Indoor Sports Facility To Cost $10 Million

By Jon A. Brake

If the City Commission wants to build an indoor sports facility, they will need to become super salesmen. "Tell
you want I'm go'a do."

The Commission received an Indoor Facility Study Tuesday night. The Study only cost $20,000 but if they want a
new indoor sports complex it will cost more than $10 million. And you should have seen all the lights go on when
they were told the complex would need 10 acres or about four city blocks. Several Commissioners started
thinking about taking four blocks out of the area south of Poyntz and north of Fort Riley Blvd.

It was interesting to read the Memo given to the Commission about this project. The Memo stated "Throughout
the development of the Comprehensive Parks Master Plan, which was completed and approved in 1992, and with
the ongoing development of the Strategic Park Plan, the community and Parks and Recreation Advisory Board
have identified a need for an indoor facility."

If that is the case why did the community turn down an indoor swimming pool in 1993 when they approved three
new school buildings. The pool was defeated and it was going to only cost $2 million.

It will take a real super salesman to show the public that after they pay $10 million to build the complex it is going
to cost $1.15 million a year to run.

To get this bond passed the Commission will need to sell everyone but a look at the fees will show that not many
families will be using the facilities. According to the Operating Pro-Forma adults would pay from $3 to $5 a day,
families would pay from $7.00 to $10.00 a day. Adults could pay $225 to $275 Annual Fee and a family could
purchase a yearly plan for $400 to $500.

Under both options the City would need to add money from the general fund. Under Option 1 the City would need
$275,972. Under Option 2 the City would need $128,047 from the general fund to pay for the yearly operation.