Comments on: A&P Commission delays decision on $1 million UA request

By: DG

DG — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 21:12:13 +0000

This was more along the lines of what I was thinking… I didn’t mean to suggest that the A&P should give $1mil just for a festival. I do think funds toward an event co-sponsored by the UA and the City that uses UA facilities is perfectly acceptable.

By: Monroe Jesuser, Jr.

Monroe Jesuser, Jr. — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 04:39:27 +0000

The A&P Commission is governed by State law, not City ordinance. Its composition is dictated by State law. It was created when the people voted to levy an HMR tax, but once created, it exists separate from the City government. (I never said it was a ‘private’ organization. Just that it is separate from the City government) The City Council does not have authority to determine how the A&P tax revenues are spent. Neither does the City Administration. That is why it is misleading to call it ‘City money’. You can thank the wonderful State Legislature for this one.

By: Barb

Barb — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 02:11:34 +0000

I could not agree more! Love to get a ballpark estimate of the economic impact to Fayetteville of the parking deck vs the Project Cleveland complex.

By: f

Wed, 14 Nov 2012 02:08:08 +0000

It is taxpayer money, generated by a city-collected tax (HMR tax) in the City Of Fayetteville, is it not? The city has a law charging a private, non-governmental commission (A&P) with the authority to disburse the money under a set of guidelines (of which one guideline is that the commission includes 2 representatives of city government). If a tax imposed by our city generates the money, it would seem misleading to describe it as the money of a private organization, as opposed to the city’s money.

By: Daniel Maner

Daniel Maner — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 00:34:01 +0000

It is true that it is not City of Fayetteville money but it is city resident’s money as opposed to being Universty money. It seems the UA would rather use it’s money to stop a private project off-campus that would benefit the school and has been in the works for quite some time plus made it through the planing process without the university coming out against. Does anyone really think the best use of that property is as a parking lot? It isn’t like taking land for a road widening or major public building.

By: Monroe Jesuser, Jr.

Monroe Jesuser, Jr. — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 23:57:56 +0000

1. The developers of Project Cleveland have pulled out. Bayyari still hasn’t sold to anyone. Best bets are the UA will exercise eminent domain and take it. This is just my opinion.

2. It is NOT City money. It is A&P money. They are not the same. The A&P Commission stands separate and apart from the City of Fayetteville government. The City government has two representatives on the Commission (Aldermen) but it is NOT part of the City government. Therefore, it is not ‘City’ money, and the Council has only a 2 out of 7 vote say in how it is spent. These are facts.

By: Jay Dubya

Jay Dubya — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 23:54:34 +0000

The NIMBY’s could stop the lawsuit, but they may not know what is NOW about to happen to their neighborhood. The university is literally going to pave their paradise and put up a………….?????
(OOOOOOO bop bop bop)

By: Donald G. Freehampton III

Donald G. Freehampton III — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 22:27:15 +0000

From the Feb. 10, 2008 edition of the Morning News…

The [Walton Art] [C]enter’s origins date to two separate plans foran arts center that converged in the early 1980s. The University of Arkansas and Fayetteville both envisioned opening performance art centers, then jointly worked on the project. Buoyed by a [$5 million] gift from Sam and Helen Walton, the university partnered with the city to build a venue.

The university and the city contributed $4.5 million each. Of that, officials held back $3 million – $1.5 million each – to seed the center’s endowment. The city and university money generates interest and other income the center uses to maintain and improve the existing center, under theterms of the incorporation papers governing the Walton Arts Center Foundation, the group that oversees the money.

By: BW

BW — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 22:26:49 +0000

I think, if I remember correctly, that there was a three way partnership between the City, the U of A, and the WAC. All three entities were needed to make the project happen. And I’m pretty sure the UofA was promised use of the WAC. I’m not sure that they use it all at much. Which seems weird, right? Because the UofA rarely seems to use it. Which might be why they’re building the PAC.

By: -Ryan-

-Ryan- — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 21:34:31 +0000

Even if the city did “owe” the UofA $1million dollars for always bringing in razorback fans on gameday, the A&P commission is not supposed to be in the business of paying out money due or favors. Every penny of that money should be put into projects that actually need help funding, projects that are actually in danger of not happening at all without help, and projects that individually would bolster tourism and easily pay back the investment. It shouldn’t be given out to strengthen relationships, and it shouldn’t be given out to businessmen who are going to put on their events successfully and make a lot of money in the process with or without the help of the taxpayers money.

