High Point Enterprise probes the question surrounding the proposed $30 million downtown baseball stadium: now that a contractor has been selected, when will a contract be signed?

Assistant City Manager Randy Hermann tells the Enterprise “it’s not clear when the council may be asked to approve a contract for a stadium,” while City Council member Jason Ewing says regarding the spring 2019 opening date:

“I think that’s a pretty aggressive timeline,” said City Councilman Jason Ewing. “We still have to go through with the (North Carolina Local Government Commission) process and get approval to sell the bonds we need to sell in order to move forward with construction. There’s a lot of steps that have yet to take place in order for us to move forward with the timeline, so I am not depending on the timeline happening as it’s been proposed.”

As I noted earlier the Rhino reported that the Guilford County Board of Commissioners must sign off on the tax increment financing plan to help fund the stadium. I assume that’s what Ewing is talking about, and s (so far as I know) the commission has not moved forward yet.

Meanwhile fellow City Council member Latimer Alexander tells the Enterprise that once developers see a contract has been signed, they will begin moving on surrounding property:

“They are waiting to see us issue a contract for the stadium. Once the contract is issued, they are moving forward,” Alexander said. “As soon as that stadium is under construction, you will see that housing. A year from now, you will see three or four cranes.”

He said he believes apartments and a hotel will be the first projects developed around the stadium.

“I think a hotel is going to be pretty easy, between all the events in High Point that drive room nights,” he said. “I am more worried about furniture market attendees buying the housing. We want people that are going to live there 365 days a year. We’ve got plenty of people that say they want to live downtown, and that’s what I’m hoping is going to happen. But you can’t preclude a furniture manufacturer or designer from buying the housing, and that’s not going to generate feet on the street.”

Alexander’s concern is legitimate, as the furniture companies have been driving downtown development for going on 20 years now. And if that’s a good thing, then why do city leaders see the need foe a baseball stadium?