The City Council said Wednesday that it wants to know exactly
how much it will cost to maintain and operate the outdoor sports
complex (ORC) before it considers a public/private partnership
between the city, a nonprofit sports alliance and the Coliseum
Recreation Group (CRG).
The City Council said Wednesday that it wants to know exactly how much it will cost to maintain and operate the outdoor sports complex (ORC) before it considers a public/private partnership between the city, a nonprofit sports alliance and the Coliseum Recreation Group (CRG).
And it has a few other questions, too.
The difference in maintenance costs is between $273,000 that the city’s consultant, Sports Management Group, estimated running the center would cost and $127,000, the best guess of the Parks and Recreation Commission.
Commissioner Jeff Bernardini revealed where the group got its figures.
“We got the current water and electric bills (from the Regional Soccer Complex now on the ORC’s site on Condit Road),” Bernardini said. “It is being maintained with a full-time and a part-time employee to mow, fertilize and aerate. It costs $127,000. And this would be zero cost to sports organizations.”
PRC chair Craig van Keulen offered the commission’s expertise in analyzing the business terms that must be resolved before council will consider approving a joint effort with the CRG. The group wants to build an 86,000 – 100,000 square foot indoor recreation center on part of the ORC land, helping defray the cost of maintenance so renting the sports fields will be affordable.
The sports alliance is forming from 24 youth sports groups in Morgan Hill. The problem is that the city has $2.4 million to spend on the ORC but no money to fund operations. The center will cost at least $2.5 million and CRG stepped in and offered to help.
Council accepted the offer from van Keulen, a private attorney, and expects an answer by the end of July.
City Manager Ed Tewes sent a memo to the PRC on Thursday outlining the agreements that must be reached with the sports alliance, the CRG and contractors before council will consider approving the project.
n A plan to develop fields, restrooms and other facilities.
n Identify the public works project that can be done within budget with the remainder paid for by other groups.
n coordinate the schedule between the fields and any commercial building construction.
n Get an agreement from the sports alliance on scheduling, programming, operating and maintaining the center.
n The city would provide financial help to the sports alliance equal to the amount it receives from a private commercial development (the CRG or other group.)
n The city would provide additional financial help for two years.
n What the commercial entity (CRG or other) would pay for.
n Agree to share parking.
City Hall: www.morganhill.ca.gov or 779-7271.
