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Terry Bellamy

Talk-show host takes issue with mandate that taxpayers ante up $3.2 million for Civic Center upgrades

From Daily Planet Staff Reports

Asheville has been chosen as the site for the Southern Conference Basketball Tournament, with city officials projecting that it will boost the economy by as much as $12 million over three years.

SoCon officials and athletic directors on June 3 chose Asheville over five other cities bidding for the event after two days of presentations at Hilton Head, S.C.

At a press conference to announce the return of the SoCon, Asheville Mayor Terry Bellamy noted that “we wowed them,” referring to the presentation that included a video introduction to the city with the beat of the metal rock band Metallica.

“We had the opportunity to showcase Asheville, to show the investment of millions in infrastructure downtown, and the Southern Conference wanted to be part of that,” said Bellamy, who was part of the delegation that traveled to Hilton Head to make the pitch.

Officials said the tournament enjoyed a successful run at the Civic Center from 1984 to 1996, insofar as revenue and attendance are concerned.

Under terms of the latest deal, the tournament will be played in early March from 2012 to 2014 at the Civic Center and Kimmel Arena, a new 3,200-seat facility currently being constructed on the UNC Asheville campus.

Matt Mittan

The city’s bid included a pledge to the SoCon of $3.2 million in capital improvements to the Civic Center, in a project that must be completed prior to the 2012 tournament.

The city also made a baseline guarantee of $50,000 for each of the three years, with both sides believing the city can make money and give the league an annual payoff in the $125,000 to $150,000 range.

Meanwhile, Matt Mittan, host of “Take a Stand,” a daily talk show on WWNC-AM (570), responded on-air on June 4 that the city, which already has a $2 million deficit with which Asheville City Council is now grappling to balance the budget, has no business committing to $3.2 million in improvements to the Civic Center.

He wondered where the money is going to come from, voicing his suspicion that the cost will be foisted on what he already termed hard-pressed Asheville taxpayers.