By Eric Curl
May 12, 2024 – Chatham County Commissioners approved a location for an indoor recreation complex on Friday. Now they just have to come up with an additional $38 million to pay for the estimated $55 million facility.
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After a site analysis and traffic study, the commission selected the county-owned Southchase site on Savannah’s southside. Located north of Abercorn Street next to the Lowe’s hardware store, the 16-acre site received a consultant’s highest score over locations at Tom Triplett Park and in Port Wentworth.
Commissioner Dean Kicklighter cast the sole opposing vote after stating concerns about the estimated $55 million cost of the complex, while suggesting the county may want to consider constructing smaller courts throughout the county as an alternative.
The county has not established how the remaining funds will be obtained or how the operations of the complex will be paid for, Kicklighter said.
“I believe there are too many unknowns to move forward at this point,” he said.
Voters approved the project as part of the 2019 referendum to extend the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax from 2020-2026, but only $17 million was allocated towards the complex. A consultant estimated it would cost $55 million to construct a proposed 12-court gymnasium with a fitness center, multi-purpose rooms and a 2,000 seat capacity.
Commissioner Aaron “A Dot” Whitely said that the SPLOST funds were for the design and site preparation for the complex and the county has not committed to the size of the facility.
“I’m looking forward to us actually moving forward … and not taking 20 years to build,” Whitely said.
The sentiment was shared by Commissioner Patrick Farrell, who said that delaying the project further would make costs “balloon.”
“Citizens deserve first class facilities in this wonderful county and this is something this commission can deliver,” he said.
The commission also approved a $5.2 million contract for the construction of improvements at L. Scott Stell Park, including upgrades to the basketball and tennis courts, new pickleball courts and covering the courts with an open-air structure known as an airnasium.
The board will use $2 million from the American Rescue Plan (ARPA) to fund the project, along with $2.6 million from SPLOST II, as approved.
Funds being transferred from ARPA include $250,000 that were designated for an employee home buyer assistance grant program. Staff will explore funding the program within the annual operating budget under Human Resources as an employee benefit, according to the meeting agenda.
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