Aquatics center approved with hotel tax funding
GREENSBORO — In the first major decision of its new term, a narrowly divided City Council agreed to build an $18.8 million aquatics center at the Greensboro Coliseum.
The 5-4 vote reaffirms a decision made by the previous council Dec. 1. That decision calls for using $12 million in voter-approved bonds and about $7 million in hotel tax revenue to build the center.
Mayor Bill Knight and council members Mary Rakestraw, Trudy Wade and Danny Thompson voted against the construction contract and the use of the hotel tax revenue.
They instead wanted to go back to voters for a second bond referendum for the balance needed.
“Let’s let the voters speak,” Knight said. “There is no higher authority than the voters of Greensboro.”
But in the end, council members Nancy Vaughan, Jim Kee, Robbie Perkins, T. Dianne Bellamy-Small and Zack Matheny voted down that suggestion and approved the funding as originally passed.
Vaughan said it seemed appropriate to fund the gap with hotel tax because it will be paid by visitors.
“I really like the idea of having this as a user fee,” she said. “It is kind of the ultimate user fee.”
The proposed aquatics center would include a 50-meter competitive pool, a learn-to-swim warm-up pool, a diving well and spectator seating.
During its first meeting two weeks ago, the new council wanted to receive a full briefing on the project and weigh in on it.
Thompson argued that the council should take a step back to reconsider the funding options.
Kee, however, said his concerns about the project — including whether it would truly be accessible to the community — have been answered.
Council members heard from opponents and proponents of the project. Swim supporters outnumbered those who spoke against the aquatics center.
Fifteen-year-old diver Lily Armstrong said her team at Tumblebees gym uses gymnastics equipment to practice diving because the city doesn’t have a proper diving board.
“Our team also travels two hours to Huntersville once or twice a month to train in a pool and real H2O,” Armstrong said.
Proponents argued that the aquatics center will be an opportunity to teach more children to swim. Earlier this week, the Community Foundation announced a fund that will pay for a learn to-swim-program at the aquatics center.
The foundation already has received $100,000 in commitments from anonymous donors to pay for five years of classes for Guilford County schoolchildren. The program will be aimed at first- and second-graders.
“Think of what you have in your power to create,” Walker Sanders, president of the Community Foundation, told council members. “We can talk about the economics. We can talk about the cost. Doesn’t it really come back to what we invest in our community and what we invest in our children?”
Opponents expressed concerns about the cost of the center.
“Where are we going to get the funds if this thing costs more money?” resident Richard Hyde asked. “Are we going to increase taxes?”
Resident Joe Guarino and other speakers argued that residents were misled.
“If you approve this proposal, you would be making yourself a party to all the deception that has taken place,” Guarino said.
Bob Malekoff, a professor of sports studies at Guilford College, urged the council to hold off on making a decision until more information about the economic impact could be obtained.
He said it is difficult to accurately estimate the economic impact. The $14 million suggested by local tourism officials is likely flawed or incomplete, he said.
Hill Carrow, who helped come up with that estimate, said the economics could be debated. But his suggested schedule of 12 major meets a year is solid , he said.
Contact Amanda Lehmert at 373-7075 or amanda.lehmert@news-record.com
Accompanying Photos
Photo Caption: Emma McPeeters (middle), 10, and Noah Zawadzki (right), 9, both from Greensboro, cheer after the City Council votes Dec. 15 to build an aquatics center.
COUNCIL INSIDER
News and notes from the City Council meeting on Tuesday.
Rezoning debate delayed
Council members agreed to wait until Jan. 5 to reconsider a controversial request to rezone land at North Elm Street and Cornwallis Drive to allow condominiums.
Bringing in Gateway
The City Council unanimously voted to annex the 71-acre Gateway University Research Park into the city.
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- Got a news tip? Contact staff writer Amanda Lehmert at 373-7075 or amanda.lehmert@news-record.com
- Get your fill of city politics at Inside Scoop at blog.news-record.com/scoopblog
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