Staying with the story
The Springfield News-Sun has written extensively about the proposed Wittenberg sports facility since it was first announced in 2013.
By the numbers
$375,000 — Funding from the CFA for Wittenberg athletics complex
$26 million — Funding Wittenberg says has been committed so far
$40.5 million — Estimated cost of the project
Clark County Convention Facilities Authority board members agreed Thursday to give about $375,000 toward a $40.5 million massive overhaul of Wittenberg University’s athletic facilities.
The project is expected to serve as a major asset that can attract youth sports and other events to the region, said Wendy Kobler, Wittenberg’s vice president for advancement.
Wittenberg has secured about $26 million so far, she said.
“This truly will be a one-of-a-kind facility not only for Wittenberg, but within all of Division III,” Kobler said. “This will really open our capability to bring more overnight stays and more tourism to Springfield and Clark County.”
>>RELATED: Wittenberg receives $3.9 million in federal tax credits for renovations
>>MORE DETAILS: Wittenberg unveils plans for major athletic complex overhaul
Board members will send their funding proposal to Wittenberg for review, Chairman Chuck Ingle said.
Wittenberg is an important asset to the region and the renovations can help drive more people to stay in Clark County overnight, Ingle said.
The CFA is funded by hotel bed taxes, he said, so more overnight stays means more revenue that can be spend on other projects.
Wittenberg’s project is divided into three parts, Kobler said. The university will renovate its 1930 field house and 1982 Health, Physical Education and Recreation Center. It also includes the construction of a new 125,000-square-foot indoor athletic facility attached to the north end of the HPER Center.
A $2 million endowment in the plan will cover maintenance and other costs in the future.
The project has received at least $8.4 million in federal and state historic tax credits for the renovations. Along with funding from the CFA, it also includes a $10 million gift, a donation from the board of directors and donations from Wittenberg alumni, Kobler said.
The CFA’s share is expected to be spread out over the next five years.
The project is expected to break ground in March next year and take about 18 months to complete.
Clark County Convention Facilities Authority board members also discussed a proposal to set aside revenue to make sure money is available in case an unexpected project arose.
Board members have discussed setting money aside in the past, but haven’t done so, Ingle said. The authority receives several requests for funding each year and could easily spend its entire budget if it approved all those requests.
“Clearly some of these organizations we’re funding do good work, but they don’t drive overnight stays,” Ingle said.
Its 2017 budget has already received requests from the Westcott House, the Springfield Arts Council, the Champions Center and the Clark County Heritage Center. If all the requests were approved, it would leave about $44,000, compared to a projected $184,000 at the end of this year.
Board members said they will discuss the topic again in August, but several members said they need to prioritize spending to focus on projects that can attract more overnight stays.
The CFA also needs to make sure enough money is available to pay for items like a study on the potential impact of sports tourism locally, said Mike McDorman, CEO of the Chamber of Greater Springfield. Other communities like Hamilton have already completed similar work, he said, and Clark County is in danger of falling behind in attracting events that could bring more revenue and jobs to the area.
“We need to get on those studies,” McDorman said. “We can’t keep putting that off.”
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