possible sites. Site One would be the Citizen's Field Sports Complex located at Waldo Road and 8th Avenue and involves expanding the existing 13,000 (square foot) Martin Luther King Jr. Center by an additional 22,000 square feet. Site Two is Depot Park, located at Depot Avenue and Main Street, and involves the construction of a new 25,000 square foot facility within the NE corner of the park.
Both proposals, as outlined in the Commission's backup material, would clearly meet the County's objective of bringing more visitors/tourist to Alachua County.
After discussion with the Gainesville Sports Organizing Committee as well as Internet research on such youth sports organizations as the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU), the Florida Youth Basketball Association (FYBA), the Florida Basketball and Volleyball Association (FBVA) and Youth Basketball of America (YBOA), staff believes that the construction of a Sports Arena would give the City of Gainesville and Alachua County the opportunity to host a large number of sporting events such as:
Basketball Volleyball Gymnastic Meets
Baton Twirling Cheerleading Trampoline & Tumbling Jump Rope
Dance Competitions Martial Arts Weightlifting
Power Lifting Wrestling Karate & Judo
Table Tennis Taekwondo Jujitsu
While the addition of a sports arena would clearly meet the County's desire for a venue that attracts additional tourism to the County, the sports arena would be a great benefit to local youth and adult sports league play as well.
Fiscal Note
Depending upon which project the City Commission directs staff to submit as an RFP, the anticipated cost of the project could be $6.2 million if a new 25,000 square foot facility were to be built at Depot Park or $5.48 million if the Martin Luther King Jr. Center were to be expanded by 22,000 square feet. Funding (up to $6 million) for the construction of either project would come from Alachua County.
The city's financial obligation would be the annual operational cost of a Sports Arena facility. As outlined in the backup material, the first year (net City subsidy) estimated operational costs would be $260,000 for the Depot Park Sports Arena and $80,000 for the MLK Center expansion.
Recommendation
The City Commission authorizes the City Manager to submit the Depot site to Alachua County as the City's proposal.
Alternative Recommendation A: The City Commission authorizes the City manager to submit the Martin Luther King Jr. site as the City's proposal.
Alternative Recommendation B: The City Commission provide direction on an alternative venue for submission to Alachua County.
Alternative Recommendation C: The City Commission direct staff not to submit a proposal.