I have said all along that the money exists in our community to fund these projects privately, and it SEEMS that they are stepping up;
A local nonprofit’s fundraising campaign for an indoor tennis facility is under way, and officials hope to start construction in 2013.
The cost of the seven-court indoor public facility is $3 million, and $750,000 has been committed so far, said Bill Townsend, chairman of the community indoor tennis center task force.
This is good news, and as far as I am concerned, POSSIBLE. Yes, that’s right, club sports have enough support in SF that they don’t need public money, but one wonders if the city will get involved financially once you read this post by the Norwegian Thunderbolt;
The following CIP projects were added as new projects in the Parks and Recreation 2011-2015 CIP:
- Leader’s Park ($34,200)
- Family Park ($345,800)
- Prairie Meadows Park Development ($237,500)
- Indoor Tennis Facility ($500,000)
- Indoor Ice Facility ($500,00)
- Indoor Aquatic Facility ($814,720)
Hmmm. Makes you wonder. This is my suggestion. If a majority of the money is coming from private sources, leave it that way, there is no good reason for public money to be involved. As I told someone with the Hockey Association once,
“Why would you want the city’s money? They will only use it to control you. Do it yourself and then you can operate the facility however you want as a private non-profit.”
That is really the jist of it. I could go on about gift horses and trojan wars, but I won’t.
$500,000 taxpayer dollars for a indoor ice rink. $500,000 taxpayer dollars for a indoor tennis court. BOTH for private clubs only private members will benefit from.
Oh…but that’s right. Somehow this is gonna benefit all the taxpayers with their magic beans that tell us yet again…..
“This is something that will add economic dollars … Those are serious economic dollars when people have down time between matches, they’re shopping, they’re spending money.”….
You getting as tired of this line of BS as I am? Time to put coal in the engine and start the “WTF you thinkin mike train”.
CHOO-MOTHER-*******-CHOO!
Everything about Mikey is 500K. We can’t afford this guy. His sport is tennis. Bet on him blowing lots of money here. Citizens do not want to sit inside moving their heads back and forth unless it’s a council meeting and we’re indicating NO to another taxpayer sinkhole.
To Poly’s point, AECOM just concluded there will be all of $6.7 million of new commercial development with our $100 million Events Center at the Arena.
Like I posted before, that amount will get you about a 40 room Motel 6 type property. Why would anyone not named Huether think we would get any boost whatsoever from a couple $3 million hoop barns?
Look at the huge conflict of interest to if the city gives them the money. His wife sits on the tennis board.
I see mojor professional tennis tournaments in our future. South Dakota will be recognized around the world for its tennis rather than for its nurturing of sprint car racing. Hoo-ray!
Sorry, I don’t buy the tennis angle. A swim center complex didn’t fly and tennis won’t either. We didn’t elect Huether so his wife can be entertained. Have bikini models bop balls back and forth with shotgun hunters in ref towers blowing them to pieces. That’s a sport SD could become known for.
The balls of course 🙂
“Look at the huge conflict of interest to if the city gives them the money.”
He probably has Entenman’s “I don’t care” mindset, hopefully he will take note when those chickens come home to roost.