Cedar Park moves forward on entertainment center

By Andrea Lorenz

AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF Wednesday, February 13, 2008

An entertainment center has been on the table for years in Cedar Park, where voters approved the use of some sales tax revenue to pay for it in 2006 after three failed attempts in previous years. Since that vote, city staff members have moved forward in planning the center, and in November, the council approved a tentative agreement to build a $55 million center with Hicks Sports Marketing Group, which is owned by Tom Hicks, owner of the Dallas Stars hockey team and the Texas Rangers baseball team. Part of that agreement required a final contract to be signed by Dec. 15, 2007, which did not happen. Because the agreement has expired, the city could legally seek another partner on the deal, but Hicks and the city are working together to come up with a final deal, city spokeswoman Melanie Carr said. Former Mayor Bob Antle, who was on the council during previous attempts to build a center, e-mailed the council last week, asking for more information to be released about the financing of the center. City officials say they'll release such information before the council votes on the final contract. The American-Statesman filed an open records request Feb. 4 on how much the city has spent so far on consultant and travel costs. City staffers are compiling the information, Carr said, and will provide it by Tuesday, the legal deadline to comply with the open records request. City officials also have not released how much revenue the city expects to take in from the center, or any documents showing these projections. Carr said the city "has every intention of" providing the information before the deadline next week. City Manager Brenda Eivens said the figures will be released before the council votes on a final contract. The city plans to pay for its share of the center, $43.5 million, from a portion of sales tax revenue that's earmarked for its 4A economic development corporation. The money the city is spending on planning the center will be included in that $43.5 million, Economic Development Director Phil Brewer said. The City Council already has approved the center's construction contract, pending final approval of the city attorney. The city provided a copy of that contract several days after the Statesman filed an open records request; however, City Attorney Charles Rowland said in an e-mail that the contract required significant changes that the council must again approve. alorenz@statesman.com; 246-0008