Funding for Ocean City Sports Complex on the ballot in Worcester County
WORCESTER COUNTY, Md- The question of whether or not to fund a sports complex near Ocean City is on the ballot for Worcester County voters, thanks to the efforts of People for Fiscal Responsibility, an advocacy group that collected over 5,000 signatures to get in front of voters on election day.
They say the center, which will be on a plot of land near Steven Decatur Highschool, will not benefit the community, chiefly because of the price members say the county paid for the space.
“The main issue we have is the cost of the land, the commissioners voted to purchase this under contract with the option to get out for any reason but at 75,000 dollars an acre when there is land readily available on other plots in the county for 10-19 thousand dollars,” said PFFR President Vincent dePaul Gisriel Jr.
He says he believes that voters in the county are being asked to subsidize a project he feels will not benefit the community in its current location.
“We are not against a sports complex per se, we are against the use of public fund sot build it to operate it, and to subsidize it,” he said adding “the north end of the county has enough tourist attractions and amenities, I would hope if a center is built it would be in the lower end of the county.”
But proponents of the complex including Ocean City Tourism Director Tom Perlozzo say, the stadium is being subsidized with funding from the Maryland Stadium Authority and will be funded and maintained in a similar capacity to the Rolland E Powell Convention Center.
“The sports complex is n excellent opportunity to provide more tourism in Ocean city and we are a natural fit with major metropolitan areas,” Perlozzo said adding “our research is indicating along with the Maryland Stadium Authority that it will provide more than enough tax revenue to offset any bonding needed for the facility and inf act the stadium authority will contribute similarly to the convention center anywhere from 80 to 100 percent to build and operate it.”
He says the center would give the town an edge over similar tourist destinations on the east coast.
“One of the missing pieces in comparison to Virginia Beach or Myrtle Beach or Atlantic City is a sports complex so hopefully Ocean City and its voters in Worcester County will support this sports complex we think it will bring families year round with indoor and outdoor opportunities,” Perlozzo said.
For Gisriel Jr, any proposal that uses taxpayer money is not the best use of those funds.
“Stadium funds, property tax funds, they are all public funds, and that could be utilized for more essential services,” he said.
Ultimately it’s the voters that will have the final say this November 8th.
