Your vote did not count on The Event Center.

[Redhead 18]

Dodge events center efforts resume

By Tim Vandenack

The Hutchinson News
Dechant Sheer Minerals

tvandenack@hutchnews.com

DODGE CITY - A new round in long-running efforts to build an events center here has begun.

The multi-million-dollar facility, discussed since the late 1990s, would potentially accommodate concerts, conventions, sporting events and other activities, and two new proposals are making the rounds. No other facility of such magnitude exists in this corner of the state.

"I think this is a golden opportunity that we have right now," said Rick Sowers, a Dodge City commissioner who serves on the civic body tabbed with helping local leaders formulate a plan.

Still, no timeline has been set and the proposals, unveiled in January, face the scrutiny of the civic body, the Community Facilities Advisory Board, before anything concrete is likely to emerge.

"I think everybody wants to move quickly, but carefully," said Jeff Pederson, the Dodge City manager.

The two proposals, topic of preliminary debate at a gathering Thursday evening of the advisory board, come from Phoenix-based Global Entertainment Group and the Wichita-based Heritage Development Group.

The Global plan calls for construction of a $33 million complex on the northwest edge of Wright Park south of the city center. A multipurpose building would seat up to 5,800 and the structure would also contain 10,000 square feet of convention space.

The Heritage submission proposes a $41 million facility that would contain a "Showplex" for live events, possibly an Old West-themed house show, and seat up to 3,200. Plans also call for 15,500 square feet of convention space. No site is proposed.

Advisory board members expressed numerous questions about the plans, which will undoubtedly face tweaking in coming weeks as officials decide what they want to do. The proposals were formulated without local direction and for no fee.

Advisory board member Ann Torrey, for one, questioned Global's proposal to build near Wright Park. Voters in 2005 overwhelmingly shot down a different scheme to build there.

But Terry Williams, a Ford County commissioner who also serves on the body, noted that numerous consultants in years past have recommended building at the location and said the site merits due consideration.

Sowers wondered whether the house show proposed at Heritage's Showplex would hinder availability of the facility for other activities, like high school graduation ceremonies. He also questioned whether the seating, 3,200, would be enough for the array of possible events that might pass through.

As outlined, Heritage's Old West-themed show, which would account for $8 million of the $41 million price tag, would run five days a week in the summer, capitalizing on Dodge City's name to bring in tourists.

Ford County leaders and residents have debated construction of some sort of events center for years, using funds generated by a special half-cent city and half-cent county sales tax. Some have questioned whether the area has the population to support such a facility, however, and the plans have faced intense debate.

Finally, a judge ruled last year that terms of the 1997 ballot that approved the city and county sales tax stream dictate that local leaders give the proposal their priority attention, paving the way for the renewed effort.

"I hear a groundswell of positive energy for a change," said Don Steele, a local resident. "I haven't ever seen this much excitement."

[lurker]

Don't you jest love that last comment?

[Mike B.]

Redhead 18,

Your vote did count concerning the SEC. People have different interpretations on what exactly happened on that vote. What the ballot said, more or less, should we build a Special Events Center, not to exceed 20 million dollars, in the Wright Park area? The vote came back with somewhere around 68% of the voters saying no.

Now the 20 million dollar question: Did the voters say no to the location, or no to the cost, or no to the event center? Maybe a combination?

I do know that with the current funds available from the sales tax, the city is not able to bond over 33 million dollars for a SEC. If the city commission does spend over 33 million, the amount over will be paid by property tax!

Kent Smoll knows this fact very well. That's why, a few weeks ago, he was the only vote against giving sales tax money to non-profit entities. (Round-up, Boot Hill, Trail of Fame, Depot Theater, just to name afew.)

Most people (myself excluded) who want to build a SEC are wanting to build based on the Heritage groups proposal. It is my opinion that we just don't have enough money to continue to on with our current projects, give sales tax money to non-profit groups and build a SEC.

The sales tax brings in 3.8 million dollars a year.

We spend: Legends Park (a wnd project)..... 419,000.00/year
DCRP " " " ..... 492,000.00/year
Boot Hill .......... 275,000.00/year
A special evevts center
44 million dollars= ...............2.75 million for principle and
interest
...............1.0 million for operations

Grand Total= Well....You do the Math!

No wonder Kent Smoll voted not to support Round-Up or any of the other groups. He knows we are running out of money way to fast.

Property tax is already paying for some WND projects! Property tax may be paying to build a SEC also.

It would also behove us to look into the economic impact numbers that these promoters are throwing around. I can not even begin to believe that they think we would see an impact of somewhere around 368 million dollars over five years. Give me a break!!!!

[Tee]

Originally Posted by Mike B.

It would also behove us to look into the economic impact numbers that these promoters are throwing around. I can not even begin to believe that they think we would see an impact of somewhere around 368 million dollars over five years. Give me a break!!!!

There is no way for them to know what the impact will be. Every town is different, and every SEC is different. These numbers are ludicris and are designed for one purpose in mind...to dupe us into going with the guy with the highest projections. It's all smoke and mirrors. We'd be lucky if we netted $1 after all costs of building and operating the center were tallied.

This un-rounded figure would tend to make you think there was some scientific data and mathmatical reasoning behind the figure, when the truth is they just pulled it outa their ass. It's an insult to our intellegence when they come up with these figures.

[lurker]

Numbers lie and liars use numbers.

The Economic Impact number ($368,000,000) is usually a multiple of 6 times the actual 'new' money brought into a community. I can't find my Big Chief tablet and fat pencil so I'll just dew the math in my head:

360 Million divided by 6 ='s 60 million (NEW DOLLARS) divided by 5 (years) ='s 12 Million divided by 12 (months) ='s 1 Million Dollars per month of spending by 'out of towners' due to our having "Special Events."

As much as I like doG & Pony shows, I don't see $33,333.33 coming into Dodge each and every day.

We could reach or even exceed those numbers if we spent our $40,000,000.00 on building a hospital oasis on the Plains. That would be "new" money attracting Highly Skilled Labor.

Something as basic as a 225 bed nursing home would attract new dollars that meet their economic impact projections.

[Wildcat12]

The school district got money from Excel to build a new school. Why not have Excel/Carghill pitch in & help on the cost of the SEC?!

[Detector]

Why not have Excel/Carghill pitch in & help on the cost of the SEC?!

Because tourism and industry don't play well together. Thats been the problem all along.

[TexKan]

what a friggin mess!!! - Everyone running aroudn crying they don't know what to do - isn't that how nuthing has gotten done up to this point?

I am concerned bout a western dog and pony show 5 nights a week all summerlong........... ya gonna book the smae act for 3 months?........... sumthin don't sound right there - and what is boot hill gonna do with thier place and thier can can can't girls? I don't know soundls like the voters need another vote to me cause it's ALL over the 20 mil they approved - ya know someitmes when ya procrastinate - ya lose -

[Detector]

They're just venting. They know there is nothing they can do about it. It's not like we live in a city governed by democracy.

[TexKan]

I'm finding out that even in my little LaMarque Tx - it's like that - pisses me off too! Course the X is movin up in the City Hall dept so I gots to be careful but I'm bout to get real political here!!