Vote puts Beach's sportsplex under new management

VIRGINIA BEACH

The City Council voted Tuesday night to turn over the management of the Sportsplex and the national field hockey training center to a local restaurateur.

In a 7-1 vote - with Mayor Will Sessoms abstaining and Councilwoman Barbara Henley in opposition - the City Council agreed to let Chuck Thornton run the struggling stadium.

Thornton has said he plans to spend $1.2 million to install artificial turf on the Sportsplex field and upgrade the concessions.

Under the deal, the city also would give Thornton a rebate on his real estate taxes for 10 years and an option to lease about

7 acres next to the Sportsplex for a shopping center that would include one of his Hometown Heroes restaurants.

Thornton would share a portion of the profits, estimated to be about $72,450 over 20 years, with the city.

T he Sportsplex opened in 1998 as a soccer stadium to attract a professional team. The city spent $10.6 million to build the venue and spends $447,000 each year to operate it.

"It's a win-win for the city, the developer and the citizens," Councilman Glenn Davis said. "Assuming that the developer does nothing more than cut the grass, we save $400,000."

Henley has questioned whether Thornton can manage the Sportsplex and said the city is giving it s land and stadium away too easily.

"It's much more prime property," Henley said.

The deal has been in the works for nearly two years. It was part of a bigger proposal to also build an indoor sports facility next to the Sportsplex. The City Council approved that in February.

The arrangement with Thornton hit a snag earlier this month when city officials and some council members expressed concern that the Hometown Heroes on city land would host poker tournaments.

The city attorney is still reviewing whether those tournaments would be considered illegal gambling. The agreement between Thornton and the city specifies that no illegal gambling may take place on city land.

Deirdre Fernandes, (757) 222-5121, deirdre.fernandes@pilotonline.com