Not Equal Partners On Sports Complex

By Bristol Herald Courier Editorial Board

Published: June 12, 2008

From its inception, the Abingdon-Washington County sports complex deal has favored the town.

Thus, the town’s insistence that it get equal control of the facility, while shouldering only 40 percent of the cost, comes as no surprise. Not surprising, but not right, either.

County leaders should stick to their guns and demand representation on the sports complex’s governing body commiserate with the county’s financial responsibility. Put another way: If the county is going to pay 60 percent of the cost, it should get 60 percent control of the complex.

The county Board of Supervisors voted 6-1 in favor of such an arrangement Tuesday. The lone “no” vote came from Paul Price, who has other concerns about the sports complex deal – namely its location on one of the priciest plots of land in the county. Price gives the appearance of a man looking for a way out of the deal, which the county rushed into without necessary forethought last year.
Escape from the $2.37 million land purchase agreement may not be an option. The county signed a contract that appears binding. But that doesn’t mean the county cannot fight for a more equal partnership.

Initially, Abingdon leaders proposed a 70/30 cost-sharing arrangement – with the county paying the lion’s share. The county wanted to split the costs in half. The 60/40 deal represents a compromise.
No matter what the financial split, town leaders have insisted that the town have equal control of the complex. This hardly seems fair. Risk, responsibility and control should be shared.

Yet, the town has seemed to control the process all along. The complex was steered to Exit 22 instead of Exit 24 on the basis of an imaginary rule about Abingdon Little League boundaries. This move cost town and county taxpayers a bundle of money, since the Exit 22 site costs $19,000 more per acre than the comparable site a little further up Interstate 81.

To their credit, county supervisors have discussed their misgivings about the agreement in public. The Town Council hasn’t been nearly as transparent – preferring to hash out the details of its latest ultimatum to the county in executive session. We urge the town to follow the county’s lead and discuss the agreement with the county in public.

The Board of Supervisors’ vote for the 60/40 split of cost and control lands the matter back in the lap of Abingdon Town Council. Town leaders must now decide whether to go along with the agreement. If the town doesn’t agree, the county should determine whether it can legally walk away.