County Down To Two Choices To Build, Run Sports Complex

complexphoto2Four companies got into the game of trying to earn a chance to build and operate a new indoor sports facility in the Wiregrass Ranch Development of Regional Impact (DRI), but only two will be allowed to keep playing, after a Pasco County committee narrowed the field last week.

Sports Facilities Management (SFM) and RADDSPORTS, a pair of Tampa Bay-based properties, are still alive and get the opportunity to present their proposals to a county evaluation committee September 30 at the West Pasco Government Center in New Port Richey.

Whoever is recommended at that meeting will go before the Pasco Board of County Commissioners (BCC) for final approval.

The complex will be built on 120 acres of land donated to the county by the Porter family, the owners and developers of Wiregrass Ranch. The county also previously agreed to contribute $8.5 million to the design and construction of the facility from money raised through its tourism development tax.

The two companies selected by the county committee — Parks, Recreation & Natural Resources department director Kelley Boree, facilities management director Ed Breitenbach, tourism manager Ed Caum, strategic policy administrator Richard Gehring and assistant county administrators Heather Grimes and Cathy Pearson — both have prior experience in the bustling sports tourism field.

Sports Facilities Management runs the successful Rocky Top Sports World in Gatlinburg, TN, which is often cited as the perfect example of what the county envisions for the Wiregrass Ranch project, which SFM refers to as the “Pasco County Sportsplex.” It also manages the Myrtle Beach Sports Center in South Carolina, the Legends Sports Complex in The Woodlands, TX, and Round Rock Sports Complex in Round Rock, TX.

According to the Sports Facilities Planning Guide,  SFM manages five of the top nine venues in the country.

Headquartered in Clearwater, SFM is proposing a $16.5-million project for Wiregrass, with a 92,000-sq.-ft. building housing six full-size basketball courts, or 12 volleyball courts, based on the configuration.

There will be a rollout synthetic turf, which can accommodate 4-6 turf fields depending upon the sport and configuration. The facility also will have locker rooms, an adventure area for multiple non-sports events, party and office areas and a mezzanine court area, along with food service.

According to SFM, the new sports facility would generate nearly 30,000 room nights in Year One from non-local users, with that number increasing to more than 40,000 by the fifth year, equating to nearly $4 million in direct economic impact to Pasco County its initial year and $24 million total over the first five years.

SFM already has begun the process of collecting letters of intent, commitments and verbal interest, and included in its proposal a handful of letters of intent to book the facility from gymnastics, cheerleading and basketball event coordinators.

Pretty RADD, Dude!

RADDSPORTS is joined in its proposal by Mainsail Development Group, Inc., which develops resorts and hotels, and real estate consultant Municipal Acquisition, LLC.

Headed up by Richard Blalock, who helped transform Newberry’s sports recreation scene as the tiny central Florida city’s recreation director, RADDSPORTS proposes an amateur sports facility of approximately 100,000-sq.-ft., with eight basketball courts, a 100+ room hotel, an open-air amphitheater with event lawn, sports turf fields, trails and playgrounds.

The cost of the hotel would be $15 million, but since a hotel wasn’t listed in the request for proposal (RFP) it would have to be negotiated and the county is looking into the deed restrictions on the property. A 92-room Fairfield Inn & Suites is being built on land sold by the Porters just south of the proposed facility off S.R. 56.

The amphitheater shell will accommodate 500-1,500 attendees for a variety of events such as concerts, festivals and theater performances. RADDSPORTS’ plan projects 36 events per nine-month season.

“The  economic  impact  of  the  project  will  easily  exceed a million dollars per year in additional visitor spending in the community,” the proposal states.

RADDSPORTS also proposed 700kw solar panels on the roof of the facility, which the company says will produce 1,075 MwH of power annually, enough to offset current energy prices by $140,000 annually.

Also in its proposal, three financing options were suggested, including a plan to increase the county’s “bed” tax (on transient lodging), or tourist development tax, to 5 percent from its current 2 percent.

Holladay Properties, a South Bend, IN, real estate development and management firm that did not make the cut, had no interest in operating the facilities, just merely developing it and supporting whoever is chosen to operate it. However, the RFP stated the county was looking for a partner to run the facility, which was suggested by the Johnson Consulting Group in their county-funded feasibility report last year.

The last bidder -— Land O’Lakes’ Ultimate Sports Complex Athletics (USCA) Management Co., founded in June, was deemed too inexperienced by the committee. Ultimate filed a lofty proposal that called for four buildings and projected $51 million in annual income, based on 500,000 visitors.

Editorial: Raymond James Is Official; More To Come In WC…& On WCNT-tv!

gary-newShortly before we went to press with our latest issue (which hit Wesley Chapel mailboxes Friday), it was announced on TampaBay.com (and on the Greater Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce website, WesleyChapelChamber.com) that Raymond James Financial had closed on 65 acres of property in the Wiregrass Ranch Development of Regional Impact (DRI).

