GAINESVILLE – The City of Gainesville hopes to take over sole management of the Lake Lanier Olympic Park and fund the consequent increased financial obligation with a 33% increase in the city’s hotel/motel tax rate.
Gainesville Mayor Danny Dunagan made the announcement Tuesday evening at the city council meeting, explaining that a component of the plan involves annexing the park into the city. Both annexing the site and raising the hotel/motel tax require approval from the Georgia General Assembly.
“The City of Gainesville is requesting that the Gainesville/Hall County local delegation, along with the Georgia General Assembly, consider passing three separate pieces of local legislation,” Dunagan announced.
(The third piece of legislation, not mentioned so far, is unrelated to the plan for the Olympic Park. It involves terms of service by members of the Georgia Redevelopment Authority.)
Dunagan said that Hall County expressed interest in withdrawing from their involvement with the park. “For many years the city and the county have jointly supported the operation.”
But that will change if approved by the state. “The county prefers to step away from the park, the yearly operational support of the park, and the city is willing to take on a much greater role,” Dunagan said.
Dunagan explained after the meeting that the county felt the park would function best under single leadership rather than having to report to two government agencies.
“However the park property must be annexed into the city for the city to take on this greater role. Because of the park’s location the (state) legislature must approve this annexation.”
City Manager Bryan Lackey said that talks had been ongoing with not only the county, but with the U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, the Lake Lanier Olympic Park Foundation and the rowing clubs that use the facility on a regular basis.
Lackey said regarding the Corp, “They have to approve it as well - it is their property – but they have been agreeable through this process. We’ve had the lease with them for 25-years…they understand that the lease arrangement will change to just the city.”
The current intergovernmental agreement between the city and the county has each contributing $150,000 per year for park operations. If approved in Atlanta, the City of Gainesville will assume the entire obligation.
“Plus a little more,” Dunagan would explain later. The Mayor said some improvements to the 23-year old boat house were needed as well as updating for several other areas of the park.
“For the city to implement the (plan)…a dependable funding source has to be identified,” Dunagan announced. “The source will be to increase the city hotel/motel tax rate from 6-percent to 8-percent.”
Dunagan said several communities not far from Gainesville had already increased their hotel/motel tax rate to 8-percent, and he felt this was the appropriate time for Gainesville to follow suit.
“Through these two pieces of legislation the city and the Lake Lanier Olympic Park Foundation are partnering to ensure the future of the Olympic legacy.”
The General Assembly’s last scheduled day of the 2019 session is April 2.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2019/3/770219/gainesville-looks-to-annex-olympic-venue-as-hall-county-considers-stepping-away