Soccer Club Objects To Tournament Fee Increase

Fairhope, Alabama 

 Update: The Mobile Bay Classic tournament was canceled due to inclement weather. To be rescheduled.

 

FSC president Hayden Giddings

 

'MOBILE BAY SPRING CLASSIC'

Board members of the private Fairhope Soccer Club expressed surprise over a proposed new contract on the agenda of the April 12th city council meeting that would have charged them considerably more than usual for the use of city fields at the Manley Road complex for this weekend's traveling league (Academy) tournament.

Club president Hayden  Giddings said the fee would "go up 1000%" from the usual $450 to $5,000.

Board member John Cocke called the proposed fee increase "onerous" and said the cost would diminish services provided by the club's recreation league side to the community. He thought the usual agreement (for $450) had already been submitted and approved by the city anyway (it had not been according to city attorneys).

Revenues raised from such club tournament activities subsidize the usual recreation side of their organization.

Both Giddings and Cocking asked that the new fee proposal be tabled for now and the usual agreement implemented instead. 

NEEDED TO OFFSET COSTS TO CITY

Councilman Burrell said the increase was needed to offset costs to the city for maintenance and preparation of the fields, but it was still considerably less than what other area cities charge for their fields (ie. Foley, Auburn).

Referring to financial statements provided to the city by the club, Burrell observed: "You have $140K in your bank account ... just asking for some of that to offset some of our costs."

Club members acknowledged their profits from admittance charges and concession sales, but said most were to be rolled back into infrastructure for the facility (ie. goals, nets, possible new shade pavilion) ... and estimated the tournament's impact on the local economy to be around $700K (more city sales and lodging tax), a figure challenged by Burrell who thought many participants/visitors stayed in surrounding towns instead of Fairhope (Daphne, Spanish Fort).

Cocke estimated 100 teams with 1700 participants and families for this tournament; each team is charged a participation fee.

CITY ATTORNEYS WEIGHS IN

City attorney Chris Williams conceded the usual application was submitted, but said it was never accepted by the city.

Williams: "First issue, the application was made ... (but) subject to the city's approval."

"Second, as a matter of law there are significant concerns with the old fee structure ... giving a benefit to a private organization (soccer club) profiting off of ... the use of public property." 

"Questions to the FSC board have been raised, about the accounting of their funds ... what exactly is going to the development of the park, what is allocated for recreation... and for the club itself."

"Part of the problem is ... they are intermingled ... from a legal perspective very concerning ...for the city's recreation department operating with a volunteer structure ... but also intermingling paid coaches, staff ... that sort of thing (Academy)."

"Had discussions last week ... the idea was to set an agreement in place ... to offset the cost to the city for the maintenance of the facility ... keeping in mind what other cities charge (Foley, Daphne) .... need to continue a long term discussion ... with transparency on both sides ... specify what funding is for the recreation league side ... what for the Academy club ... then go forward with a mutually beneficial plan."

COMPROMISE REACHED

Although council member Conyers thought the new $5K fee proposal was appropriate, because of an "obvious communications breakdown" he made a motion to implement the previous field use agreement which should have totaled $2575, not $450 (various waivers were granted by the previous administration).

Councilman Robinson agreed $5K seemed reasonable too, but seconded the motion because of  "all the drama" and "extenuating circumstances." He hoped all parties could work out an acceptable agreement  before the next big tournament (what money goes to recreation; to the Academy club side).

The motion passed unanimously; Burrell called it "a good compromise."

 

Club structure.