Evermore CID Approves Move To New Headquarters In Effort To Transform Olympic Tennis Venue
January 28, 2010 by Jamie Ward
Filed under Community Improvement Districts, Evermore
Atlanta's 1996 Olympic tennis stadium was set for demolition in 2011. Now the Evermore CID is exploring redevelopment options.
SNELLVILLE — The quest to save Atlanta’s 1996 Olympic tennis venue from a 2011 demolition date became official Wednesday with the Evermore CID Board of Director’s official, unanimous decision to move its headquarters into the venue’s abandoned pro shop for the rest of the year.
With historic Stone Mountain serving as a backdrop to the unused stadium and the Super Target store across from the venue set to vacate its space at the end of the month, the move might be considered an act of solidarity to showcase to potential suitors how much the board believes in the future of the U.S. Highway 78 corridor.
“I’m encouraged by what we’ve discovered so far,” said board member Kenny King, who has spearheaded the effort. “I encourage people to not get overly optimistic. We’ve got a long way to go.”
The CID has already conducted an economic impact study on the stadium that showed that transforming it into a multipurpose facility — possibly used as a venue for concerts, large church gatherings and multiple sporting events — could bring in $100 million over the next 10 years.
King said the CID was now exploring seeking additional funds from the Atlanta Regional Commission in the form of a grant by March 1. If received, those funds would pay for a two-month-long feasibility study to see what else needs to be done to potentially save the venue from demolition.
“We think it could be a catalyst for redevelopment in the Park Place area,” King said. To hear the rest of King’s thought on what it could do for the 78 corridor, click here. Asked why everyone else had given up on trying to make something of the venue, King said, “I think because they didn’t try to use it for anything other than tennis. Someone made a short attempt to use it for concerts, but it’s going to take one entity that will manage that thing and keep it filled as much as possible all the time.”
Evermore’s Economic Development Director David Stedman believes the tennis stadium can be a “transformational linchpin and catalyst for development.”
“Our Commissioner Mike Beaudreau has said our efforts can’t be directed to saving the stadium, our efforts have to be directed at transforming the stadium and transforming the community in and around it,” Stedman said. To this effect, he offered an idea presented by board member and redevelopment guru Emory Morsberger, the idea being transforming the corridor into a “green” one. One vision, if feasible and viable, was potentially adding a solar roof to the stadium.
“That would make it more likely to qualify for federal funding,” Stedman said. “There are green components to the stadium concept that cannot be ignored.”
The tennis venue’s current owner is the Stone Mountain Memorial Association. In May, Gwinnett County signed a $1-a-year, 50-year lease to operate 15 outdoor tennis courts at the 24.5-acre site on Bermuda Road.
From left, Evermore board member and developer Emory Morsberger suggests to board members hosting a joint candidate's forum for Georgia's 11 individuals seeking the governor's office.
In other board business, Morsberger also suggested reaching out to the other two Gwinnett CID’s (Gwinnett Village and Gwinnett Place) in an effort to possibly host a joint candidates forum for the state’s 11 gubernatorial candidates this spring. Morsberger got the idea by attending the Georgia Municipal Association’s similar event Monday downtown at the Atlanta Hilton hotel.
“Let’s try to get them on board with the kinds of things that we’re trying to accomplish either here on 78 or in Gwinnett County or in the CID effort in metro Atlanta,” Morsberger said. “A lot of them are not tuned in to the things we’re doing. It might be beneficial for the CID’s long-term plans.”
In other business for its first meeting of 2010, a budget was unanimously approved by the board that after year’s end should leave the CID with a cash reserve of approximately $2.7 million. That’s after showing a loss of $457,342 for the year, said Treasurer Bill Gower. Board Member Dwight Harrison also distributed a set of by-laws to all board members and hopes a set can be adopted this year.
According to Executive Director Jim Brooks and his report, the stadium and transportation focus are the largest issues in the corridor. He also reported that the Yellow River bridge should be bid on within the next 30 days.
The Olympic tennis stadium pro shop, or now, the Evermore CID's new headquarters. They'll move after renovations which are now ongoing are completed.
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Thanks, Jamie, for your coverage of the CID’s and all local government. We are all trying to make a difference!