Evermore CID Holds First Board Meeting At Former Olympic Tennis Stadium, All Part Of An Effort To Transform The U.S. Highway 78 Business District
February 25, 2010 by Jamie Ward
Filed under Community Improvement Districts, Evermore
Second from left, Evermore board members Kenny King and Dwight Harrison huddle up in the revamped pro shop at the former Olympic tennis center. The CID is moving its offices into the old pro shop in the coming weeks in hopes of transforming the entire stadium complex into a multi-purpose facility.
SNELLVILLE — With new ceiling tiles, new carpeting and the smell of fresh paint on the walls, as promised the Evermore Community Improvement District Board of Directors held its first meeting at the pro shop of the former Olympic tennis stadium Wednesday.
As soon as the telephone and data lines are installed, the CID office will move its headquarters into the revamped pro shop with the hopes of transforming the entire stadium complex into a multipurpose facility — possibly used as a venue for concerts, large church gatherings and multiple sporting events. Before the CID took over the facility for at least the remainder of 2010, it was set to be demolished and turned into a Gwinnett County park.
“This is pretty amazing to be thinking about having our meetings in an Olympic stadium,” said board member Emory Morsberger. “It’s a great symbol for our progress and for revitalization.”
According to Executive Director Jim Brooks, the value of the facility as recorded in Gwinnett County’s Tax Digest is currently $18 million. An economic impact study conducted by the CID suggested the redone stadium could bring in $100 million over a 10-year period. Along with a $40,000 Atlanta Regional Commission grant that is being matched by the CID, efforts are now underway to conduct a feasibility study to see what possibilities might exist for the former Olympic venue.
“We’re building momentum,” Brooks said of current economic development efforts in the Evermore U.S. Highway 78 corridor, which starts at the tennis venue with historic Stone M0untain as its backdrop. “We had seven people (mall developers) in this corridor within five days looking at facilities. That’s the most we’ve had since I’ve been here. It’s amazing what talking about this stadium is doing to create interest.”
“Economic development is foremost on our mind now. That’s where we focus when we wake up every morning, along with transportation improvements.” said Chairman of the Board Forrest Adair.
Board member Kenny King even went as far as making comments about using the CID influence to see about cleaning up the entire U.S. Highway 78 corridor through DeKalb County and into Decatur at Interstate 285. To hear King’s comments on why he believes this is important, click here.
In other CID news, Treasurer Bill Gower reported a general operating fund balance as of Jan. 31 of $655,516.59. He also reported the CID’s various investments in the corridor totaled $2,152,856.19. Finally, Gower requested and the board approved an additional $21,000 expenditure for landscaping and infrastructure maintenance in the form of “unexpected crib walls.”
Also, elections were set for the Post 1 and Post 4 board spots, currently held by Dwight Harrison and Thomas Carraway. They’ll take place on April 28 at 2:30 p.m. with registration beginning at 2. To hear more about this and the millage rate vote of May 26, click here to hear comments from board member Don Robison.
Finally, in response to the recall election of 2009 which took the board members to Gwinnett County Superior Court, a set of by-laws for the CID were adopted after a lengthy discussion between Harrison (who spearheaded the effort to implement by-laws), Robison and Gary Custar. Robison’s concern mainly dealt with language about where board meetings could be held. In the end, it was determined those meetings could only take place in DeKalb and Gwinnett County as opposed to anywhere in the state of Georgia. Custar was the lone board member to vote against approving the by-laws because he said he didn’t like a clause that stated what would happen in the case of a deadlocked board.
“I think we have a great set of by-laws,” Harrison said. In speaking with CID attorney Lynn Rainey, who represents 10 CID’s in the metro area including Evermore, Harrison said, “They’re as strong as any set of by-laws in metro Atlanta.”
Harrison said now that the by-laws were implemented, he’d work on implementing an ethics policy next.
The CID board’s next monthly meeting will take place March 24.
The Olympic tennis stadium pro shop is now the Evermore CID's new headquarters.
Related posts:
