As most of you know, I am the chairman of the Columbia-Adair County Economic Development Authority.
I received a letter, dated March 5, 2026, from Mayor Pamela Hoots inquiring about possible land usage of a minimum of 30 acres in Green River Commerce Park for use as a sports complex. The mayor’s letter was read and discussion was held regarding her request at the EDA board meeting on March 18, 2026.
Several board members, including myself, expressed concerns about such a facility being in the GRCP and several board members wanted to get more information about the proposed facility.
It was the consensus of the board that such a facility in the community would be a positive addition and be good for the local economy. A motion was made and passed to table any action on her request.
I was asked to invite Mayor Hoots to attend our next monthly meeting on April 15, 2026 to learn more about her proposal for a sports complex.
I personally visited the Mayor on April 7, 2026 and hand delivered a letter to her citing the progress the EDA had made in getting GRCP ready and attractive for business and it also included the invitation for her to attend our next meeting. I told her that her letter was read to the board members and discussion was held regarding her request and I personally invited her to our next meeting.
First a little background regarding the EDA. The Columbia-Adair County Economic Development Authority, Inc. is a public, non-profit organization created by the authority of the Adair Fiscal Court and the City of Columbia pursuant to Kentucky Revised Statues Chapter 154.50.
The primary purposes of the EDA are acquisition and development of industrial properties, recruitment of new industries to the City of Columbia and Adair County and the retention of jobs in existing industries.
Over the last three years, we have made $1,840,149.28 in infrastructure improvements to GRCP. We have been able to obtain $857,191 in grants through the Kentucky Product Development Initiative, which we have matched with $461,538 in grants from the Regional Development Agency Assistance Program, $150,000 from the City of Columbia, $150,000 from the Adair Fiscal Court and $221,420.28 of our own funds to make our park ready for development.
These grants have resulted in a 150,000 SF expandable build ready pad being constructed with water, sewer and gas extended to the build ready pad lot and adjacent lots, water line extended along the south side access road to the 50 plus acre shovel-ready site which also has sewer access, an entrance to Hwy 55 from the south access road and asphalt paving on both the north and south access roads.
I was one of the original members of the EDA when it was formed in 1996. We lobbied then Gov. Paul Patton through Adair County’s own Jodie Richards, who was Speaker of the House at the time, to obtain the funds to purchase the farm to develop as an industrial park that is now Green River Commerce Park.
A couple of years later we met with Larry Cox, Sen. Mitch McConnell’s Chief of Staff and pled our case for funds to extend city sewer to GRCP. Senator McConnell was successful in getting funds for the sewer extensions approved as a line item in the federal budget.
A lot of work has been done over the years by a lot of board members in getting roads built and infrastructure in place at GRCP. We are currently waiting to hear from our most recent KPDI grant request for 85% funding of the cost to construct a 40,000 SF spec building with an estimated a cost of $1,979,000. We now have something to market, a build-ready site and a large shovel-ready site with utilities in place. Hopefully we can add “with a spec building” by this time next year.
KPDI funding is to be used for investment in site and infrastructure improvements that could result in an opportunity for an entity engaged in manufacturing, agribusiness, headquarters operations, nonretail service or technology activities, coal severing and processing, hospital operations, alternative fuel, gasification, energy-efficient alternative fuels or renewable energy production and carbon dioxide transmission pipeline.
Construction of a sports complex in GRCP is not one of the purposes of KPDI funding. In my opinion, use of the property for a sports complex would be contrary to the purposes for which we obtained KPDI funding and contrary to the purposes for which the EDA was created. I personally do not feel that GRCP is the place for a sports complex.
I was out of town last week and not in attendance at our April board meeting. In addition, I understand that Mayor Hoots did not attend the meeting either. During my absence, Vice Chairman Doyle Lloyd called a special meeting of the EDA with a stated purpose of gathering of information for a sports complex in GRCP. The media notification indicates the meeting is to be held at 6 p.m. on Thursday, April 23 at the Chamber of Commerce Building.
The EDA is not in the business of developing, owning or operating a sports complex nor should it be. In addition, the EDA does not have the financial resources to do so. We receive no annual budgeted funds from the city or the county. Other than grants, our only annual funding is approximately $30,000 from a crop lease.
I support the idea for the community to look into the possibility of a sports complex, that can provide recreational opportunities for our young people and generate income for businesses in the community from travel teams coming into the community and spending dollars while they are here. Hopefully something positive can come out of this meeting and the proponents of the sports complex can establish a committee to research the feasibility of creating and operating one. Sports complexes construction costs range from $50,000 to $5 million, depending on the complexity. Once a facility is built, there will be recurring cost for staffing, utilities and insurance at a minimum.
I am in favor of a sports complex in the community but not in Green River Commerce Park.
Respectively submitted,
Larry Walker
