WASHINGTON COUNTY, MD- Stadium talks have started once again, in Hagerstown but this time the mayor and city council are taking bold moves to get the ball rolling.
"It's reasonable to expect that a stadium will cost somewhere around $30 million and that's just anybody's guess but that's probably not too far off," says Don Munson, Hagerstown City Council member.
Delegate Andrew Serafini says he's seen this kind of request in Annapolis before, where the state will put 1/3 of the cost only if local officials and private investors front the rest of the money. The delegate says he would support the request, while others are wondering if all in the delegation will stand behind the ask.
"The local funding is still being worked out," says Mayor David Gyberts. "We don't even have a location yet."
"The state has a history of doing that in the past with other jurisdictions so we're very hopeful," says Munson.
But some council members think differently on whether it's a feasible request or not.
"I think $10 million, in my opinion, is a little unrealistic," says Kristen Alshire, another Hagerstown City Council member. "I thought that $6 million was a bit more of what we might be able to obtain from the state in that effort."
City officials say there's a lot of unknowns when it comes to the location. Some council members are looking away from downtown.
"The people that I've talked to, the vast thousands of them, told me they don't want a stadium in downtown Hagerstown," says Munson. "They just think it's the wrong place."
The east end to me and the redevelopment potential lends itself to a larger redevelopment possibility," says Alshire. "Like a stadium in that area where it already exists."
"I meant for it also to be at the top of the list when it comes to the fiscal year 2015 budget," says Mayor Gysberts.
The $10 million dollar request is not for this years budget, but next year's. City officials say requesting the money early is a sign of their commitment to the project.
"It's reasonable to expect that a stadium will cost somewhere around $30 million and that's just anybody's guess but that's probably not too far off," says Don Munson, Hagerstown City Council member.
Delegate Andrew Serafini says he's seen this kind of request in Annapolis before, where the state will put 1/3 of the cost only if local officials and private investors front the rest of the money. The delegate says he would support the request, while others are wondering if all in the delegation will stand behind the ask.
"The local funding is still being worked out," says Mayor David Gyberts. "We don't even have a location yet."
"The state has a history of doing that in the past with other jurisdictions so we're very hopeful," says Munson.
But some council members think differently on whether it's a feasible request or not.
"I think $10 million, in my opinion, is a little unrealistic," says Kristen Alshire, another Hagerstown City Council member. "I thought that $6 million was a bit more of what we might be able to obtain from the state in that effort."
City officials say there's a lot of unknowns when it comes to the location. Some council members are looking away from downtown.
"The people that I've talked to, the vast thousands of them, told me they don't want a stadium in downtown Hagerstown," says Munson. "They just think it's the wrong place."
The east end to me and the redevelopment potential lends itself to a larger redevelopment possibility," says Alshire. "Like a stadium in that area where it already exists."
"I meant for it also to be at the top of the list when it comes to the fiscal year 2015 budget," says Mayor Gysberts.
The $10 million dollar request is not for this years budget, but next year's. City officials say requesting the money early is a sign of their commitment to the project.
