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Supporters plea for arena
Published Monday, January 12, 2009
Supporters of the Covington Center Arena filled the county commission chambers Monday morning to speak in support of the facility.
In December, commissioners said they were considering leasing the facility in an effort to cut nearly $200,000 in county expenses. The need to cut expenses became more serious last week when the county lost its federal inmate housing contract, worth about $324,000 per year in revenue for the county and sheriff’s office.
Arena supporters, who held a three-hour meeting attended by more than 100 people Friday night to prepare for their presentation to the commissioners, asked that the county delay for at least a year any decision to change the way the arena operates.
“We respectfully request you postpone any decision on closing or leasing the arena for one year,” Becky Courson said. “The support by the commission as a whole is crucial to maintain the present show bookings as well as solicit new contracts.
Courson, an Andalusia resident who said she spoke on behalf of 39 businesses in the city and county, cited an impact study by Auburn University that stated horses are a $2.4 billion industry in Alabama. Approximately $30 million was spent at horse shows in the state in 2005, according to the study. That study calculated the impact to Andalusia of a three-day Arabian horse show in Andalusia at $77,000.
“This is real money being spent in the local community typically over a three to five day period,” she said, adding that the money is spent in local motels, restaurants, retail establishments, gas stations and other businesses.
Courson also recommended that the county explore hiring an equine management firm to provide an assessment study and help determine the feasibility of attracting more shows to the local facility.
Dennis Moore of Opp, who is a director of the Alabama High School Rodeo Association, asked commissioners to “think real hard” before taking any action.
He said AHSRA events bring about 90 students and their families to Andalusia more than once each year.
Paris Wixon of Hope Hull, also the owner of American Apparel in Opp, told commissioners she wants to help.
“I spend a lot of time down here,” she said, adding that she is the director of the Alabama Quarter Horse Association and a national director of the American Quarter Horse Association and is “partially responsible for getting shows down to this facility.”
“We have booked and plan to continue to book our shows here,” she said. “We had three shows here in 2008, with over 1,000 entries. You can count on three people with each entry.”
She also had high praise for Covington Center Arena manager Tony Wells.
“As someone who has traveled to shows all over the U.S, I can say Mr. Wells has done a fabulous job of welcoming us, making us feel at home,” she said. “I’ve been to facilities that were bigger and nicer, but left with a bad taste because we weren’t treated well.”
Bill Godwin drew applause and a loud “amen” when he asked commissioners to continue operations of the arena.
Godwin suggested that commissioners appoint an advisory board for the arena and charge them with making recommendations for use of the facility and fees to be charged for events.
“One thing the advisory board could say is what services the arena provides when someone rents or leases it. The needs for every event are not same,” he said.
Godwin also recommended that the commission consider a contract with an arena manager with incentives based on revenues.
“The fees for use must be increased,” Godwin said. “Costs are going up every year.”
Commissioners all said they support the facility.
Commissioner David Ellis said, “Nobody is against the arena.”
But the financial problems faced at the arena are problems the county faces in every department, Ellis said.
“Tony’s character has never been questioned,” he said. “These are tough times and we’re trying to survive.”
Commissioner Harold Elmore said the county will “work toward keeping the thing going.”
“We’ve got hard decisions to make,” Elmore said.
Commissioner Carl Turman said, “My desire and determination is to see the Arena open. You think Mr. (Tony) Wells has an easy job, go out there and follow him around when he’s got a show.”
Turman said when the arena was built, “it was not for us to be in the situation we’re in today. It was to be an enhancement to the community. We need your help, your support. And we need your prayers.”
Commission Chairman Lynn Sasser said, “Let me say this. Let the commission consider these things brought before us at this time.”
The chairman said if people of the county stand together, solutions can be reached.
“United we stand, divided we fall,” he said.
“Forget back-stabbing, forget tale-toting and unite,” Sasser said. “‘Negatory-ism’ is not the answer and I’ll stand on it.”
