This Memo was obtained from the Floyd County Council:
Field of Dreams
Over the past several month's, representatives of my staff and, more recently, members of the New Albany Common Council have met with members of the Board of Directors of the New Albany Township Little League (NATLL) to discuss options for creating you baseball/softball complex for the children and families of New Albany and Floyd County. After several months of meetings and research that Board has identified a parcel of land as a potential site for the "Field of Dreams" project.
At this time I am asking Floyd County government to consider a financial partnership with the City of New Albany to initiate the "Field of Dreams" project. Specifically, the NATLL Board is asking local government to secure the subject property, after which time it would implement private fundraising to complete the project. The public "ask" by the NATLL Board is for the requisite funds to purchase the subject property ($3.8 million) and the construction of a roadway and utility extensions (2 million est.) to serve the site. I am proposing that the Economic Development Income Tax (EDIT) be utilized for this purpose.
The total price of property acquisition and infrastructure development stands to approximately $5.8 million.
Debt service for EDIT bonds in the amount of $6 million for this purpose over a twenty-year period at 5% interest per annum would cost about $475,000 per year.
Mayor Douglas B. England
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Floyd County Council recently voted "NO" on England's Field of Dreams, and (we agree) their reasoning was this: "that they can not afford this project, it does not meet the current NEEDS of the citizens of Floyd County!"
What's really amazing to us about this "Field of Dreams" is that Jeffersonville has already approved a Sports Complex.
It appears what ever Jeffersonville plans or wants, than the City of New Albany has to have.
If the England Administration is so strong in pushing for this sports complex, then why aren't they helping to "demolish the unsafe houses" in Linden Meadows?
The Linden Meadows land could be returned to the Howard McLean Ball Field that it once was.
Recently quoted in the C/J, that Jeffersonville Mayor Galligan is looking at a plan for a 1.3 mile canal through downtown that would be up to 40 feet wide in some places. The canal would provide a scenic setting for restaurants and shops.
Based on estimates, the canal could cost $50 million.
Source: C/J dated Nov. 19th, Feds reject Jeff tax credits for convention center project.
Will Mayor England jump on this, to beat Jeff with this canal project?
So...Develop New Albany and Downtown business owners, get your shovels ready!
We can see it now, water flowing through Pearl Street, Bank Street, Market and lower Main Street, while the rest of our city goes to hell!
