Working towards an idea that originally surfaced among city council members as far back as the 1940’s and brought back to the council chambers again in the mid 1970’s and 1990’s, the possibility of a Rocky Mount Downtown Community Facility (RMDCF) with an emphasis on hosting incoming sporting events among other activities could stand to bring an economic impact of an estimated $264 million spending dollars to the city with in ten years of its doors opening.
Detailed and referred to at the City of Rocky Mount’s official website as a “conceptual indoor sports destination” that would be located only minutes from your new home at Belmont Lake Preserve, in the heart of downtown Rocky Mount, rockymountnc.gov goes on to explain the proposed facility would be “unlike any sporting event center in eastern North Carolina.”
Continuing to explain what would set the Rocky Mount Downtown Community Facility apart from any similar in Eastern NC, the website noted it would be “unique in that it not only caters to sporting tournaments, but also has the capacity to accommodate a multitude of other occasions. The piece went on to promote the idea, noting, “This space is ideal for use by both locals and visitors alike, and will set Downtown Rocky Mount apart as the perfect destination location of experience for people of all ages and interests.”
Despite the planning stages obviously taking some time and since the concept has been brought back about by the council, there have obviously been some questions raised by Rocky Mount residents, the “Frequently Asked Questions” section devoted to the concept of a Rocky Mount Downtown Community Facility would point towards a very promising economic effect that the new facility could have on the city.
While the document does state that the Rocky Mount Downtown Community Facility would require several subsidies in its first few operating years ($872,000 in year one, $682,000 in years two and year three $264,000), the anticipated generated revenue and jobs locally would seem to counteract these and then some.
“In its first year, the projected operating revenue will be $1,646,552. By year 10, the projected revenue is $5,938,327, “ the document states. Equally as promising as that statement would be the section addressing the potential new jobs created by a Rocky Mount Downtown Community Facility. “The Downtown Community Facility would create 50 new jobs from the ongoing operations, plus 200 construction jobs. A general manager at the facility would make approximately $90,000 annually. A marketing director would generate $70,000 to $80,000 per year. There are also other high skilled positions that would be available. “
On top of these figures the anticipated economic impact of $264 million in new spending in the city over 10 years, coupled with several other high profile announcements recently of economic development in Rocky Mount and the surrounding community it would seem that things are looking bright for the future of the a Rocky Mount Downtown Community Facility and the entire city as a whole.
To view the information at the City of Rocky Mount’s website on the Rocky Mount Downtown Community Facility, visit rockymountnc.gov.
(Photo Credit: City of Rocky Mount)
