Paducah, McCracken County leaders reach deal on outdoor sports complex interlocal agreement | News

MCCRACKEN COUNTY, KY — McCracken County Judge Executive Craig Clymer and Paducah Mayor George Bray have reached an agreement on the terms of an interlocal agreement for the outdoor sports complex project, Clymer announced Thursday. 

A news release from Clymer’s office says he and Bray met Thursday and reached an agreement on the contract, which would lay out the city and county’s duties regarding the design, construction, funding, equipping, operation, management and maintenance of the $42 million project. Next, the two will seek approval of the interlocal agreement from the city commission, the county fiscal county and the McCracken County Sports Tourism Commission.

Final approval is expected to come within the next two weeks, the news release says. Once approval is received, the project will advance with final design and construction bids. Leaders expect the outdoor sports complex to be complete and open for business in about two years’ time, the news release says. 

An ordinance for the interlocal agreement is on the fiscal court’s agenda for Monday, Aug. 22. 

The news release includes an overview of the terms of the interlocal agreement, which are: 

• The agreement approves the Sports Complex Master Plan from February 2021.
• It assures cooperation among the three parties, and it includes penalties for noncompliance.
• The county will lease the former Bluegrass Downs property, and the city will lease Stuart Nelson Park to the Sports Tourism Commission.
• The county and city will equally share in upgrades to Stuart Nelson Park Road.
• The Sports Tourism Commission will develop and operate the park with help from Sports Facilities Corp. as an independent contractor per a Facilities Management Agreement from Dec. 2021.
• Each party will have two representatives in a working group for the project.
• The Sports Tourism Commission and the working group will now develop final plans and bid packages for the county and city to review.
• The county and city will each put $12.5 million into accounts within 10 days of the interlocal agreement’s effective date.
• The county will be the “paying agent” to receive and oversee all payments of invoices.
• The city will issue municipal bonds for equal city and county benefit and obligation.
• The Sports Tourism Commission will pay 80% of transient room tax receipts toward city and county debt.
• Any revenue in excess of debt will be paid equally to the city and county.
• Any shortfall in revenue will be paid equally by the county and city.
• After debt is paid off over 20 years, any shortfall that was paid by the county and the city will be reimbursed by the Sports Tourism Commission.
• The initial lease is 20 years, with four optional renewal periods of five years, for a possible total of 40 years.