By: vandelay

vandelay — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 20:44:32 +0000

That said, the UA/city music festival is a great idea! But the city shouldn’t have to butter up the UofA with a million dollars in order to make that happen. In fact, the music department could be organizing such an event with resources already on hand to raise the money for this new facility, since they want it so badly. What a great way to raise awareness and cash! They may even find some more private donors that way.

By: vandelay

vandelay — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 20:38:00 +0000

What kind of “major talent”? We’ve got plenty of venues and money to bring in all but the biggest acts. Every WAC season is loaded with major talent in jazz and broadway shows. The only way we’re getting top-tier popular music (rock n roll, country, or r&b) is if we build a huge venue, and the local track record on that front is embarrassing. If we’re going to invest a million bucks on the hopes that it will result in major talent, lets invest in a venue that will hold the only kind of major talent we don’t already get. Another 700-seat theater adds nothing. If the community needs part-time access to an awesome theater, we should use the brand-new one at the high school. It is amazing.

By: El

El — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 20:36:04 +0000

Does anyone know how much money the UA put into building the WAC? I think it was several million. Why did they do that?

By: Nick

Nick — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 20:30:56 +0000

When you think about it, the city of Fayetteville would not be what it is today without the UA. Yes, Fayetteville has many other things going for it nowadays, but the University and the city are still synonymous in many peoples minds. Also the hotels wouldn’t be there if there wasn’t a need for them. I assume much of their business is do to the UA or something indirectly associated.

By: Dennis

Dennis — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 20:12:05 +0000

When you put it that way….No way should they vote yes! Good background data.

By: thelonelyweeblo

thelonelyweeblo — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 20:04:13 +0000

“Or dedicate money to bring in major talent a certain number of times of year.”
This is what the University tries to do with their Headlining Concert Committee. Unless things have changed, they get fifty cents off every credit hour for their budget. They normally do one big show a semester.

By: DG

DG — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 19:29:08 +0000

Perhaps they should dedicate money to fund a joint city/UA concert festival that utilizes the facility and showcases the UA and the City of Fayetteville. Or dedicate money to bring in major talent a certain number of times of year.

By: Bob

Bob — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 18:46:33 +0000

Agreed. As a recent commenter noted on the NWAonline site:

“If the original plans approved by the City Council for Project Cleveland had moved forward, the public would have received:

- A dedicated bike lane along Cleveland Avenue
- Significant stormwater infrastructure that would mitigate run-off from a much larger area than the proposed development thus reducing the potential for flooding down hill
- Pedestrian infrastructure enhancements including wider sidewalks with street trees and raised crosswalks
- A pocket park
- A huge boost in property tax revenue to fund our public schools.”

The City will need more than a million dollars to offset the loss of these items and mitigate the growing traffic problems exacerbated by that the lack of student housing adjacent to the University.

Besides, I bet the Fayetteville Arts District, the Creative Economy Group, the Fayetteville Monument Project, or any number of other groups could make better use of that money.

By: Daniel Maner

Daniel Maner — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 18:08:17 +0000

The University of Arkansas wants the A&P to give them $1 million for a on -campus PAC that will be used primarily by students. Meanwhile it is threatening to use eminent domain and spend $2.25 million to stop a private off-campus housing facility from being built. The Project Cleveland apartment complex that has already been approved by the city would provide students with housing within walking distance of classes and a parking deck to boot. This would be a clear missue of the eminent domain law that allows a public entity to take private property for the public need. In this case there is no clear public need that the existing aprtment complex on the lot needs to be condemned and turned into a parking lot that would cause more traffic congestion in that area.

There are many worthy pojects and organizations that could use that $1 milion but the on-campus fine arts department theater is not one of them. We hear a lot about separation of church and state- here we need separation of city finances and UA finances.

By: vandelay

vandelay — Tue, 13 Nov 2012 14:18:34 +0000

It should be noted that the “public availability” of this building will occur at exactly the times of year when nobody wants it. Quite an incentive!