FAYETTEVILLE — Advertising and Promotion commissioners pledged $600,000 from commission reserve Monday to kick-start renovations and expansion of the Walton Arts Center in Fayetteville.
Commissioners also unanimously agreed to submit a bond proposal, presented by commission director Marilyn Heifner, to the City Council.
At A Glance
Commission Applicants
Advertising and Promotion commissioners tabled their review of applicants to replace outgoing commissioners Maudie Schmitt and Bob Davis, whose terms expire March 31. City Attorney Kit Williams said state law prohibits the commission from appointing new commissioners until positions are vacant. Schmitt must be replaced by an owner or manager of a hotel, motel or restaurant. Davis can be replaced by any member of the public at-large.
Applicants are:
-Michael Andrews — Owner, Fresco Cafe & Pub
-Roger Barrett — Manager, Nightbird Books
-Terry Coberly — Retired teacher, Bentonville mayor
-Bobby Ferrell — Retired communications specialist, Fayetteville alderman
-Cyrena Hattabaugh — Sales Manager, Candlewood Suites
-Eric Howerton — Marketer, WhyteSpyder
-Jim Huson — Owner, Doe's Eat Place
-Louis "Bucky" Jones Jr. — Retired lawyer
-Steven Kay — Lawyer
-Julie McQuade Heyes — Executive director, Fayetteville Underground
-Shellie Morrison — Owner, The Event Group (Catering Division)
-David Russell — Banker, First Security Bank
-Terri Trotter — Chief operating officer, Walton Arts Center
-William (Bill) Waite — Owner, Dickson Street Liquor
-Hannah Withers — Owner, Little Bread Co.
-Denise Youngblood — Owner, Mojo’s Pints and Pies
Source: Fayetteville Advertising And Promotion Commission
Heifner’s proposal estimates $11.4 million could be raised by extending bonds voters approved in 1997 to build the Fayetteville Town Center. Heifer said, after paying off remaining Town Center debt and bond issuance costs, about $9.8 million would be available for projects.
The proposal would give $6.5 million to the Walton Arts Center and about $3.3 million to the city for regional park construction. The park is being planned on part of the former SouthPass development off Cato Springs Road. Commissioners also recommended the City Council use part of the city’s half of hotel, motel and restaurant tax money to issue its own bonds for the remainder of the park. Additional private fundraising might also be necessary.
Walton Arts Center officials made a request Dec. 20 for $8.5 million to help with renovations to their Dickson Street campus. Peter Lane, Center CEO, requested $6.5 million from Town Center bonds and $2 million from commission reserve. The money would go toward an estimated $20.6 million project to build a new lobby, expand Starr Theater, add backstage space and construct new administrative offices at the arts center.
Lane said the $600,000 contribution Monday will go toward his $2 million request from commission reserves, which Heifner estimated at $2.4 million.
“This allows us to go to the next step of fundraising,” he told commissioners. “This project has a lot of data behind it. We know the needs of this community. It’s the kind of investment that has a big return.”
Commissioners Matthew Petty and Justin Tennant, who both sit on the City Council, along with commissioners Maudie Schmitt, William Lyle and chairman Ching Mong, all voted in favor of the motion. Commissioner Bob Davis was absent. Matt Behrend, the commission’s choice to replace outgoing commissioner Hannah Mills, attended Monday’s meeting but did not vote. Behrend’s appointment has not yet been approved by the City Council.
Petty said funding designs for arts center expansion is in line with the commission’s mission.
“This is one of those areas where the return is so proven,” he said. “I think this kind of thing is the reason the commission was put in place.”
Mayor Lioneld Jordan said following the commission meeting, which he did not attend, the city could match commissioners’ $3.3 million contribution with money it has accumulated through its share of the hotel, motel and restaurant tax.
Jordan said the city’s money could complete Phase 1 of the regional park, which includes soccer fields and infrastructure. He said he was not sure how a contribution from the Advertising and Promotion Commission would be used, but mentioned plans for baseball and softball fields or an amphitheater.
Jordan has said previously he does not support issuing additional bonds with the city’s share of the hospitality tax.
“I don’t want to spend all my money, because I need money for maintenance of what we’re building,” the mayor said.
While he said he supports the bond proposal, Jordan pointed out that the issue would ultimately have to be referred to voters by the City Council.
The mayor said he plans to begin installing infrastructure at the roughly 200-acre regional park this time next year. Jordan said he wants new soccer fields completed in 2014.
Tennant said he was comfortable forwarding the bond proposal to the City Council “with the idea that it can be tweaked and changed.”
“It would push it forward,” he said. “The park is a huge priority for me, and when you look at the parks and the arts center, those are two of the city’s biggest economic drivers. Without moving it forward, we can’t get anywhere.”
Schmitt said she feared that pairing the regional park request with arts center funding could “water down” the arts center’s request.
“My concern is that we’re putting too much weight on the bond issue,” she said. “I wonder if we’re trying to do too many things at once.”
Commissioners agreed Monday to spend up to $10,000 to conduct a formal poll asking residents their opinion of a potential bond issue. The City Council has already agreed to partner with the commission on the poll.
Petty said, based on the results of an anonymous, automated poll conducted earlier this year, he thought a bond proposal for both arts center improvements and regional park construction was the best course of action.
“There are no guarantees,” Petty said, “but I don’t think it waters it down. I think it strengthens it.”