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Beatrice

Beach Comber
Jun 6, 2013
5
0
I am not in favor of spending 5.5 million for the purchase of the property for this sports complex. TDC funds cannot be used to purchase property.
 

BeachSiO2

Beach Fanatic
Jun 16, 2006
3,294
737
In regard to TDC funds, there is a beach nourishment project on the near horizon that will have a non-federal cost share in the ballpark of $45 million.
 

fishwalton

Beach Comber
May 30, 2013
31
18
DeFuniak Springs,FL
property

Let me guess. The county wants to buy the land for the park from M.C. Davis.


Not exactly...Advocates lead by the M. C. Davis organization want the county to spend $5.5 million to buy about 40 acres from M. C. Davis. This is yet to be determined but will be aired at the BCC meeting tomorrow at 4pm at the annex in south Walton. Davis owns property next to plot as well as the plot where a new high school may go which is next to the proposed sports complex.
As a private enterprise the sport complex proposal can do or die on it's own accord. Dragging the county into the deal is not a good option for taxpayers as it's already known to be a money looser from the start and will require annual taxpayer funding infusions to keep it going.
 
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fishwalton

Beach Comber
May 30, 2013
31
18
DeFuniak Springs,FL
Who Benefits

Not exactly...Advocates lead by the M. C. Davis organization want the county to spend $5.5 million to buy about 40 acres from M. C. Davis. This is yet to be determined but will be aired at the BCC meeting tomorrow at 4pm at the annex in south Walton. Davis owns property next to plot as well as the plot where a new high school may go which is next to the proposed sports complex.
As a private enterprise the sport complex proposal can do or die on it's own accord. Dragging the county into the deal is not a good option for taxpayers as it's already known to be a money looser from the start and will require annual taxpayer funding infusions to keep it going.

Map - Who Benefits
 

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s dubbs

Beach Crab
Oct 24, 2008
1
0
Donate the land!

Good concept, but very poor use of County funds. With a land donation, it may make sense, but the County needs to budget both operating loss and capital reserve accounts to accommodate the losses and ongoing maintenance these types of facilities historically create.

Bay County already controls the sports tourism business just 10 or so miles down the road at Frank Brown Park, and South Walton’s hospitality business is already performing at pre-recession levels, and caters to a tourism sector that is at a much different (higher) price point than the sports travel business that brings in families that primarily stay at affordable, limited service hotels.

County funds would be much better used in expanding and improving the recreational facilities at Helen McCall Park, not to mention paving roads, expanding schools and encouraging real economic development to attract larger employers.

Again, it’s a very good concept, but overall a poor idea if presented as a County-funded land acquisition and development project. Seems if it was such a profitable venture that the landowner/developer would develop it themselves…
 

tsutcli

Beach Fanatic
Jan 14, 2008
921
109
Seacrest
The supporters of this boondogel seem to want to emphasize the up-scale nature of those who would come here for lacrosse. While this may or may not be true it certainly wouldn't come close to generating the revenue needed for this complex. And you can believe that if it were, Bay County would put in the same facilities. Let's not try to compete with their established business, we will lose. We already attract the affluent segment of the demographic that comes here.
Let it be a private enterprise
 

fishwalton

Beach Comber
May 30, 2013
31
18
DeFuniak Springs,FL
Common sense fiscal responsibility

====================================================

This is the best common sense fiscal analysis I have seen floating around on this subject. It is extremely thoughtful and well written. This is a public record

MEMORANDUM

DATE: June 10, 2013

TO: Board of County Commissioners
County Administrator
Tourist Development Council

SUBJ: Proposed Sports Complex

This is to ask the Board of County Commissioners to very carefully consider the proposal for a sports complex on U.S. 98 in the southeast corner of the county as described in the Daily News. I believe it will prove to be a serious financial burden on whoever tries to build and operate it.

In September 2011 Crossroads Consulting Services delivered a Feasibility Study for a Proposed New Sports Complex in South Walton County, Florida. You may see the report at www.visitsouthwalton.org/information-center-report by clicking on the Sports Study icon. The study was based on the Tourist Development Council owning and operating

  • Six lighted baseball/softball fields
  • Four to six lighted multi-purpose soccer/football/lacrosse fields
  • Supporting elements such as concession stands, restrooms, administrative offices
  • On-site parking.
This line up differs from the description noted in the newspaper article, but nonetheless, they ought to be comparable.

The Crossroads study estimates construction will cost on the order of $11.3 million to $13.5 million. Operation from March 1[SUP]st[/SUP] through October 31[SUP]st[/SUP] was estimated to generate 30,940 to 33,320 room nights and generate $179,000 to $193,000 annually in Tourist Development Tax (TDT) revenues in a stabilized year of operations (less until the complex is complete and being well used).

But, the study says: “From a cash flow perspective, the proposed new sports complex is estimated to realize an annual operating loss ranging from $378,000 to $431,000 including a capital reserve but before taxes, debt service and depreciation in a stabilized year of operation. As such, a specific funding source would be required to fund the operating subsidy”.

The study concludes that the benefits derived from the TDT “do not appear sufficient to support on-going financial operations or debt service on the project.”

In addition:

  • The site identified in the Daily News was considered in the Crossroads study as site “N”. It was the least desirable of the seven sites studied. A site between East and West Hewitt Roads was identified as the best. The analysis for site “N” and others in the southeast portion of the County cited a lack of appropriate development, especially hotels and restaurants. Site “N” is on a Scenic Corridor. The study also notes the “location in southeast Walton County would tend to drive users to hotels and restaurants in Bay County, which would be beneficial to the western Florida economy overall but not to the tourist economy of South Walton.
  • There is a serious need for sports facilities for residents south of the bay, but making a TDT nexus with the proposed site is problematic.
  • Work I did on a similar proposal for the City of Crestview indicated that successful sports complexes need more baseball fields than proposed and that maintenance and management of the facility for visiting teams is very expensive. The successful Frank Brown Park in Panama City Beach operates at a deficit. It is subsidized by the city with TDC funds generated by vigorous marketing of a special events staff. In addition, the Park Manager told me that the visitors have priority for facility use in order to create the TDT nexus and generate tax revenue to subsidize the operating loss. Success brings thousands of young visitors to lodgings located a few hundred yards to a few miles away on the beach. Visitors to a South Walton complex would find lodgings either quite expensive or quite a distance away.
  • According to property records on the Property Appraisers website, Walton County sold the parcel in question (05-3S-18-16000-001-0021) to Florida Community Services Corporation for $100 on September 13, 2007. Six days later on September 19, 2007 the parcel was sold to Forest View LLC for $10,130,000. The owner now proposes to sell the county its land back for something like $5 million. It appears the county already has about $15,000,000 invested in the project. More will not make it better.

The need for athletic fields in the rapidly growing South Walton area is critical. I urge the County Commission to seek a better arrangement for providing playing fields for those residents. I believe a nexus between the TDT and the project proposed does not exist in any practical way. And I believe a hastily chosen project will prove a financial burden to Walton County.

Respectfully submitted,

Signed

Michael M. Flynt
 
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