Editorial sent wrong message to city residents

A letter to the Editor

By CHARLES W. CONE
City commissioner, Winter Haven

The News Chief editorial of March 16 is just as absurd as it would have been for the commission to accept the conditions in the proposal as submitted by the Gold's Gym representatives.

Let's start at the beginning of the editorial: "The action to lease Winter Haven's Baseball Dome to be a Gold's Gym is so absurd and such a rotten deal for taxpayers that it raises questions about the judgment -- if not the motives -- of the commissioners who voted for it." No action was taken to lease the Dome to anyone. Action was taken for the city manager to prepare a lease for negotiation with Gold's Gym, which will be equitable for the taxpayers. There is no lease at this time.

It is true I am a strong advocate for the CRAs put in place by the commission. I did not ignore the advice of the CRA consultant. His statement when asked the question, "Would you lease the Dome?" was "not long term." I have been told since that "long term" is more than seven years. That will be addressed in the lease agreement. I listen to the consultants and believe Winter Haven will be a better place to live, work and play if their directions are followed as closely as possible.

Such a deal: The editorial failed to mention that Gold's Gym would also pay approximately $22,000 a year for property taxes. Then the amount is equal to $4.22 per square foot. The rental amount will be addressed in the lease agreement. There is no lease at this time.

No cash flow: If the editorial were in fact true, there would be no positive cash flow for a long time. That will be addressed in the lease.

In subsidized setting: The lease amount will not give Gold's Gym a competitive edge of unfair lease payments. The Dome is located on one of the city's main arteries. That valuable piece of property has been empty for many, many years. It has been sitting there waiting for someone to use and help maintain it. It needs to be occupied.

Ignoring advice: "Commissioner Cone has sent a clear signal to the CRA consultants that they can expect their advice to be ignored." Totally untrue.

No time to wait: "The very process the commission used to arrive at the deal was short-signted and flawed." No deal has been made. No lease agreement has been approved. Clearly the editorial sent the wrong message to Winter Haven's citizens.