RSA project at 'standstill'

It has been two years since Phase II of the much-debated tourism project in the Shoals opened. And the Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa has far exceeded expectations.

Yet, the third part of the three-part project appears to be no closer to happening today than it was two years ago.

When local governments and Retirement Systems of Alabama Executive Director David Bronner got together on the economic development project, there were three primary pieces to the puzzle: a new stop on the famed Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, a luxury hotel and an attraction for Veterans Park in Florence.

Each piece of the project is designed to complement each other and bring people to the Shoals where they would presumably spend their time and some money.

The 36-hole golf complex has attracted visitors from every state and numerous other countries. The occupancy rate at the Marriott, one of only four Four Diamond-rated hotels in Alabama, has hovered above 70 percent as it and the conference center have become attractive for conventions.

But nothing has taken place at Veterans Park.

"We're at a standstill," said Florence Mayor Bobby Irons. "So far, we have not been able to come up with anything doable or practical that would achieve what we need - bringing people from out of town to our area - and meet TVA's land-use qualifications."

Original ideas focused on commercial opportunities designed to capitalize on the Shoals' outdoors heritage. Those pursuits, which included Bass Pro Shops and Cabela's - two outdoors superstores, blew up when the Tennessee Valley Authority changed its shoreline development policyin 2006 to virtually outlaw any residential or commercial development.

"That really screwed things up," Bronner said. "You should see the enormous development going on where Bass Pro is going in, but TVA won't allow that here. We've just got to keep generating ideas until something clicks."

Whatever happens, it must receive the blessing of TVA officials, said Lauderdale County Commission Chairman Dewey Mitchell, who is a member of the Public Park Authority. The authority was set up to oversee local interests in the project.

Irons said TVA has said it would allow commercial recreation use of the 80-90 acres at Veterans Park, but even that designation limits what can and cannot be built there.

"Our hands are tied to a degree," Irons said.

The park authority, in its agreement with RSA, has put aside $2 million to be used in providing infrastructure needs to accommodate the project.

"The hard part is to come up with ideas that are not just something nice," Bronner said. "We've got to come up with an attraction that is good enough to make people stay overnight and use all of our hotels and all of our restaurants. That's the key, doing something people will use and will make them come here and stay a while."

Bronner said he has heard a recent idea suggesting that a civic center be built at the park. He is not keen on the idea.

He said civic centers "are basically money losers. They're just uneconomical and there tends not to be enough business to justify them. You don't want something like the old county fairgrounds that's pretty much a field with a couple bathrooms that is used once a year."

Bronner said the Shoals has already seen the difficulties of a similar project - the Florence Conference Center, which RSA took over as part of the project. The conference center lost about $400,000 a year in Florence before it was linked to the RSA project and became a convention draw.

Bronner has recently tossed around the idea of building top-notch ballfields in the park to attract major sporting tournaments that bring in teams - and their families - from throughout the Southeast. He said the concept has worked well at Lagoon Park in Montgomery.

That probably won't happen any time soon. Florence is already building a sports complex off Savannah Highway in west Florence. The first phase of that project costs $13 million, with a second phase planned that will cost an estimated $7 million more.

"To stop the project at this point and move it to Veterans Park would not work," Irons said. "We have already invested several million dollars.

"Our fields are being built for that purpose. Now, if there is a need in the future it could be looked at again."

Irons, however, sees the importance of having a quality attraction there, which will help RSA and the Shoals community reap a higher return on their investment. Local governments have put $16 million in the project, with RSA having nearly $70 million tied up.

"If nothing happens there, I don't think it would be a bad project, but it would curve the project," he said. "We need to keep the wheels turning and come up with more ideas."

Dick Jordan, vice president of the park authority, said whatever goes into the park must be compatible with the RSA project and the city.

"It's tough because TVA has limited us to what we can do," Jordan said.

Rex Burleson, a Colbert County commissioner and chairman of the park authority, said finding an attraction for Veterans Park would be more critical if the hotel and golf complex were not doing so well.

"We need to do something there to enhance the project," Burleson said. "It's kind of nice to be able to take a little time and find the right mix. We don't want to rush into this and go with something that will cost us a lot of money with little or no return. We're looking for something that will make a great project even better."

Tom Smith can be reached at 740-5757 or tom.smith@timesdaily.com.