Hotel, meals tax revenues to go to several Wake projects

Several municipalities across Wake County will receive a piece of $3.35 million in occupancy and prepared food and beverage tax revenues after a proposed park for basketball programs in Knightdale didn’t come together.

The Wake County Board of Commissioners is in the process of determining which of the 14 applicants for sports, cultural, arts or convention projects could receive the funding. Monday, County Manager Jim Hartmann recommended six projects in Cary, Morrisville, Raleigh, Wake Forest and Fuquay-Varina.

These include improvements to the WakeMed Soccer Park and Cary Tennis Park in Cary; Church Street Park in Morrisville; Marbles Kids Museum in Raleigh; and Fleming Loop Recreational Park in Fuquay-Varina.

“We have five municipalities represented, and I think that is a very positive thing to see,” Commissioner Jessica Holmes said.

The money became available after the proposed Naismith Legacy Park, which was expected to bring more basketball facilities and programs to Knightdale, fell through earlier this year.

Before commissioners decided how to use the leftover funds, they said Monday they want to hear directly from the groups applying for the funding at a later work session.

A team of Wake County staff and local professionals reviewed the project funding requests this summer and scored them based on guidelines created by the commissioners. Project criteria included having an unmet need in the community, having a mix of funding sources, project readiness and its ability to attract more visitors to the county.

Hartmann’s recommendation includes giving $1 million to Cary for two projects. One at WakeMed Soccer Park would transition fields to artificial turf and add public wireless internet. The other project adds spectator seating, lighting and court resurfacing at Cary Tennis Park. These projects are expected to cost $3.4 million.

“We host a lot of NCAA tournaments and things like that at WakeMed,” said Denise Foreman, assistant to the county manager. “The ability to add lights and turf means you can do it later in the evenings and you can do it during wet weather or dry weather.”

He also recommends giving Fuquay-Varina $500,000 to go toward $2.7 million in improvements for a 36-acre outdoor multi-sport complex for soccer and other athletics at Fleming Loop Recreational Park, where the Freedom Balloon Festival was held this year. The festival is expected to be held there again next year.

“That to me sounds like a very good opportunity,” commissioner Betty Lou Ward said of the Fuquay-Varina project.

Other projects recommended for the $3.35 million in hotel and meals tax revenues are:

▪ $258,000 to purchase and install LED lights for the multi-purpose/cricket field at Morrisville’s Church Street Park. It is expected to cost $737,000.

▪ $100,000 to create a public art and open space gateway to Marbles Kids Museum and Moore Square. It is expected to cost $351,000.

▪ $348,530 to renovate, repair and enhance performing arts and conference center at the Renaissance Centre for the Arts in Wake Forest. It is expected to cost $995,800.

▪ About $1 million to create a new garden pavilion, restrooms, concession area, information kiosk, garden observation deck and educational support areas at the North Carolina Museum of Art. It is expected to cost $14.6 million.

Other funding requests submitted were for a bike share program in Raleigh, an arts center in Fuquay-Varina, a gymnasium and convocation center in Holly Springs and an athletic complex in Rolesville. Foreman said many of these projects were in early stages.

This story was originally published September 12, 2016 at 6:46 PM with the headline "Hotel, meals tax revenues to go to several Wake projects."