Residents reiterated on Monday night their desire for the city to follow through with plans to build a new arena in their community during a town hall meeting down the street from where the $100-million-plus project is expected to be located.

Savannah Alderman Van Johnson pledged his commitment to supporting the plan to build the arena northeast of Gwinnett Street and Stiles Avenue in Carver Heights during the meeting that drew about 90 people to the Temple of Glory Community Church.

The investment is needed for the community which has been historically neglected and cut off from the downtown by industrial development, Johnson said.

“As your representative, this is one of the Alamo moments for me,” he said.

The current plan has been questioned by Mayor Eddie DeLoach and other members of the new council following the defeat in last year’s election of previous members of the council, including former Mayor Edna Jackson, who supported the chosen location.

DeLoach was not at Monday’s town hall due to a scheduling conflict, according to his chief of staff Martin Sullivan, but Aldermen Bill Durrence, Julian Miller and Carol Bell were called out during the meeting by residents who wanted to know whether they supported the site. The residents said the city had promised to build the arena in their community when they supported two Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax referendums to fund the project and others.

“We have supported SPLOST since day one,” said Cloverdale Neighborhood Association President Curtis Victor Cooper Jr. “It’s time for you to support us.”

Both Durrence and Miller said they could not determine whether they supported the plan until the results of an arena study were presented.

While he is not sure about the specific site, Durrence said he did support constructing the arena on the west side, as well as the plan to develop the surrounding area, dubbed the Canal District, with recreational trails and athletic fields.

“What’s going to happen specifically for the arena, I think the jury is still out on that,” he said. “The Canal District is what we need to focus on.”

Bell said she too was waiting for the results of the study, which is supposed to examine the site and determine what type of arena to build and what type of performances it could accommodate. But she agreed that an “economic engine” was needed for the area.

“If this is what the community decides is best for the entire community, so be it,” she said.

Not all the residents spoke up in support of the arena. One man raised concerns about traffic congestion the arena would create, while a woman asked what level of noise the residents would be exposed to.

The $176,000 arena study by Barrett Sports Group is close to completion and expected to be presented to the mayor and alderman on May 12, almost one year after it was approved by the previous council.

“Hopefully, the consultant’s report will answer the questions of the council so the project can move forward,” said City Manager Stephanie Cutter.

 

Source : savannahnow.com

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