Old Idea is coming back around!

[Mike B.]

Story last updated at 9:04 a.m. Friday, January 10, 2003

Martin calls for new approach to events center project!

Eric Swanson, edited by Mike B.

Dodge City, Ford County and the Family Facilities Advisory Board have been looking for a new approach to the proposed special events center, and now they have one.

At a joint meeting of the FFAB and the Dodge City and Ford County commissions Thursday afternoon, Dodge City Commissioner Tom Martin proposed changing the concept behind the special events center project. After further discussion, the city and county commissions directed the FFAB to take a serious look at Martin's proposal.

"I asked the FFAB to consider a conceptual change, to go to two projects instead of the all-events center project," Martin said in an interview after the meeting. "And that would be phase one and phase two. Phase one would be the construction of a convention center on West Wyatt Earp, convenient to the hotels. It would not be as big as an all-events center, per se.

"Phase two would be the expansion of the Civic Center to add an exhibit hall, and the renovation to include additional seating... I think it'll increase the utilization of the Civic Center."

"The public that I've talked to is very much in favor of utilizing the Civic Center site and enhancing the use of the Civic Center," Martin said. "We could build 40,000 to 50,000 square feet (for the Civic Center expansion). We don't have to have as big an overall facility ... because we're gaining the use of the existing Civic Center."

He said by the time the convention center he proposed is built, the city and county will have collected enough money in sales-tax revenues -- about $5 million -- to pay for the facility without having to issue additional bonds.
His proposal drew enthusiastic support from members of the city commission, county commission and the FFAB.

Audience members who spoke generally favored Martin's proposal.

Toward the end of the meeting, Dodge City resident Tom Taylor said he thought Martin's proposal was a good idea.

"I've been pushing this for four years," said Taylor, who serves on the Racing Advisory Board. "We need to keep the Civic Center. This is a positive move. Utilize what we have."

This idea has been floating around town recently. I spoke with Tom Martin today and he still feels this is the way to proceed. Many other community leaders are seeing this as a very positive step.

Several factors that need to be address are:

1. Accessibility-- Not a problem. Central lies to the east. Morgan on the south. Soule on the north. Great accessibility.
2. Drainage—Not a problem.
3. Parking—Plenty of parking to the west. Sure, some work would need to be done, but it is very practical. If more parking was necessary, the ball fields southwest of the civic center could be relocated by the city and turned into parking not just for our Civic Center but also for Memorial Stadium. The way the Demons are playing, we’ll need more parking.
4. Emergency facilties are not far away. Straight shot to the hospital and the D.C.F.D. is just around the corner.
5. The swimming pool close by would be an added feature during summer months. The pool could utilize the new concrete parking lot for the Civic Center that our city commission past this last Monday night. And the landscape is perfect for a water park!
6. The architectural firm of Gossen/Livingston from Wichita has drawn up some rough plot plans for this facility. I believe our city clerk may have copies.

I think this would be a great way to move Dodge City ahead with economic development. What do you guys think?

[WizardofOz]

I think it will be nice to have something actually done with the SEC. Ten years after the vote to build it, some lawsuits, and a divided public with nothing built. I am left to wonder if there is any light at the end of the tunnel.

[lurker]

I think they will pour concrete all around the old civic center and then wake to the idea of expanding it.

Why waste all that crete?...It's the Dodge City way.

[Detector]

I think these thieves should quit trying to find ways to jack the people out of their tax money and build the damn SEC they voted for.

[Zeb]

Make sure it's big enough to house all the things we were fed when the vote came up. Indoor Rodeo and Motorcross, Ice-capades, Ice Hockey, Pro Exhibitions (HAAACKK) Sorry I can't continue without getting that nausiated feeling.

[Bubba]

Not only all of the above but seating capacity would have to increase by about 5000 seats minimum.

[Mike B.]

Zeb,

We were fed alot of things! One of them being Garth Brooks coming to Dodge City.

Now that Judge Donald Innes has reversed his decision, we are back to where we were last year.

Bubba,

I don't think that the idea proposed by Tom Martin would increase the capacity at the Civic Center to over 5,000 seats. I think it would be more like an exhibition hall.

Detector,

There has been untold amounts of tax dollars spent on other projects than just the "WND?" I don't know that it is possible to build the SEC today that was proposed years ago. Costs have risen dramatically and to actually get the facility promised to us appears to be out of reach today. But then again, the DCRP may be able to contribute!...LOL.....

[Bubba]

Then it won't fly in my opinion, because the SEC is/was supposed to seat between 7500-10,000 people.

[tat2me82]

I think it's a bad idea. Why should we build something bigger and better when most of the events that come to dodge don't fill up anyway? We should spend that money on renevating what we have. Look what happened to All for fun... Everybody wanted it, but nobody wanted to pay the price for it (or like me, couldn't pay the price for it)

[TexKan]

Man this is startin to sound like the congress!!