County floats swim center option
If city negotiations sink, officials will work to keep project in LeeBy DREW WINCHESTER, dwinchester@breezenewspapers.com
City council is expected to make its decision on the proposed Olympic swim center in the coming weeks, but should council decide to pass, Lee County is poised to leap on the opportunity.
Commission chairwoman Tammy Hall said Friday she supports the city's efforts to pursue the project, but won't hesitate if it becomes available.
"We're basically saying if Cape Coral can't facilitate a contract, we'll start working to find a contract and location," Hall said. "We've been working with this group for a long time."
City council is set to discuss the issue on Monday.
The National Swimming Center Corporation, the company behind the project, has apparently given the city a tight deadline by which they have to make their decision to either move forward or take a pass.
Though NSCC spokesman John Machilargy could not be reached for comment concerning more information about that deadline, Councilmember Marty McClain said the deadline is due to the need for NSCC set a schedule for Olympic time trials and other events.
Without the experience of wrangling such a high-profile project, McClain said he understood the hesitation from both the city and its residents.
But, he added, without spending money, the city wasn't likely to make money, and the direct and indirect revenue streams will likely float to Fort Myers or unincorporated Lee County.
"Across the river they're looking at how to make this work, and we're looking at how to say no," McClain said.
Ideas and rumors have been floated as to where the center would be built in Fort Myers, but according to Tammy Hall the exact location is unknown.
City Palms Park, when eventually vacated by the Boston Red Sox, was mentioned, but Lee County Sports Authority Director Jeff Mielke said even City of Palms needs serious work.
"It's an option," he said. "But we would need to be convinced City of Palms is the right venue."
The NSCC is asking the city for $22 million in improvements for the Academic Village area, the site eyed for the facility. They're also asking another $5 million towards construction.
NSCC is seeking an additional $10 from the county, should the facility be built in Cape Coral.
City staff is looking at ways to postpone about $4 million of the site improvement price tag to later phases of the project.
If city council should decide to move forward, then another deadline exists: the facility must be up and running and ready to host events by Dec. 31, 2012.
With such tight timeframes all the way around, Marty McClain thinks the council needs to decide now, not later.
"We need to stop wavering and wobbling," he said. "That seems to be the solution: wait."
City council meets on Monday, 4:30 pm, at city hall.
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DOAshrimp
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03-08-10 4:43 PM
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Actually Genie, I am against the swim center because I have looked into and checked out the facts and we simply dont have the dough to take a WILD CHANCE that this would benefit Cape Coral. I really dont know Mr McClain and he very well might be the brother of Mother Teresa, but common sense tells me that builders, developers, and real estate agents, should not be on council in the first place, just like common sense tells me that Obama and Pelosi should be jailed and AUDIE LEWIS SHOULD GIVE BACK THE 1600 DOLLARS OF TAXPAYER MONEY HE SQUANDERED ON HIS VACATION IN PANAMA. As far as nicknames, Mr. McClain has not earned his yet, but I'm working on yours. Stay tuned! By the way Genie, ck. out McClains bio on the city website for the facts.
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Eugene
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03-08-10 11:56 AM
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Shrimp, You are something else. Because McClain says we should look into this , he is part of the building industry. I hope no one takes you seriously.I am not for the center because of many reasons but someone should at least check it out and give us the facts.In your case if a person is against something you favor then he is part of the evil mix. I love it. You haven't given him a nickname yet!
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DOAshrimp
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03-08-10 11:37 AM
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I see the champion of the swim center, councilman McClain, is heavily involved in the construction and building industry. Go figure. SWIM CENTER = BAD IDEA
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RetiredAuditor
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03-07-10 1:24 PM
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If anyone else is seriously after this project, which I doubt, it only proves some others are more stupid than I hope we are!
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CapeBaron1
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03-07-10 2:37 AM
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I can not believe this city after the last few years is willing to waste money on this losing business. If the county wants it let them have it! They don't really want it they just want us to want it, and we don't! The city needs to get it's priorities straight. Wasteful, wasteful, wasteful.....
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expatinasia
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03-07-10 1:51 AM
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NSCC wants $37 million from Cape Coral, and what does the swim center bring to the Cape...bragging rights? How about using the $37 million to provide city water and sewer systems to the rest of the Cape? For Cape Coral, the swim center is a lose-lose proposition.
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Bennett
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03-06-10 5:49 PM
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Attention Tammy Hall: You are suppose to be representing Cape Coral on the County Commission. If you think our tax dollars need to stay on the other side of the river I will not be voting for you if you decided to run for reelection.
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grumpy19
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03-06-10 11:47 AM
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The county must have all kinds of money floating around. Build a new stadium and they now plan to take the swim center if Cape Coral doesn't take it. I find this utterly amazing. County taxes will probably go up if they take the swim center. I don't really see this project being very viable. I don't see why there is such a rush to do this project. Something is wrong when a private enterprise tries to rush a multi million dollar project that will cost the tax payers millions. I am not against progress but not at the cost to the taxpayers that this will end up costing.
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RetiredAuditor
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03-06-10 8:14 AM
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Approve in haste, repent at leisure! Hurry, hurry, don't think, borrow that money now because they (McClain, etc) tell us there are others begging for this project. They (McClain, etc.) will helpfully waste our money when we can least afford it. What other "opportunity" will he spring on us next? I'm sure we'll hear soon!
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concrened
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03-06-10 7:36 AM
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None of this makes any sense. These guys tried for four years to get the County to go for this silly project. When the county wouldn't bite Bertolini,Burch and Stewart brought those guys over here. Judah said there was no money, now Tammy says there is? If the project is such a rush that it must be decided Monday, how could Fort Myers start from scratch and have it done by the 2012 deadline? These guys say they are building four more yet none of the others are started, or even decided where they will be located. Apparently they won't make the 2012 deadline. I can envision them not completing it by 2012 and suing us for holding them up with permits and inspections.
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