Ag director continues quest for more Coliseum funding
By Jill Nolin • April 9, 2008
State Agriculture Commissioner Ron Sparks brought his campaign to restore Garrett Coliseum before the Montgomery County Commission on Tuesday.
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Sparks said he wasn't there asking for money to help fund the more than $80 million project.
"I need advice, and I need help," Sparks said to the commissioners during their Tuesday meeting.
Sparks has made renovating the more than 50-year-old facility and adding multipurpose buildings to the fairground complex a priority.
"We've lost shows and we're going to continue to lose shows at this facility," Sparks said, adding that lost shows mean lost revenue.
"I believe we're letting something extremely valuable get away from us," he told the commissioners.
Sparks has discussed the project with some of the commissioners individually, but this meeting marked the first time Sparks has met with the commission as a whole. Sparks elaborated on the scope of the project and his vision.
Commission Chairman Todd Strange said the meeting was mostly for informational purposes.
"Let's not give it up," Commission Chairman Todd Strange said at the meeting Tuesday. "Let's work out what we can."
Strange said after the meeting that the next step would be to create a consortium with the city that would visit the governor's office, state representatives and groups such as the Alabama Cattleman's Association. The goal is to bring all of these elements together, Strange said.
"Obviously, the county can't take on that project solo. We're always looking to partner (with other entities)," Strange said.
Montgomery City Council President Charles Jinright said Tuesday that the Coliseum has been overlooked for a long time and that the project needs to be put on the fast track.
"I would like for it to be a real gathering point for the agricultural needs in the Southeast," Jinright said.
The planning effort needs to include looking into how similar facilities are funded in other states, Jinright said.
He also said he would be receptive to building a consortium with the county.
"We're open to anything we can do to support the project," Jinright said.
That's the cooperative spirit Sparks is trying to foster.
"I think if we all put our heads together we can come up with a solution that's adequate for this facility," Sparks said to the commissioners.