Monday, March 13, 2017

Board Meeting, March 9th, 2017

The WVID Board of Supervisors voted to accept the Braves Term Sheet and have signed a letter of intent to move forward with the project. They follow the City of North Port and Board of County Commissioners in doing so. This completes the local governments support for moving forward and the attendant funding sources from these governments. The last big hurdle will be in the State Legislature. There has been talk for many months now about doing away with the $20 million state grant for sports field developments. Everyone is now holding their breath to see what happens to the application for this money as the last piece of the funding puzzle for the Braves new spring training complex.

In response to public questions, the Board confirmed that the approximately 80 acres for the stadium complex would be donated by the master developer at no expense to tax payers. This means a $8 million plus donation for the value of that land. Thank you very much developers!!! Another question about the source of approximately $7 million in planned expenses for road and infrastructure improvements in and around the planned complex resulted in a less clear identification of that source of funds. The final answer was that the board isn't sure yet how that would be funded. Could be Unit 1 funds, or the new Unit 5 funds (see below), or more donated funding by the master developer or some combination of these.

The board approved the solicitation of an "At Risk" Project manager for the proposed complex. The intent is to get this entity in place as early as possible in the project so that they may actively participate in the the planning and permitting as well as to oversee the construction.

The board also began the process of creating a new Unit of Development for the sports complex project. It will be Unit 5.

Everything associated with this project will be on a super fast track as the current plan is for the Braves to take possession January 2019 for the spring training season. That is just 21 short months from now for a project that is still in an early design and permitting stage. For those who have any experience at all in projects of this size and complexity, you should be impressed by such a very, very aggressive schedule to be achieved.

When I was a project manager I'd always say (in private, never to a client) that a project has three major components: COST, SCHEDULE, and QUALITY........which two do you want? To achieve the January 2019 date I am fearfully that either COST or QUALITY may be compromised. The Braves I am sure will insist on QUALITY (rightfully so). I wonder what last minute COST burden the taxpayers may be asked to endure?