High Point Enterprise reports:
City representatives say they haven’t withdrawn their request to the Guilford County Board of Commissioners for assistance in funding the downtown stadium.
Commissioner Skip Alston said this week that the board halted its consideration of the city’s request because High Point was going to finance the $36.1 million facility without the county.
The North Carolina Local Government Commission last week approved the city’s stadium financing plan with no county participation, but that doesn’t preclude Guilford from eventually coming on board, according to the city.
“We still have the interlocal agreement in front of them waiting for them to make a decision,” said former Mayor Bill Bencini. “It does seem like an interesting attempt by some of the commissioners to sort of change the narrative that somehow because we went forward, we’re not seeking their help, but that (request) has not been retracted. There’s nothing about the action we took that precludes them from participating.”
The city is asking the county to divert a portion of new property tax revenue from development around the stadium to help High Point pay the $51 million in principal and interest on the limited obligation bonds it plans to issue to finance construction of the multi-use facility.
Notice none of the county commissioners responded to the HPE’s requests for interviews. Let this sleeping dog lie, High Point.
