Council to A&P: Ask residents before considering Walton Arts Center request
Walton Arts Center officials have requested $8.5 million in HMR funds for help with a planned $20 million renovation to the center’s Dickson Street venue.
Boora Architects / Walton Arts Center
A decision on whether the Advertising and Promotion Commission will give $8.5 million to the Walton Arts Center will likely be delayed by at least a couple of months.
City Council members last week agreed to seek a partnership with the commission on a survey asking residents how to spend HMR funds gained from a possible extension of bonds used to finance the Fayetteville Town Center.
Extending the bonds, which are set to be repaid in 2015, could generate as much as $6.7 million for a tourism-related capital project.
Walton Arts Center CEO Peter Lane last month requested the bonds be extended to help renovate the arts center’s facility on Dickson Street.
A sign noting the future home of a regional park stands at Judge Cummings Road just off Cato Springs Road in southwest Fayetteville.
Todd Gill
Lane’s plans include a new facade and entryway at the corner of West Avenue, a larger lobby, an expanded Starr Theatre, additional backstage space, and a re-configured Rosen Memorial Rose Garden.
Some A&P commissioners, however, have suggested using the money to help develop a planned regional park in southwest Fayetteville off Cato Springs and Judge Cummings roads where the SouthPass development was to be constructed.
While SouthPass was never built, the city eventually received 200 acres promised by the developers and plans to use the land for baseball, soccer, softball and multi-use fields; basketball, tennis and volleyball courts; playgrounds, trails, pavilions, a great lawn, water features and an amphitheater.
State law requires any bond extension to first be passed by the A&P Commission, followed by the City Council, and finally by voters in an election.
Instead of moving forward with consideration of the arts center’s request, two City Council members who serve on the commission – aldermen Matthew Petty and Justin Tennant – would first like to ask residents what they think.
“If we were to take a specific proposal to the voters straight away, we’d be playing an all-or-nothing game,” said Petty. “But if we ask for public input first, we can design a proposal based on their priorities to help ensure success at the ballot box.”
Letter from Marilyn Heifner
Petty said the plan is to spend up to 90 days collecting ideas from council members and commissioners on how the money should be spent and then allow residents to comment on each idea before beginning an official survey process. He also suggested the city split the cost of the survey with the A&P Commission at up to $10,000 apiece.
“I think it’s money well spent,” said Tennant. “The more people that know about this and the more people that give their input, that does nothing but help us.”
Both Mayor Lioneld Jordan and A&P Executive Director Marilyn Heifner have signed off on the idea.
“I don’t think you can ever go wrong when hearing from the people,” said Jordan.
The council voted unanimously to approve the plan. The A&P Commission is set to weigh in on the idea during its next regular meeting on Jan. 14.
So give yet more money to WAC, or build a regional park that everyone can enjoy. Let’s build the park.
It shouldn’t just be two options. Lets get some ideas floating out there, because it seems clear the A&P has none of their own.
My vote is for a multi-use .winter market/festival pavilion in the existing WAC lot.
It is not the A&P’s duty to come up with idea’s although if they did I’m sure you’d be the first to deem it scandalous. They are a group of volunteers charged with dispersing the collected HMR tax based on funding requests. Anyone can make a request of any amount. If you would like to see the WAC lot turned into a winter market than you must first acquire the lot and then make your proposal at one of their meetings. I would first check out Wren’s Thicket Market which is currently operating in the old bus depot on s. school. It is very small and suits Fayetteville well based on the supply and demand necessary for a winter market.
“They are a group of volunteers charged with dispersing the collected HMR tax based on funding requests.”
That’s not the whole story. The A&P can certainly propose and fund construction projects, including purchasing land.
This has to be the easiest choice in the world. The regional park would be amazing.
How about we not renew the debt and use the money we would have spent on the debt to pay for what we decide to do…. Just a thought that staying out of more debt should be a high focus.
Hear, hear. Do away with the debt / tax. That would solve the problem of organizations asking for handouts and the like.
I would like to see a Convention/Event Center Hear in Fayetteville for Boat, Gun, Sporting Goods,RV, Home/Garden, Electronics, Dog and Trade/business related shows. Before investing even more into the established WAC why not consider investing in something that will attract the interest of all people of NWA instead. These types of events draw vendors & patrons from all over the country, and after all isn’t Diversity is a good thing?
(here) Car Shows, Jobs Fairs on and on……………
YES. Craft shows, art shows, books, etc. Would be awesome.
Doesn’t the Indoor Track Center host events like that already?
They used to, years ago, but all those shows now go to the convention center in Springdale.
And the Fayetteville Town Center hosts smaller events.
This building is in such disrepair (including likely environmental issues), that the city would be burdening the taxpayers with huge costs in addition to the money already paid for the property. I think it is time to cut our losses on the property and use our resources elsewhere.
sorry, thought this was forum for Mex Original bldg.
We also need more hotels ,reopening the new chancelor hotel is not enough for this town and its also why alot of people stay in springdale,rogers and bentonville for Razorback football games and they also steal most of the big conventions and sporting events away from us. So yes we could spend that money on alot things other than the WAC, like a convention center ,more new hotels, new facilities for multiple sports . Just look at the sporting event that Fayetteville used to host for AAU basketball that had hundreds of teams come up is now in Little Rock because of the lack of Hotels and basketball facilities.
We can’t support more hotels in Fayetteville with the current occupancy rates in the market. Chancellor filled the void for a higher end full service hotel, but there isn’t a need for other facilities.
Scott Harper you don’t even live in Fayetteville.
Thank you very much for reminding me where I live. Many people other than myself including: Fayetteville School teachers, U of A Faculty & staff, City employee’s and many others work, play, eat, shop, volunteer and are other wise connected to Fayetteville and should and do have the right to voice their opinions about issues concerning Fayetteville’s future. According the the rules of Fayetteville’s City Council anyone in attendance at a Council meeting has the right to speak and share their ideas at council meetings. You might also consider what that Walmart does NOT live in Fayetteville either!
Still don’t matter yo. You opinion don’t count. Just like mine don’t count up north, even though I spend money up there.
Yo out!
Yo yo.
That would be great to have a major park on that side of town with tennis, soccer, picnic pavilions, horseshoe pits, volleyball courts, a skate park, handball, raquetball, basketball and baseball fields. If only such a place existed on the southside of town. Oh. Wait. We do. It’s called Walker Park.
http://www.accessfayetteville.org/government/parks_and_recreation/parks/walker_park.cfm
Supporting the WAC makes sense. (And stipulate that some of the A&P funds provide for access for the community to participate.)