Our "Special Projects Co-coordinator" has been speaking of his solution to the needs for sports facilities for the children of South Walton.
We need facilities designed, built and operated for them ! They should not have to pay an admission fee to practice or play as this proposal would require.
After one removes all the out of town, travelling leagues, and all the special events dates such a park may reserve, how many actual days are left for just the South Walton kids and adults to utilize a Sports Park should Big League Dreams be awarded such a contract in South Walton?
Remember, we, the taxpayers would be paying for the land and construction costs for the park! If I help pay for something, it needs to be in South Walton. I am tired of our taxes going to North Walton, while we have very little to show for the millions we have generated in ad valorem taxes over the years in South Walton. It is time we use our ad valorem taxes for projects for the use and enjoyment of all our South Walton citizens...young and old alike.
Smaller, less affluent communities across the United States have fabulous centers for their citizens use and enjoyment.
Big League Dreams coming in will not afford our kids the daily use of our tax payer funded sports park like some may think it would.
Check out his solution at this website:
http://www.bigleaguedreams.com/
This is found under the tab "About BLD" - Park development.
Big League Dreams works with cities, counties and special districts to help them bring world-class recreational facilities to their communities at little or no cost to the taxpayer. Our parks have become so popular that we are expanding to cities all over California, the West and South.
Big League Dreams is the premier developer and operator of recreational sports facilities in the country. Our parks have been recognized as the "Best New Sports Complex in America" by the Sportsplex Owners and Developers Association (SODA), the "Best Public/Private Partnership" by the League of California Cities and the Complex of the Year in 2003 and 2006 by USSSA (United States Specialty Sports Association). We have also won many other awards including the 2008 Innovations in Park and Facility Development from the Texas Recreation and Park Society Region II.
Our parks bring many benefits to the regions in which they operate. Big League Dreams brings a top-quality playing experience for local families, through our world-class facilities in a variety of sports. Big League Dreams facilities offer baseball, softball, soccer, indoor soccer, in-line hockey, basketball, and sand volleyball for all ages. We are best known for our baseball/softball fields that are designed and built as replicas of famous, historic major league stadiums. Youth and adults can play on a replica of Chicago's Wrigley Field or New York's Yankee Stadium (and others) or even hit one off the "Green Monster" in a replica of Boston's Fenway Park!
Huge economic benefits are created through our multi-use facilities being booked almost every day of the year, often more than a year in advance for tournament play and special events. Examples of past special events include: national baseball and softball championship tournaments, concerts (Wynonna Judd), other sporting events (Pepsi All-Star Softball Game, World Championship Boxing, etc.), Easter Sunrise services, 4th of July celebrations, dog shows, art shows, kickball leagues, and many other local and regional events. This is in addition to the tournaments which are hosted just about every weekend, helping to fill area hotels and generate large amounts of TOT tax and business for nearby restaurants and retail. For example, our park in West Covina hosted more than 400,000 visitors last year (over 35,000 from out-of-town) generating an estimated $13 million economic benefit to the city.
All of our parks host many group/corporate events each year as well. Companies that have held their special events with Big League Dreams include Nike, Toyota, Mutual of New York, Sony, Anheuser Busch, Buena Vista Home Entertainment, Hartford Insurance, Southwest Airlines, XTO, National Oilwell Varco, Schlumberger, Outback Steakhouse and many others.
The advantages of building a Big League Dreams Sports Park to a city, county or special district with recreational facility needs are many. Our public partners incur no maintenance or operations costs once the park is constructed, which saves our public partners an average of more than $500,000 each year in maintenance costs. Additionally, our public partners participate in the revenue generated by Big League Dreams. Big League Dreams has paid over $11,000,000 in revenue sharing to our public partners since our founding. Taking both maintenance savings and revenue sharing into consideration, our public partners are realizing more than $1 million EACH YEAR in direct financial benefits along with hotel TOT and sales tax revenue - all while serving more of their families with first class recreation facilities and creating an average of 75 full and part time jobs per park. This partnership truly creates a win-win environment for the city and the community.
The pigs are back at your trough!
They are stealing your tax dollars and your children’s happiness! And they’re about to raise your property taxes more than 10%.
The planned Sports Complex is for kids and adults from Kentucky, Pennsylvania, anywhere but Walton County. Your kids will not have access to these ball fields unless they are in a Big League Dreams tournament for out of state teams, and they must pay to play. This is about politicians’ dreams, not your kids' dreams.
If you want decent facilities for your children in South Walton, YOU MUST DEMAND the Board of County Commissioners use the tax dollars raised in South Walton for the benefit of the children and families of South Walton, not North Walton.
You can’t allow this theft of your tax dollars to continue. Write, call, and let the Commissioners know up close and in person that you demand adequate schools, ball fields, and other opportunities for your children. NOW!
They have taken your tax dollars and built deluxe facilities at multiple locations in North Walton. It’s way past time to stop their robbing you and your kids. Your voice and your vote must be heard, or you and your kids will continue to be neglected and lied to.
The County sees the Sports Complex as a profit center for their continued looting of South Walton, not as a place for your children to play.
This Must Not Continue!
Commissioner William "Bill" Chapman
chabill@co.walton.fl.us
Ph: (850) 835-4860 Fx: (850) 835-4836
Commissioner Kenneth Pridgen
prikenneth@co.walton.fl.us
Ph: (850) 834-6328 Fx: (850) 834-6385
Commissioner Bill Imfeld
imfbill@co.walton.fl.us
Ph
850) 892-8474 Fx: (850) 892-4204
Commissioner Sara Comander
comsara@co.walton.fl.us
Ph
850) 835-4834 Ph: (850) 622-0439 Fx: (850) 951-0868
Commissioner Cindy Meadows
meacindy@co.walton.fl.us
Ph
850) 231-2978 Fx: (850) 231-3872