The Times report says that the finalization of the long-awaited agreement came just days after Pasco County amended its incentive agreement with the company and Wiregrass Ranch Inc. to eliminate a deadline for construction to begin on Raymond James’ planned six four-story buildings totalling 1 million square feet. Combined, the state and Pasco County incentives total $14 million.

JD Porter, who is managing the development of the ranch for his family’s trust, was quoted as saying that now that Raymond James is officially in the fold after closing on the parcel located east of the Shops at Wiregrass mall on S.R. 56 at Mansfield Blvd, “I think a lot of other office uses will follow. It bodes well for everybody.’’

There’s no doubt that the Porter family is still at the forefront of the continuing development of Wesley Chapel, although Wiregrass Ranch isn’t the only part of zip codes 33543, 33544 and 33545 that is still booming.

In Wiregrass Ranch, as we’ve told you before, Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel (FHWC) and North Tampa Behavioral Health (see story on pg. 8 in current Wesley Chapel issue) both are in the process of expanding, with FHWC close to completing its upward expansion. In addition, Florida Medical Clinic is very close to opening a new 80,000-sq.-ft. campus on Bruce B. Downs (BBD) Blvd. just south of the hospital, bringing many more doctors’ offices within minutes of all of our Wesley Chapel readers. As we’ve also reported before, the Shops at Wiregrass mall also is expanding, although at least one major retailer in the mall, Macy’s, may be closing.

The residential portions of Wiregrass Ranch also are expanding, as a new community called The Arbors (also see story on pg. 10) is now building new single-family homes and attached townhomes near the already-popular Estancia at Wiregrass subdivision off BBD north of FHWC. Also selling well are the luxurious GL Homes in The Ridge at Wiregrass Ranch subdivision south of S.R. 56 (see the ad on this issue’s back cover, pg. 48).

But again, there also is plenty happening as you head west along S.R. 56 towards I-75, as a new Wawa gas station and convenience store is getting ready to open just west of the intersection of BBD on S.R. 56. The much bigger news is that Florida Hospital Center Ice (FHCI), which is expected to open before Thanksgiving of this year, also will host the next “Taste of New Tampa” (and Wesley Chapel) on March 18, 2017.

And, continuing west on S.R. 56, the area around the Tampa Premium Outlets (TPO) mall also continues to be white-hot, as WCCC members recently got an update on the progress of the 150,000-sq.-ft. Costco being built next to TPO (see story on pg. 13), and both our future print editions and upcoming episodes of WCNT-tv will provide you with updates on the planned openings of both BJ’s Brewhouse and Longhorn Steakhouse near the outlet mall, as well as any progress on the just-beginning construction north of S.R. 56 between I-75 and Wesley Chapel Blvd.

And, Speaking Of WCNT-tv…

My partner and producer on WCNT-tv — Full Throttle Intermedia owner Craig Miller — and I (and everyone affiliated with the show) are so excited to announce that Florida Hospital Wesley Chapel, after completing its initial six-episode commitment to be the Studio Sponsor for WCNT-tv, has agreed to sponsor the next ten episodes of the show, which currently has seven episodes “in the can,” all of which are available on our own WCNT-tv YouTube channel.

Episode 7, which debuted on Sept. 16 (a week before you received this publication in your mailbox) features the exclusive first announcement of the Taste of New Tampa, Mollyana Ward’s interview with our Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce Featured Business — Kent and Cindy Ross of RP&G Printing — and my three favorite steakhouses in Tampa. There’s also three you-heard-them-here-first announcements of three great events coming up in our area, has gotten some of the best response we’ve had to date.

(Note-“Mollyana” is the correct spelling of her name, so apologies to our outstanding Chamber Featured Business host for anytime we’ve spelled it wrong in print before.)

Yes, we’re building momentum with this thing, so I hope everyone who reads this editorial either in your print edition or online will watch, like and share not only all seven episodes produced to date, but also Episode 8 (which will premiere on Friday, September 30) and every 8-9-minute-long show after that. We also re-release every episode as individual 2-3-minute segments, so we never take up too much of your time online. Our only goal is to continue to find new ways to inform and, hopefully, entertain you, too — and get you to frequent the businesses mentioned and mention that you saw them on WCNT-tv!

Look for new episodes every other Friday. In other words, when you receive this publication in your mailbox, a new episode of WCNT-tv will air one and three weeks later. And, look for more unique video programming from the producers of WCNT-tv in the future.

Rotary Club Of WC Planning Biggest Event

honduras-eric-copyThe Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Noon, which meets Wednesdays for lunch at Quail Hollow Country Club (QHCC) off Old Pasco Rd, is doing more than just planning its next humanitarian trip to Troyes, Honduras, in April 2017.

