Back in 2003, when the city paid $1.2 million for 33 acres of Wilson Pecan property on Baldwin County Road 20, plans were for an event center to be built at the location. That remains the plan, but the project is still in the preliminary phase, …
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Back in 2003, when the city paid $1.2 million for 33 acres of Wilson Pecan property on Baldwin County Road 20, plans were for an event center to be built at the location. That remains the plan, but the project is still in the preliminary phase, according to the mayor.
City fathers met last week with architect Otis Gatlin of Daphne, and Mayor John Koniar said the parties "kicked around the size issue" as regards the events center.
According to Koniar, Gatlin presented some numbers that would put the events center project at approximately 35,000 square feet and allow 650 people to be seated for an event. But city fathers are leaning more toward figures that would accomodate 900 to 1,000 people for an event, said Koniar.
"We went from $7 million to $8 million in an hour," said Koniar with a laugh.
Gatlin is scheduled to meet with the mayor and council again in a month or so and present some preliminary drawings that the mayor said would "give us a better idea where we're at."
Gatlin will also look at what the mayor called an "option-type plan" that would entail expansion capabilities for the events center in the future.
"It was a very preliminary meeting," said Koniar of the June 7 meeting. He noted the project would take about eight months to design once a concensus is reached and take approximately 18 months to complete "once we say go ahead."
Koniar said city fathers envision a facility that would accomodate "small regional get togethers" and draw people from surrounding states.
"We know we can't be all things to all people," said Koniar.
At present, the future of the Foley Civic Center remains uncertain when and if the events center on County Road 20 becomes a reality. The Civic Center has been and is a popular facility and is in constant use, Koniar said.
At several public meetings on the city's Comprehensive Plan concerns have been voiced about the proposed events center being constructed on County Road 20, so far from the downtown area. Downtown merchants have been among those opposed to the County Road 20 location.
