Chemung County Executive Tom Santulli addressed the County Legislature at the Budget Committee meeting Monday night asking that they hold off on their consideration of the repurchase request for the First Arena.
As the foreclosure process allows, Chemung County has received a request from Southern Tier Economic Development (STED) and Elmira Downtown Arena LLC for the repurchase of the property at 155 North Main Street, Elmira, commonly known as First Arena. The next step in the process is for the Legislature to vote on the acceptance or denial of that repurchase request.
“This property is unique in that it has over $8 million in publicly invested funds. It is a quasi-public facility which is utilized by hundreds of thousands of residents every year. Due to its’ uniqueness, and questions and concerns that have come up relative to the operations and managemnet of the facility over the past twelve years, I feel the county should hold off on consideration of the repurchase request,” Santulli said.
15th District Legislator Rodney J. Strange made the motion to table the agenda item that included the repurchase request and schedule a special meeting of the Budget Committee at 6:45pm on Monday, March 12th.
Santulli is requesting the legislature allow for the hiring of a consultant who will examine the operations of the First Arena over the past twelve years. “I believe we need to take the time to take a hard look at where we have been in regards to the Arena, where we want to go, and what is the best way to get there,” Santulli said.
The Budget Committee will vote on a recommendation at the special meeting to send to the full Legislature as to whether to accept the repurchase request or support the County Exectutive’s proposal to have a thorough investigation into First Arena’s operations and financial records by an outside consultant. Santulli would then convene a committee comprised of local business and community representatives to review the findings of the consultant’s report with a recommendation coming to the Legislature from the County Executive’s office no later that June 30, 2012.
The full Legislature meeting will follow the special meeting of the Budget Committee at 7:00pm on Monday, March 12th.