The club is selling plaques to local businesses and individuals interested in supporting our area’s largest Rotary Club — which has sent 10-20 of its nearly 100 club members each year for the past five years to install latrines and water purification systems (in conjunction with the nonprofit organization called Pure Water for the World) in one of the most impoverished areas of one of Central America’s poorest countries,.

WC Rotary Club member Troy Stevenson of Wesley Chapel Nissan (and Acme Outdoor Movies) came up with the idea because he had been part of a similar fund raiser as a member of the WC Lions Club. Club member Trevor Campbell of Cash 4 Gold off S.R. 54 and Eiland Blvd. in eastern Wesley Chapel, picked up the idea and ran with it.

Campbell, who will be making his third trip to Honduras with the club, says Stevenson’s contacts have helped the WC Rotary get 300 plaques for a reasonable price, which Campbell, Stevenson and other club members have been selling {with all checks made payable to the “Rotary Club of Wesley Chapel Noon Foundation,” the club’s 501(c)(3) nonprofit fund} to area businesses by knocking on doors.

honduras-plaque-1-copy“For a hundred dollars, you not only get a plaque, you get to show the public that you support the biggest international humanitarian effort our club makes every year,” Campbell says. “I took three weeks off from work to knock on as many business doors as possible and people really do seem to know about our club’s efforts and want to support us. It’s been pretty gratifying.”

At our press time, Campbell and his fellow WC Rotarians have more than 100 commitments from local businesses at $100 per plaque. “And, we’ve already got $8,000 of that in-house,” Campbell says proudly. “I’m still hoping to sell all 300 plaques this year. The more we raise, the more we can do for these amazingly appreciative people.”

The WC Rotary has helped install hundreds of these life-saving water purification systems in the homes in Honduras and will continue to send — and help — as many people as possible each year, with the continued support of the community.

Current club president, Dr. Pablo Rivera of Core Spine & Rehabilitation, who has missed only one of the five previous trips, says, “No one has ever come back from our Honduras trips unchanged. Help us this year and maybe you’ll end up wanting to join us next year.”

For more information, visit WCRotary.org or attend a meeting any Wed. at noon at QHCC as my guest. First-time attendees are always free. 

Local Volunteers Walking For Freedom

a21walkwebThe average age of a victim of human trafficking is just 12 years old. Only 1-2 percent of victims are ever rescued. Worldwide, an estimated 27 million people are currently in bondage.

These shocking statistics are according to A21, an organization that gets its name from its mission, which is, “Abolishing injustice in the 21st century.”

A group of local volunteers is supporting this organization and its mission by participating in A21’s annual “Walk For Freedom” with an event in Wesley Chapel on Saturday, October 15, 9 a.m., beginning at the Shops at Wiregrass mall.

“A lot of people aren’t aware that human trafficking is in our own neighborhoods and communities,” says event organizer Rachel Martinez. “We are hosting this walk to bring awareness to this issue.”

Rachel is a Wesley Chapel resident who participated in the walk last year, along with her family and about 100 others. She’s hoping that this year, even more will participate, so that many people throughout our community will see the line of walkers, dressed in black, as silent ambassadors for a cause they want others to care about, too.

“This year, the sidewalks are complete, so we can walk west along S.R. 56,” Rachel says. “We want people to see us in our shirts as we walk all the way to I-75.”

She also says that local churches have supported the walk by paying for necessary permits, and fund-raising efforts cover costs for items such as bottled water for the walkers. There’s no cost for participants to attend, although they are encouraged to purchase an official A21 Walk For Freedom T-shirt from the website A21.org.

Rachel became interested in supporting the mission of A21 when she heard the founder of the organization, Christine Caine, speak at an event at her church. Caine is a Bible teacher, activist, and evangelist from Hillsong Church, an Australian megachurch.

“Her story and her passion really hit home for me,” says Rachel, who adds that in her job handling statewide permitting for a construction company, she’s often on websites for various municipalities, and she’s struck by how often those local governments have task forces and resources dedicated to fighting human trafficking.

For example, the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) has information on its website (PascoSheriff.com) that underscores Rachel’s concerns. The PCSO website says that human trafficking is an industry worth billions of dollars, and is one of the largest criminal enterprises in the world, second only to the illegal drug trade. And, there are more people held in slavery in the world today, than at any other time in human history.

The National Human Trafficking Resource Center ranked Florida third among all states in the U.S. in the number of calls received by the center’s human trafficking hotline in 2015, as it has in past years, and many of those calls were from the Tampa Bay area.

“It’s big, big money, but maybe by bringing awareness to this issue, we can nip it in the bud,” Rachel says. “Maybe kids will learn something that will keep them safe from an unfortunate situation.”

To register to participate in the walk, visit A21.org/WesleyChapel or email FL4Freedom@hotmail.com.