Tega Cay seeks $5.5 million from county H-tax for Catawba Park

The city that prides itself on being the most active in the area is the latest recreation provider to pitch York County on its need for hospitality tax dollars, asking $5.5 million for the planned Catawba Park.

The 61-acre park on the Catawba River, off Dam Road, will be the third largest complex of its size in York County behind Cherry Park and Manchester Meadows, both in Rock Hill. Catawba Park combines property owned by Tega Cay, Duke Energy and Clear Springs. It will cost more than $12 million to build, officials said.

The city has $1.5 million already approved. Local revenue bonding will add another $4 million, and private donations or naming rights, another $1 million. The remaining request comes based on the new traffic Catawba Park should drive to local restaurants, according to city officials.

The county hospitality tax comes from a 2 percent charge on food and drink in unincorporated areas.

“A facility like this will most certainly drive H-tax dollars in our area that aren’t there presently,” City Manager Charlie Funderburk said at a county hospitality tax advisory committee meeting Tuesday.

Catawba Park plans include three competition, or up to eight youth size, multipurpose fields, a three-field baseball/softball complex, a boat launch, trails, basketball courts, playgrounds, picnic areas and an amphitheater area for up to 3,000 people.

New fields would be used for a growing recreation program. The city recreation department counts a 61 percent increase in participation since 2008. Half of all participants come from unincorporated areas of the county, compared to less than a third from Tega Cay. The department draws 8 percent of its participants from outside the county, Funderburk said.

“They’re going to look for a place to eat, a place to shop,” he said.

The new park could lead to added programs like lacrosse, adult flag football or youth kickball. All programs, said Recreation Director Joey Blethen, that are now limited by field space.

“With this facility, it gives us an opportunity to branch out,” he said.

The park comes up to the final phase of Baxter, one of the largest areas in the county for producing H-tax dollars. It also would serve unincorporated residents in the S.C. 160, Gold Hill Road and Pleasant Road areas. Much of the park would remain natural, particularly the part owned by Duke. Funderburk said with all the appeal of local greenways, Catawba Park could be the “head of a ‘blueway.’”

“We’re trying to get people down to the river who otherwise wouldn’t have that opportunity,” he said. “It’s not just a youth recreation facility.”

The city already has $90,000 in its own hospitality tax money invested. A long-term lease with Duke likely will run for the remainder of its federal hydroelectric license, which the company appealed last year after receiving less than the 50-year maximum. Tega Cay hopes for at least a 50-year agreement with Clear Springs.

Members of the county hospitality tax advisory committee sift through and recommend capital projects and marketing requests that generate H-tax dollars. York County Council has final say on funding requests. Advisory group members at the meeting agree Catawba Park will benefit the county and add revenue. They have only one concern – but it’s a big one.

“There’s just a limited amount of money to go around to do what we need to do,” said Watts Huckabee, advisory group chairman.

Last year, the group had about $6 million available. About $2 million comes in annually. Three large capital projects — a Clover School District and YMCA waterpark in Lake Wylie, multipurpose fields in Fort Mill and a recreation complex in Lake Wylie — drained all but about $1 million. Half of that amount went to marketing requests.

“There are a lot of groups coming to us for funding and it’s just not there,” Huckabee said.

Two of the three capital projects last year received half or less of what they requested. A movie studio project on Catawba Indian land submitted for funding, but hasn’t had a decision. An agritourism facility has been discussed, as has an indoor baseball park.

For Catawba Park, the H-tax decision won’t decide whether the park is built. It’s just a matter of when. With the county funding the project could take three years. Without it, construction could take a decade.

“It just takes longer to build,” Funderburk said.

This story was originally published March 15, 2016 at 9:29 PM with the headline "Tega Cay seeks $5.5 million from county H-tax for Catawba Park."