Comments
Posted by ccresident09 (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 9:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If all the people who attended this meeting would get all this so-called business to the arena I don't think it would be the sore subject it is today. But in order to make the arena "pay for itself" there has to be more activity for the arena on a consistant basis. I think the arena is an expensive "pet" the county doesn't utilize to generate an income to support itself. Now with the economic stress, how much business can the arena generate. People are cutting back on spending, so I don't think there will be a positive income in the near future. I say to lease it to cover it's expense to the county.
Posted by admin23 (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 5:58 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Commissioner Carl Turman said, “My desire and determination is to see the Arena open. You think Mr. (Tony) Wells has an easy job, go out there and follow him around when he’s got a show.”....I think he said it all...WHEN he's got a show. Isn't not having any shows and the place being empty the rest of the time the problem?
Posted by TD (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 9:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The county had better make this thing work and it could if they would use their heads. But if you think anyone can afford to lease that thing you are all dreaming. It is not going to happen. If the county can't make it work no one can. I have seen it all over the country. It takes to much money to make it work. The county has to get there stuff together and get that thing going. Yes money is tight on folks but when it comes to a good time people will drag up the cash. Parents will spend their last nickle to keep their kids happy. And the best way to keep kids out of trouble is a horse and the events that go along with them. Keep it open the county needs every dime it can get. If you close it then it makes nothing and then the county loses more, and you can not lease it, if you do not believe me try and see what happens. New management would make a big difference, someone who can walk the walk and talk the talk.
Posted by TD (anonymous) on January 13, 2009 at 9:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)
You no property taxes are higher than ever and the county is still in trouble and we had a cpa for the chairman job and we are still broke there is something really wrong with this picture.
Posted by ccresident09 (anonymous) on January 14, 2009 at 9:35 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hey I've talked with people with kids and horses and they are telling me that they can't afford to pull their horses to shows, pay entry fees, hotel and eats. Families are not making these shows because of the crisis. The last high school rodeo at the arena was a joke. There were only a couple of entries in each event. Then, parents were saying how financially tough it was to make the show and how they were bumming(rooms & food & clothes) from friends and families they knew in the area just to afford to come to the event. Times are tough for everyone right now and the county has some hard times ahead of it. Whatever the final decisions are the county residents will have to handle it. I just hope if the arena remains open that "someone" will work aggressively to secure shows and other events to make the arena a positive thing in our community. It has been a thorn in a lot of people's side from the start and I would like to see that turn around!
Posted by flawson (anonymous) on January 14, 2009 at 11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
22 events 3 day weekend that's 66 days the arena is being used what about the other 299 days it not in use.What business could stay open.I don't blame Mr. Wells I fault the ones that created the job and pay scale.also the other one that is over payed check with the surrounding counties and you better be sitting down they pay half what she makes. Who created that pay scale and who voted it in.
Posted by THEPUNCH (anonymous) on January 14, 2009 at 7:03 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Tony Wells is pathetic he pockets money and treats people like dirt. We need a better person with a better attitude to run that facility. He along with Brenda Petty are products of Greg White and J.weed.Lyn Sasser step up and do what you said you were gonna do.
Posted by NBHAdd (anonymous) on January 15, 2009 at 4:23 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The arena hs been open for eight year and it has always had a loss. Looks like business as usual willnot cut it anymore. We need to rethink the way the arena is run and cut the largest expenses.. not just at the arena but in every aspect of the county .. times are hard and people get angry when they are stressed...Money is a big stress to us all.
I hate to see employees fired but when they arent performing the job they were hired to do then they need to be reassigned to a job they can do or let go.
As a county we can not continue to handle the excess baggage
Posted by GetRealBeFair (anonymous) on January 16, 2009 at 8:33 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If the Arena did not make it when things weren't this bad it sure as heck will not pull it's on weight in the hard times we are having now. The next mistake is if the county goes to the unit system. Each district needs someone to represent them and keep things in bound. That's the purpose of boards in schools,banks,etc. The engineer should not have all the say so. We need say roads and bridges more than we need the Arena. I want my kids riding on a school bus on dirt roads to be safe. There are other areas to cut besides the road departments. The little man working for the county are not the one's that put the county in this mess. It was the decision of a few select big wigs wanting things this county to have but we do not have the population to support. Think about it!
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