S.P.E.A.K. Up for South Walton

[florida girl]

FG - you constantly complain about how we need a different industry here, yet can never come up with anything but complaints. Someone else is proposing something that is not only proven to bring in revenue, but is a great community resource and wants all of our input and you complain about that too!

Whether we like it or not, Sowal is growing. That growth can be good (a place to draw offseason business and improve our community's health) or bad (Wal-mart).

I will quote again:

The South Walton Physical Education & Activities Kampus Funding Program

It is not yet fully known from what sources the funds necessary to develop the Kampus would be, but a mixture of private donations, and federal, state and local grants, as well as voter approved bonds are the most likely. Local option sales tax revenues may also support the Kampus, which makes sense in light of the projected increase in sales tax revenue that the project is expected to contribute.

We need privately funded industry, not another project paid for by us. The state and federal government does not have an unending supply of funds to solve our economic crisis! I am actively doing what I can, which takes a lot of imagination by the way. I think that adding another tax or fee to our already strapped economy is a recipe for disaster! I think we need to assist our privately owned companies survive through this, and help others to start up.

 

[emeraldcoastdav]

Let's pave all south Walton streets before we build big kid play grounds with tax payer money. This sounds like a private money venture.

 

[Douglas the Intrepid]

I like the concept of a sports center for the kids and adults to enjoy, but the comparison to the Frank Brown Park in PCB for raising money terrifies me. Do we really want to host events like Thunderbeach here on 30a?! I think I would rather have the Walmart!

 

[emeraldcoastdav]

It also sounds like the land requirements in this project should locate it on the north side of the bay. Still a short drive from the beach.

 

[30ashopper]

The Kampus would offer outdoor playing fields designed for use for soccer, lacrosse, rugby, field hockey, and possibly football. Additional indoor and outdoor offerings would include tennis, golf, swimming, and possibly polo fields. And the Kampus would include a state-of-the-art indoor facility that would provide indoor playing surfaces, workout facilities, yoga/pilates instruction, spin classes, indoor rock climbing, food service, and children’s camps and activities. Long-term goals include the creation of a sports medicine and rehabilitation institute, and a full-time sports and educational academy.

Walton county has a total full-time population of around 50,000 today, with about four thousand families with kids spread out across the entire county. What you describe doesn't fit with the demographics of the area, nor does the initial and ongoing cost fit with the median income levels we have here. How much would something like this cost to maintain? Debt does not magically disappear, it must be paid off. Pretty much the only way to pay for this ‘Kampus’ is through taxes, both property and sales. Those methods spread the cost across the entire county. I don't think folks in Defuniak, Piney Grove, Freeport, or for that matter, Miramar Beach, are going to be happy about funding a sports complex for a small privileged group, especially when you consider the income disparities between the northern and southern regions.

I'm sorry but I would not support something like this if it came to a vote. This smacks of an idea hatched by the "30-A crowd" which would clearly under serve a majority of Walton County residents. Case and point, quoting your proposal: “The growth of the eastern area of South Walton, as evidenced by the continued development of Point Washington, Seagrove, Grayton, Eastern Lake, WaterColor, WaterSound Beach, WaterSound, Seaside, Rosemary Beach and Sea Crest, shows the need for an additional sports recreation facility in this part of the county.” Of all the demographic areas in Walton County, I can assure you, the 30-A corridor is last on the list in need of frivolous, taxpayer funded facilities.

Also, isn't most of this already available either publically or privately? I think most of these resources are, just not in one grand 200 acre shining complex. (Conveniently located just north of 30-A.)

Now I wouldn't have any issues with parents asking for a couple soccer fields at the local high school or a new park or small ampatheater, but what S.P.E.A.K. is describing here seems more suited to a large metropolitan area or a very rich, niche enclave, like, oh I don't know, maybe Aspen Colorado?

My suggestion for the folks interested in this would be to get your expectations more in line with the fiscal and demographic realities of area you live in. (Also, if Seaside’s Neighborhood School is in need of a new lacrosse field, might I suggest the folks who send their kids there band together, buy the land, and build one.)

 

[emeraldcoastdav]

Outstanding 30ashopper!!!!

 

[emeraldcoastdav]

Yahoo real estate guide states median home value in Aspen is $7,155,000.

 

[DCFinSCB]

I will quote again:

We need privately funded industry, not another project paid for by us. The state and federal government does not have an unending supply of funds to solve our economic crisis! I am actively doing what I can, which takes a lot of imagination by the way. I think that adding another tax or fee to our already strapped economy is a recipe for disaster! I think we need to assist our privately owned companies survive through this, and help others to start up.

I imagine it depends on what you highlight,

"It is not yet fully known from what sources the funds necessary to develop the Kampus would be, but a mixture of private donations, and federal, state and local grants, as well as voter approved bonds are the most likely. Local option sales tax revenues may also support the Kampus, which makes sense in light of the projected increase in sales tax revenue that the project is expected to contribute,"

but I would gladly admit we would almost have to have government involvement on some level, with no option left unturned, in light of the fact that this will serve both the local, visiting, and vacationing public.

 

[DCFinSCB]

Let's pave all south Walton streets before we build big kid play grounds with tax payer money. This sounds like a private money venture.

Big kids, small kids, young kids, old kids, this facility would provide something for everyone who is interested in promoting their physical and mental health and well-being through physical education, the arts, and entertainment while in the area, permanently or temporarily.

And private money would need to be a large part of it. It would have to be.

 

[Mango]

30A, I don't think you realize the scope of kid's sports involvement and how seriously they take competition. I just forked over a $100 donation to my neighbors daughter, who I watched grow up, so she can play softball competitively in FL against non- FL teams.

Here's a recent article detailing some statistics regarding this issue and also about the breadth of sports injuries. I would imagine that just that portion of the sports center would financially generate a good contribution to the maintenance of the center alone.
Rehab for kids hits South Florida sports scene - Kids' Health - MiamiHerald.com

I read the growth of the 30A corridor in the business plan to mean growth in tourism, not full time residents. Now with a new airport opening, new flights coming in via SW, and the dollar against the Euro, a sports complex in Sowal could be fiscally beneficial to us. I think this has more merit in attracting tourism and awareness of our beautiful stretch of beach than anything other tourism effort. People love their sports all over the world.

From a business perspective, I, too, do not care for the reference to PCB and would look for statistics and figures from a similar complex, if possible. It would add a lot more meat to the proposal, IMHO.