No to Aquatics Center, Yes to Pool

[Brent]

CARY CHANGES SWIM CENTER CONCEPT
Town Council Opts for Plan to Build Pools as Part of Community Center

CARY, NC –In a work session earlier today, the Cary Town Council voted to drop the idea of a regional competitive swim center and instead directed Town staff to meet with the top three design firms to study locating an aquatics facility as part of a new community center slated for northern or western Cary. The Council changed course from its November decision over concerns that the required private sector match was unlikely to come through in a timely manner. The Council also mentioned the fact that a facility pool is already being built in Cary as a reason for their decision.

The revised $23.8 million community center scope —which includes a $13.5 million base community center, $4.3 million outdoor aquatics facility, and $6 million recreation component—will offer one outdoor recreation pool with waterplay features and two indoor pools: an indoor recreation pool and a 25 yard, eight-lane pool. For the study of the combined package and revised scope, Council asked staff to focus on the Town’s existing North Cary and Hawes tract sites as prospective locations. The Town plans to use a combination of cash and general obligation bond funding authority to pay for the community aquatics center.

With today’s Council decision, Town staff will make the necessary adjustments to the design phase of the project, with the goal of continuing to have the facility open in late 2009.

“The community center option will work well in serving the needs and interests of Cary citizens,” said Parks Recreation, and Cultural Resources Director Mary Henderson. “We’re excited about continuing to move ahead with this new programming area.”

Updated information about the project, including opportunities for public involvement, will be available at http://www.townofcary.org.

###

PRIMARY CONTACTS: Mary Henderson, Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Resources Director, (919) 469-4061
April R. Little, Deputy Public Information Officer, (919) 393-4383 (pager)

[Wuptdo]

I believe the TOC gave the Cary Chamber of Commerce somewhere between $75-150K this year for Economic Development. So what are they doing with all that money? Administrative fees?

So, who at the Chamber is playing ED director this week, check this out:



Water park incentive considered

By Eric C. Deines
edeines@independenttribune.com
Tuesday, June 5, 2007

CONCORD - Cabarrus County is eyeing a five-year, $2.6 million tax incentive grant to lure a $100 million water park resort to Concord.

The Cabarrus Economic Development Corp. presented a grant proposal to commissioners at a work session, saying the incentive pales to the grant money the county’s competitors for the project could offer.

Great Wolf Resorts, a Wisconsin-based company, is considering bringing a 409-room water park resort to a 37-acre site near Speedway Boulevard at the Weddington Road Extension. Officials have said the resort will generate about $1 million in hotel/motel taxes and generate about 400 jobs.

Ryan McDaniels, a director with the EDC, said the county is competing for the project with South Carolina, an area for which the project qualifies for $14 million in incentive grants.

“It does not qualify in North Carolina,” McDaniels said.

The proposal presented by the EDC, McDaniels noted, is a variation of the county’s typical incentive grant structure, lengthening the tax return period from three years to five years. The deal would return 85 percent of the resort’s property taxes over that time.

Because Great Wolf’s investment on the project is more than $40 million, it qualifies for a special incentive package.

Commissioners expressed concern that the resort could further burden traffic in the busy area.

EDC CEO John Cox said his organization is working with Concord staff to see if the city could provide corridor improvements to Great Wolf as its portion of an incentive.

“We need to get past those to get the approval from the city,” Cox said.

DeSales Wagster, president and CEO of the Cabarrus Convention & Visitors Bureau, said the resort could generate $636,000 in additional taxes in the first year.

With the new Embassy Suites Hotel off Speedway Boulevard, Wagster said the water park resort would “complete (the county’s) portfolio of hotels.”

Commissioners agreed to consider the tax incentive grant for Great Wolf Resorts at their June 18 meeting.

Rooms at the resort run about $300 a day, and only guests at the resort would be able to use the water park.

• Contact Eric C. Deines: 704-789-9141


Heck, I don't even know where Concord is at, but this is a great opportunity for Cary, just being flushed away, because (add whatever here). Just image building this across from the Cary Town Center Mall, and all the local revenue it would generate. And even better, image all those newly created MYR kids having someplace to go this summer. And even better, better, denying that Water Park in Greensboro any income from this region. That's the ticket!

If given a choice between a Water Park and a couple of pools, I believe the citizens would chose a Water Park.

Wutpdo B-)

[Brent]

Wup,

You underestimated. Council appropriated $750K for a 2-3-year period. At the retreat, our Economic Development director (who gets paid with our tax dollars but reports to the Chamber) had not hired the second person who was supposed to come on board, had no real plan or objectives, and had spent (from what I can tell, squandered) a bundle on start-up costs.

But other than that, it's going great.

I can't understand why they would spend our tax dollars this way, unless maybe the mayor was a former Chamber president and has buddies at the Chamber who can pay and sway big political contributions. But that could never happen, right?

[Brent]

Oh, and apparently, we can't find even a dime for Cary EMS.

Nice budgeting, Ernie. :twisted: :P