The expansion

of the Peachtree City Tennis Center got its final go-ahead from the City

Council last week.

Council unanimously

approved three contracts for approximately $2.507 million to build six

new covered courts and a clubhouse facility with extra office space.

A 15-year loan

will be used to pay off the project with funds from the city's hotel-motel

tax. Virgil Christian, director of the center, explained that much is

being done by the tennis center to attract tournaments and other non-tennis

related hotel business to Peachtree City. He explained that the center

hopes to draw a major tennis company's annual sales meeting to local hotels.

Councilman

Steve Rapson warned that if the economic slowdown continues in the local

hotel-motel industry, the city may need to figure out other ways to help

pay for the annual debt service on the expansion, predicted to be a little

over $200,000.

Mayor Bob Lenox

said if the slump for local hotels and motels continues for over a year,

council may have to raise the hotel-motel tax from its current 5 percent

to possibly 6 or 7 percent.

Councilman

Dan Tennant originally suggested that the city wait 60 to 90 days before

executing the contracts to see if the hotel-motel tax revenues will stabilize.

That option was passed over, however.

Tom Farr, chairman

of the Development Authority, which operates the tennis center, said the

full cost of the construction won't be due until after all the work is

complete. He added that local hotel and motel representatives were told

those increased taxes would be used to fund the expansion.

Farr said with

negotiated reductions from the main bidder, Group VI, the city will get

a facility with a value of over $3.1 million.

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