Nathan Prewett, For the Tribune
LEEDS – The Leeds City Council approved an intent to move forward with finalizing a project to build a sports complex after a 4-1 vote during a meeting on Monday, Nov. 6.
The meeting began with an announcement from Mayor David Miller that the city has paid off an A1 bond issue in the amount of $6 million from 2017.
“We’re just happy to report to you that’s the case,” he said. “The city continues to be in firm financial footing.”
The council eventually came to a vote to enter into an executive session to discuss an economic development proposal. After a little over an hour, the council returned to vote on the matter, which Miller said would be building a sports complex around Exit 140 of I-20 Highway.
“The status of the sports complex right now is that we have yet to sign the final agreement as to who is going to do what,” he later told The Tribune. “And we received a proposal last week that had some items in it that we’re not ready to agree to and neither is the county, so right now the position is we’re working to resolve those few remaining things that prevent us from signing the final agreement.”
The overall cost of the project would be $7.5 million.
The action was opposed by Councilman Eric Turner, who criticized the decision after the council rejected a request from Superintendent John Moore for $2 million to build a field house at Leeds Middle School. Turner vocally supported approving the request then, stressing that the bathroom facilities were in need of repairs.
“And we turned down another million dollars that Councilman (Kenneth) Washington and (Councilwoman DeVoris Ragland-Pierce) wanted for a civic center,” he said. “But we’re going to spend ($7.5 million) for other kids to come here and play. ($7.5 million), plus $25 million in revenue that they would take in lodging taxes.”
Miller later countered that the complex would generate a substantial amount of revenue.
“The city’s only expenditure in all of this is ($7.5 million),” he said. “Approximately half of which we get back by some of the land that we don’t need being sold to the development group. And so we’re going to end up with something like four or five million dollars invested in a project that’s close to $100,000,000 and that’s the extent of our financial obligation.
“Everything else is a result of giving – just like we do with all of the businesses like we did with Buc-ee’s, we do rebates of a certain amount, there’s no sales tax rebate involved in this one but there are other considerations in terms of ad valorum and things like that.”
During public comments, Michael Cordts praised the council for removing several damaged and neglected buildings, which he said prevents crime from getting worse in the city. He stressed that the council should bring a grocery store such as ALDI in.
In other business, the council:
- Adopted a flood development management ordinance,
- Adopted and ratified the August 2023 city expenditures and payables,
- Adopted and ratified the September 2023 city expenditures and payables, and
- Canceled the Nov. 20 regular meeting due to the Thanksgiving holiday.
Meetings are held on the first and third Mondays of every month at City Hall on 1400 9th Street Northeast. Agenda packets can be seen online at the City of Leeds website.
Nathan Prewett can be reached at nthomasp6@gmail.com.