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Public hearing on stadium to resume Wednesday
Journal photo by Bruce Chapman
A passerby checks out the protest signage of Cathey Fisher, Marissa Fisher, 3, both of Pfafftown, Wes Brown, and his wife Martee Brown, both of Winston-Salem, just before the council meeting at Council Chambers of City Hall in Winston-Salem.
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Published: June 15, 2009
Updated: 06/15/2009 07:57 pm
The Winston-Salem City Council did not vote tonight on a deal to provide an additional $15.7 million to finish the baseball stadium downtown, Mayor Allen Joines announced at the start of tonight's public hearing at City Hall.
A protest organized by the Forsyth Country Republican Party was sparsely attended, but the public hearing drew an overflow crowd of supporters and opponents of public financing for the stadium.
"I think being invested in baseball is a good proposition," said Ben Sutton, the founder of ISP Sports, which has its headquarters in Winston-Salem. "We are strongly ... in favor of this proposal."
Darwin Parrish of Pfafftown told the crowd that he wants better oversight of the project.
"I have one request," Parrish said. "Please don't just give the money to Mr. Prim without proper oversight ... we may find the parties back here next year.
"I am neither pro nor con this project. I just want to see some responsibility and accountability that has not been expressed before," Parrish said.
According to documents sent last week to the city council, under the new deal, the city would lend $12.7 million to Prim's development company to help finish building the stadium.
The city would also advance Prim's company another $2 million to help fix roads and build parking lots. The city would reimburse itself from a federal grant that has already been awarded to the city, but which needs to be amended to include the necessary roads.
And the city would finance the company's purchase of $980,361 worth of land for the shops, restaurants and offices that Prim's company hopes to build around the stadium.
In total, the city would contribute around $15.7 million. Add that to the $12 million the city already has given Prim's company, and the city's total contributions come to about $27.7 million.
During the public hearing, some speakers criticized the city council for considering using more taxpapers' money for the stadium project. Charles Bolton, a city resident, asked the council where has the city's initial $12 million had gone.
"Does anyone in the city knows?" Bolton asked. "We need someone with innovative thoughts to look into this thing."
Other speakers said that the city needs to provide the money to finish the stadium.
"It was a good idea two years ago, and it is a good item now," said Nick Dumas, a resident. "We can quit or step up to the plate to get it done."
The public hearing ended at 7:15, and Joines told the crowd that it would reconvene on Wednesday at 6 p.m.
To read related documents, go to www.journalnow.com.
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