What happened to $5.5 million? Why has the Etowah Mega Sports Complex Authority reportedly run out of money? Why is there the threat of a lawsuit for non-payment of debts? Watch the video from State Senator Jones to find out.

Jones issued a statement to WEIS Radio that reads 

[quote align=”center” color=”#999999″]Since when is it normal for a handful of board members to go into exorbitant debt, not paying up to $1.5 million in bills for almost a whole year, and then be on the brink of a lawsuit for nonpayment– all without informing the full board in an open meeting? These kinds of good-ol-boy behaviors simply won’t cut it anymore. Up to 5 out of 12 board members have resigned because they had been kept in the dark, but unfortunately, many of those responsible continue to serve. Attempts to change the narrative, gloss over mismanagement, and paint these serious errors in judgement as routine are humorous at best.

State Senator Andrew Jones [/quote]

Timeline of Events Surrounding the Mega Sports Complex Authority Situation:

July 8: Mega Sports Complex Authority (MSCA) treasurer Hugh Miller states in a meeting that funding from the Etowah County Tourism Board (ECTB) is not tied up in a proposed $10 million bond (we would later find this to be false). The MSCA votes to proceed with the bond.

August 26: The proposed $10 million MSCA bond begins to be advertised in the paper.

September 3: ECTB Director Hugh Stump notifies key stakeholders that the MSCA bond is being advertised. Negotiations between the ECTB and MSCA begin immediately on an agreement to return funding to the ECTB in exchange for a financial pledge to help the MSCA.

September 14-15: Attorney Christie Knowles finds out that ECTB funding IS A KEY COMPONENT of the proposed bond, contrary to what everyone has been led to believe. It is evident that negotiations between the ECTB and MSCA were being held under false pretenses, and it seems the MSCA was trying to “pull one over” on everyone.

September 16: Attorney Christie Knowles files a motion to intervene in the bond validation, on behalf of Senator Andrew Jones, asking the court for a 60 day pause to bring all parties together and work out a solution. The judge orders briefs to be filed by September 23.

September 18: Senator Andrew Jones offers a proposal trying to find common ground and settle the dispute with the MSCA. As it turns out, there would be no counter-offer for 1 week.

September 19: MSCA treasurer Hugh Miller calls off a scheduled meeting with key stakeholders. In response, a representative from Chambless King Architects reveals that the MSCA is ABOUT TO DEFAULT ON ITS PAYMENTS and the contractor and subcontractors may sue for nonpayment. The representative notes that interest is being charged and that there is no guarantee the contractor/ subcontractors will wait past the end of September. It seems that $5.5 million has been spent and there is no money remaining to pay the bills.

September 20: Attorney Christie Knowles continues communication with the MSCA again on behalf of Senator Jones. The MSCA makes no counteroffer.

September 21: Board member Jeff Overstreet requests an emergency meeting of the MSCA to reconsider his vote for the bond. In a letter, he notes that he was misled about ECTB revenue being tied up in the bond, and states that a small executive committee running the MSCA has been keeping details from himself and the full board. He calls on the executive committee to resign. Other board members echo his allegations that the regular board members had been kept in the dark about the dire financial situation of the MSCA.

The ECTB votes to join Senator Jones’ motion to intervene.

September 22: CBS 42 covers the story. Senator Jones asks “Where has $6 million gone? Why has the MSCA spent more money than it has?”

September 23: The Etowah County Legislative Delegation, Rainbow City Mayor Joe Taylor, Tourism Director Hugh Stump, and Attorney Christie Knowles meet and come to an agreement on a complete restructuring of the MSCA.

September 24: The court orders all parties to meet and find a solution. The MSCA leadership continues to show no interest in meeting.

September 25: After 1 week, the MSCA finally responds to Senator Jones’ proposal, offering a rigid counter-proposal seemingly designed to blow up any hope of negotiation. This is despite the MSCA being even closer to a potential suit for non-payment. MSCA leadership has still not held a full meeting with all board members.

September 26-28: Jones/Knowles reach out again to the MSCA and ask for a face-to-face meeting. The Chairman and Treasurer of the MSCA finally meet with Senator Jones and the Tourism Board, however no final agreement is reached.

September 29: Both the MSCA and Senator Jones ask the court for a 48 hour extension to continue negotiations.

Senator Jones advertises two bills for the upcoming October/November special session– one to restructure the MSCA (as agreed upon on September 23), and another to legislatively return funding to the ECTB.