Citadel asks county to help pay debtThursday, May 8, 2008
Representatives from The Citadel have asked Charleston County Council to help them pay off debt on the military college's renovated Johnson Hagood Stadium. The Citadel would like the council to contribute $5 million over 10 years. If approved, money would come from the county's accommodations fee, which is collected from hotels, motels and vacation rentals to promote area tourism. The county charges a fee separate from the state's accommodation tax. Council didn't vote on the issue during Tuesday's special Finance Committee meeting, but members asked county staff to provide more information about the financial impact on future county budgets. Councilman Curtis Bostic questioned whether the renovated stadium would tangibly benefit Charleston County residents. The renovation project was done in phases. The first step was the $3 million Altman Athletic Center in 2001, and then the west side of the stadium was rebuilt in 2006 for about $8 million. The remaining steps, for the S.C. Army National Guard's Charleston Readiness Center, luxury suites and a press box, will cost about $34 million and should be completed in August. About $18 million of the project is funded with government grants. Private donations and pledges help pay about $11 million of the remaining $42 million cost. The Citadel needs to raise about $13 million more. |
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Comments
This article has 14 comment(s)
Posted by whycantitbebetterhere on May 8, 2008 at 1:09 a.m. (Suggest removal)
The Citadel should pay for that stadium itself - I can't see where it will offset the impact of tourists to the area? How about more roads, or parking facilities?
Posted by Thomas1776 on May 8, 2008 at 6:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Hell no!
Posted by Thomas1776 on May 8, 2008 at 6:54 a.m. (Suggest removal)
$18 million of the project is funded with government grants.
I think lawsuits eventually will be filed against all this abuse and misuse of grant money. And what about the False Claims Act?
Posted by eyfigueroa on May 8, 2008 at 8:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If the stadium is available for use by the county I say yes. If not I say no.
Posted by icbmman on May 8, 2008 at 9:07 a.m. (Suggest removal)
As a Citadel alumnus, I'm embarrassed that the school had to resort to this. There is one source of revenue that the school has not even contemplated or mentioned: making Johnson Hagood a premier concert venue to help pay off the debt. The stadium holds about 22,000 with its current seats, but with added seats in the field, it could hold about 35,000 people.
The Citadel needs to consider wooing top names that would draw the maximum amount of attendees. I'm just surprised that there has been little to no ingenuity in funding this venue...instead they're begging the government for it? Maybe if the school allows concerts, the county could help?
Posted by wpc3iop on May 8, 2008 at 9:16 a.m. (Suggest removal)
If taxpayer dollars can be spent on dog parks and fire department memorials, why not help one of the finest schools in the country with a stadium? It could certainly be used on occasion for other public events...
Posted by Charleston_21 on May 8, 2008 at 9:17 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I don't see why anyone else should have to pay for their stadium... they wanted to do it, Charlesotn County never said "hey you need a new stadium!". So therefore; the Citadel should have to take sole responsibilities! It's not causing any harm in the tourism, an incompleted stadium is not going to hinder tourist to come here, and I highly doubt that all of the tourist who come here, come here to see that stadium... last time I checked, they came to see Charleston.
Posted by zoomru on May 8, 2008 at 10:27 a.m. (Suggest removal)
WHAT!!!! WHO IS "PERFORMING" the renovations...MY LORD!!
I wonder if they are from KANSAS CITY!!! Like a previous article. These BUFFOONS are NUTS coming to the TAXPAYERS for everythng! I would much rather reward each cadet with 50 cent per push up to raise the money!! THEY HAVE ..GUTS!!!..and would DO IT!!! And with NO SMILES TOO BOOT!!! Who is running the SHOW over there..the CHILD CATCHER from CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG!!!
GRAB YOUR WALLETS!!!! As for our daughters!!..maybe a CADET will take pitty and consider a respectful DATE!!!
From the sounds of it ..the taxpayers are getting ready to be RAPED!
Posted by CHRISJIII on May 8, 2008 at 11 a.m. (Suggest removal)
No way!!!!! That stadium will only benefit the Citadel so let them pay for it themselves or get it from the state. Maybe they should contact all of those boosters who were willing to put up millions of dollars to keep the school all male.
Posted by crankyyankee on May 8, 2008 at 12:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The City of Charleston should pay. They can afford to give the developers of the Omni $25,000,000 and not expect to be paid back. They can afford lawsuits that they have no prayer of winning yet push on. They can afford monorail studies and basket weaver stipends. This is a drop in a bucket to the City and it's residents. Heck yes the City should pay!
Posted by Charleston_21 on May 8, 2008 at 1:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
The city SHOULDNT pay for it because it's not our fault they wanted a new stadium. The other one was a little rough, but it wasn't making the school look bad... cadets attitudes yes, but not the stadium. If they want to rebuild that stadium to make their school "look good" they should pay for it. There are plenty of alumni that are willing to give money... let them pay for it, it's not like there are alot of us going there to watch their games anyways. The only people that really go there are cadets.. their dates.. and their families. As for the visitors side, it's people who actually attend that school. So why is the CITY responsible to pick up their baggage that they started? Shouldn't they be more focused on renovating their academic buildings... they do say you should always have a good education behind you in case all else fails.
I just don't see why the city should pay for something that they didn't ask to get set up for. That stadium is for the Citadel.. it has their name on it, it's THEIRS. It's not called "Charleston's Football Stadium".
Posted by ColdBeer on May 8, 2008 at 2:21 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I'm speaking as an outsider here and I've never given much thought to this type of thing before, but...
Doesn't having the Citadel in Charleston County bring in quite a bit of money in to the county every year? Certainly it helps the low country as a whole. Those cadets do spend money don't they? I mean.. I do see them at the mall (well, I used to... when the mall was safe enough for me to stop there).
I'm not saying that the county should help pay, I'm just saying that the Citadel most likely DOES contribute to the county, and city, revenue.
I haven't thought it through well enough to comment further.
Posted by dogfan1987 on May 8, 2008 at 4:01 p.m. (Suggest removal)
It is obvious the people making the negative comments about the Stadium live in Charleston. The accomodations tax, as I understand it, is mainly generated by the additional tax levied on restaurants and hotels. Try to make a hotel reservation on game weekend and you will understand the impact The Citadel has on Charleston tourism. Not to mention the Cadets that rent rooms on the weekend to take leave. This tax should be used on things that generate the tax. As a side note, the City of Charleston paid for the original stadium.
Posted by Charleston_21 on May 12, 2008 at 3:10 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Either way... they should have had all their finicial agendas lined up with ALL of the money before starting a massive project like they did without having to rely on the tax money to pay for it. It shows irresponsibility. Honestly we could have used that money for other things... heck what about our roads downtown that are insanely messed up? Wouldn't it make sense for that money to go towards the roads to help tourist get here more comfortably?