Changes being made to Sub-South Rec Center's plans to fit $7.6 million budget
Changes to a south Bibb County recreation center should help it square with its budget, following initial plans that were more than $3 million over budget.
Macon-Bibb County officials updated commissioners Tuesday on the progress of the Sub-South Recreation Center off Hartley Bridge Road. The setbacks at the center had drawn the ire of some county commissioners who are anxious to see work begin at the site.
In recent weeks, the county has been finding out how modifications to the project's first phase, such as going from four to two baseball fields, would save costs. The first-phase bids for the site came to about $11 million. The county has $7.6 million of special purpose local option sales tax budgeted for the first phase.
The first phase called for up to 12 tennis courts, but four courts may be more feasible for this round, Macon-Bibb SPLOST project manager Clay Murphey said during a County Commission Economic and Community Development Committee meeting Tuesday. "I am fairly confident in the next couple weeks we will have selected a contractor and begin negotiating with them," he said.
The recreation center's main building will remain the same size, and a swimming pool will still be built in the initial phase. Some of the cost reductions for the building will come from choosing different types of building materials, Murphey said.
"It's the same standard (size) but maybe not as elaborate a building," he said.
Once the budget is on target and after commissioners approve the contract, it should take about 30 days before construction begins, Murphey said.
Commissioner Scotty Shepherd, who represents the district where the center is located, said work needs to begin before he can support the next round of special purpose local option sales tax projects.
"I can't ask these people for more money until the dirt is shoveled," he said.
MACON-BIBB MAY OWE $355,000 FOR CENTREPLEX OPERATIONS
The firm that manages the Macon Centreplex says an additional $355,000 may be needed to cover expenses for the fiscal year.
In January, an accounting error was discovered that led to $230,000 in revenue being misreported, said Lloyd Lauland, vice president of operations for Interstate Hotels & Resorts. The company owns Noble Investment Group, which manages the Centrplex, which is made up of the City Auditorium, Macon Coliseum and Wilson Convention Center.
Even without the accounting error, Noble already was anticipating a loss of $127,000 at the venues, Lauland told commissioners during a committee meeting Tuesday.
Whether the $355,000 is needed will depend on how the venues perform through June 30, the end of the fiscal year. The county pays Noble about $8,500 a month to manage the City Auditorium and Coliseum. Under that contact, Macon-Bibb receives the revenues and covers deficits at the facilities.
Noble also manages the Convention Center for the county under a separate contract.
Facilities like the ones at the Centreplex are typically viewed as amenities for cities and counties, Lauland said.
"They very rarely make a profit," he said. "Our jobs are to manage the facility at the best of our ability to ensure we lose the least amount of money."
Macon-Bibb likely will have a new management firm for the City Auditorium and Coliseum because Noble did not submit a bid to continue the work.
OFFICIALS DISCUSS POSSIBLE SPLOST PROJECTS
Money for the closure of the county's main landfill, second phases of recreation center work, courthouse improvements and blight were among the most suggested projects Tuesday as commissioners seek to create the next SPLOST list.
On April 26, county officials are expected to delve into how much various projects might cost after receiving details on wish-lists from department heads. However, at Tuesday's Committee of the Whole meeting, commissioners began prioritizing potential projects.
The Grand Opera House, storm water management and debt payments were among the other items mentioned Tuesday. The Macon-Bibb SPLOST process is being facilitated by the Association County Commissioners of Georgia, which created the SPLOST guidelines.
Plans call for Macon-Bibb officials to hold several community meetings to gather public input before the list is prepared in advance of the Nov. 8 SPLOST referendum vote. The current $180 million SPLOST has been used to pay for various Macon-Bibb projects, including roadwork, recreation centers and the construction of fire stations, an animal shelter, a senior citizens center and a juvenile justice center.
To contact writer Stanley Dunlap, call 744-4623 or find him on Twitter@stan_telegraph.
This story was originally published April 12, 2016 at 4:56 PM with the headline "Changes being made to Sub-South Rec Center's plans to fit $7.6 million budget ."