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City Council approves taking next steps in redevelopment, Pope hotel proposal
A crowd of more than 100 citizens gathered for the first meeting of Washington's council to be held in The Pope Center after its expansive remodeling, which turned the former community center into a convention center twice the size, able to accommodate up to 1,100 people for conventions large and small. The council considered moving ahead on a proposal brought by Alvin James, CEO of Alvin James Group Development, before a council retreat two weeks ago. At the retreat, as reported in The News-Reporter, James had proposed that his group build a $5.5 million, mid-market, national-chain hotel of the Baymont Inns and Suites brand of the Wyndham Hotel Group. The 100-room hotel would be intensively marketed along with the convention center and the small-town setting as a destination for group events.
At Monday night's meeting, the council was scheduled to vote to develop a Memorandum of Understanding on how to proceed with the hotel project. Alvin James then spoke to the meeting, commending the city for "having the vision to embrace tourism," and saying that he was excited about the cooperative synergy between a state-of-the art facility like The Pope Center and a middle-market hotel that would attract conventions and spur commercial growth in Washington and help grow economic development. "We're prepared to invest and put a 4-star hotel here that is complimentary to the convention center," James said, "and we're willing to be patient as we try to grow this business. We're not expecting overnight success." The hotel would also create job training and career training opportunities for motivated local workers, he said. "We're excited about the prospect of developing a hospitality training program," James said, "to create jobs for the disenfranchised and unemployed youth, and for individuals who are looking for second-career opportunities." The jobs created would include management opportunities, he said. "The hospitality industry worldwide is constantly in need of trained, skilled individuals who understand the middle-market hospitality business." Although he was fortunate enough to be chosen to build the high-end Trump Hotel in Atlanta, James said, "it's the middle-market hotels that make all the money." James said that the convention center and hotel could be used for videoconference training sessions. "We could do phenomenal things with video teleconference technology, and you have that capability here in this great facility already." James also introduced Craig Williams of Macon-based AFLAC, and said that they were giving consideration to developing an AFLAC training program in Washington. Opening the floor to questions from the audience, James was asked what he was going to ask the city to do. He said that everything was still in the talking stages at this point, but that he was interested in possibly acquiring The Pope Center from the city. "This is something we're very excited about, because it lets us make this a mixed-use development, and we could bundle the hotel with the conference center in marketing." Other aspects of a deal with the city could include exchanging land for debt, future tax considerations, and the designation of the area as an enterprise zone. When asked about the location and timeline for the hotel, James said the hotel must face Lexington Avenue, and the project was on a fast track with him. "We'd like to begin as soon as possible." The hotel would create 25 to 50 jobs, he said, and he would use local contractors during construction when possible. The city council gave its unanimous approval to the proposal that a Memorandum of Understanding be developed to go forward with the hotel project. In another momentous action, one that will affect the Whitehall Street corridor for years to come, the council approved a resolution adopting the Southwest Washington Redevelopment Plan. As the mayor and city council implement each stage of the redevelopment plan over the next fiveyears, neighbors and neighborhoods will transform their corner of the city with help from the program, and with emphasis on single-family, private homes, credit education, and small business development. The council, in a public hearing before the council meeting, had adopted a resolution of necessity for the redevelopment plan after a presentation by the RDC's Christian Lentz. Despite the weighty issues being decided, the council meeting seemed to wander off the agenda at times. During the councilmen's reports, after Maceo Mahoney asked the status of several items, the meeting turned into a public forum with members of the audience taking turns asking questions of different city leaders. The questions covered utility deposits, electric rates, levelized utility billing, and the city's recycling program, and city leaders patiently answered them all before resuming the agenda. Back on the agenda, though, it became clear that this was the last city council audience to play to before the November elections. At his turn, Councilman Nathaniel Cullars, who is under a strong challenge for his District 1 seat, made a statement about an altercation in which he have been involved at a recent Tiger football game. "To the three citizens who were taken out of the football game for saying things that shouldn't be said, there will be no apologies from me," he said. Cullars went on to ask if the city could cancel a contract it had with a local "sign guy" because of the verbal exchange. "Let's check with the attorney and see can we stop that contract, and also do no more business with the subject," Cullars said. Mayor Willie Burns finally spoke, "Mr. Cullars, you've already reviewed this with the attorney, the contract is in motion, and I believe the school board is more involved with that situation, am I correct?" Cullars tried another angle. "I make a motion we do no business after this contract is done, because of his lack of understanding of the peoples of this county." Mayor Burns clarified the motion, saying, "The motion is that we do no more business with the sign guy in Washington." Maceo Mahoney seconded the motion, but the motion was defeated, 3-2, with Cullars and Mahoney being the only votes in favor. Councilmen Edward Pope Jr., Ray Hardy, and Pamela Eaton voted against, and Rev. G.L. Avery abstained. At the beginning of Monday night's meeting, innkeeper Phil Rothman applauded the efforts of the tourism director and the upgrading of the Pope Center, but he warned that the city must work with the county to plan the growth of the overall community. "A regional master plan would be the key to controlled growth, with the city and county working together," he said. Councilman Eaton invited the public to the next meeting of the Downtown Development Authority at 8:30 a.m. Oct. 18 at Farmers State Bank. City Administrator Mike Eskew reminded all present that this part of Georgia was now in a level four drought. "That means that no outdoor watering activities are allowed," he said. Main Street Director David Jenkins reported that a contract has been put out for bids on an archaeological survey of Kettle Creek Battleground, and that a brownfieldsassessment of a local service station may happen within 30 to 45 days. Reporting for tourism and the Chamber of Commerce, Tourism Director Ashley Barnett reported that Washington ads are being shown on the NBC station in Augusta during prime morning times and that Washington would be featured on GPB's program "Georgia Traveler" Saturday at 9 p.m. She reminded all present that Mule Day Southern Heritage Festival was Saturday, and that a concert by Tracy Lawrence was set for October 19, and another concert by the ZAPP Band and the Bar-Kays was the following night at Aonia Park. For Market Days Street Festival coming up October 27, Barnett asked the city for more trash cans. The Rayle Ramble, she said, was the same day, and the ARTFest and "I'd Rather Be in Tignall" festival were coming up the following week, November 3.
With all that going on, she said, "You can't say nothing happens in a small town."
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