A Multi-Purpose Center (MPEC) is being touted as the best way to rejuvenate Clarksville and the Central Business District. Questions arise such as how will it be paid for, is it needed, where should it go, or is it just a nicety. The County Mayor and County Commission, without very much public input, is poised to decide that a $105 Million dollar debt is the way to finance it, it is needed, and the location has been purchased.

An opinion piece by Jeff Truitt of the Economic Development Council, published May 12, in Clarksville Now, compared the MPEC in Evansville/Vanderburgh County, IN to our situation in Clarksville and why it is needed downtown.

Some items about the Evansville Ford Center that were not mentioned are:

Except for the first 2 months of operation in 2011 it has not turned a profit.

The City of Evansville covers the annual $400,000 to $700,000 operating shortfall and the bond payments of $8 million.

Hosted athletic events such as the UE women’s basketball sometimes draw only 100 spectators and they will not play future games the Ford Center. (Information is from the February 7, 2018 issue of the Courier & Press.)

It has been stated that for the MPEC to work out, it must have APSU as the primary tenant.  A Leaf Chronicle article on February 12, 2019 stated that the APSU Dunn Center has a seating capacity of 8,000, with 10,000 being standing room only.  The APSU men’s and women’s basketball programs generally draw 1,000 – 2,000 spectators.   Those numbers don’t support APSU moving to a larger venue.

Mr. Truitt mentioned high school graduations as a need.  I’ve attend split graduations and also outdoor ones that worked out well.

I guess what this all comes down to is that the issue needs to be further researched and the citizens of the county need to have more time to decide if the MPEC is truly a need, or a nicety.

I think MPEC should be contingent on the County Commission calling for a county wide referendum on the issue.  Don’t make the county voters jump through a hoop and force them to scramble for 10% of the registered voters to sign a referendum petition, all within in 20 days of the Commission’s final vote.  A $105 Million Dollars is a lot of debt to pass on to our children, without doing our due diligence.  Let both sides present their case and LET THE PEOPLE VOTE.