Downtown Gainesville stakeholders get a look at Brenau plans

GAINESVILLE - Even though some in the audience had heard Brenau University President Ed Schrader talk about plans for the university's newest project in downtown Gainesville, not everyone with interest in the downtown area had been able to ask questions about that vision until Tuesday night.

Schrader invited downtown business owners along with city and county government leaders to hear more about the university's development of the Georgia Mountains Center into a medical education facility, a facility that has yet to be named.

Most in the audience of 40 seemed positive about what Schrader told them, nodding in agreement as he spoke of plans to bring graduate students and their families into the city.

He also shared fundraising plans with the group, explaining that while he had in hand about a third of the $6.5 million for the start of the program, he would need financial support from downtown stakeholders for the project to succeed.

Schrader estimated he would need about $2 million from the Gainesville community, downtown stakeholders in particular, in order to obtain the remaining $2 million from out-of-area foundations.

Jeff Worley, the owner of the Collegiate restaurant, said he thought the community would rally behind Brenau.

"It's a big ticket, but it promises a big return if all goes well, so maybe it's one of those situations where if we all do a little bit, all that together makes a lot," said Worley.

Schrader emphasized that the Brenau Board of Trustees does not want to borrow money to finance the project. He told the group financial impact to the Gainesville area is an estimated $40 million annually.

Arts Council Executive Director Gladys Wyant was one of those who had heard Schrader's presentation before, but she said Tuesday night's gathering gave her the opportunity to get clarification on a couple of issues.

"Something that I had not heard before is the number of conventions that the new educational center will bring to Gainesville, so that means more tourism dollars being poured into our community," said Wyant.

Wyant said she was also encouraged to learn that there will still be opportunities for the arts community to use the theatre that is currently housed at the Georgia Mountains Center.

Schrader told those gathered in the board room of the Lockett-Mitchell Parlor on Brenau's main campus that if all financing comes through as planned, construction will begin in January 2013. He said the first classes would begin in the new facility 12 to 18 months after that.