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Advantage Center Clears Hurdle

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By TOM BRENNAN | The Tampa Tribune

Published: June 17, 2008

BRANDON The proposed Brandon Community Advantage Center remains in line for $2.5 million in county funds after Hillsborough County commissioners gave a tentative endorsement to the project today.

Commissioners will discuss the center and other projects July 16 and make a final decision Aug. 6.

The proposed cultural and civic center is among a laundry list of projects vying for $40 million In Community Investment Tax revenue that became available when commissioners nixed the proposed Championship Park sports complex outside Plant City.

Commissioners unanimously approved putting discussion of the projects list on the July 16 agenda. The Advantage Center was not discussed specifically.

Commissioner Al Higginbotham said he questions the costs listed for some of the projects.

"I want to be sure we aren't locked in," he said. "I'm not settled on the numbers."

Mark Thornton, director of the county Department of Parks, Recreation and Conservation, said the Advantage Center made the list of projects recommended by the parks board in part because funds already have been committed to it.

"We wanted to look for projects that would allow us a dollar-for-dollar match," he said. "We would be able to double our investment, and we would be able to stretch our dollars."

Local residents and business leaders backing construction of the the center on Watson Road, at the southeast corner of the Winthrop commercial and residential development, have already secured $3.4 million in state and federal funds.

Of that, $1.4 million is federal funding offered in exchange for making part of the center an emergency evacuation shelter for people with special needs.

Winthrop developer John Sullivan agreed to sell the proposed building site at a discount and build the center for the money project backers had available.

The $3.4 million will only cover construction of the building's shell, officials have said. The county's contribution would help finish it out.

Reporter Tom Brennan can be reached at (813) 657-4528 or tbrennan@tampatrib.com.

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