There are still

some hard feelings left over from the failed attempt to wrestle control

of Peachtree City's tennis center and amphitheater from the Peachtree

City Development Authority.

At the authority's

regular meeting Monday, it was agreed that the authority wants to work

with the city on the issue. But the authority is also concerned with several

recent requests for information from city officials, particularly because

those requests were made to employees of the tennis center and amphitheater

instead of the authority's executive director, Virgil Christian.

"I think

we need to insist on protocol," said authority member Robert Brooks,

noting it would be best to funnel all information requests to Christian.

Authority member

Scott Bradshaw said he thought the information was sought "to discredit

this board" or collect information for the lawsuit that has been

filed against the authority by former amphitheater director Kristi Rapson.

Rapson, whose

husband Steve is currently on the City Council, claims in the federal

lawsuit that the authority unfairly paid her in comparison to Christian,

who was previously the director of the tennis center. Steve Rapson abstained

from the discussion and subsequent vote on Brown's proposal for the sports

and entertainment authority at a recent council meeting.

The authority

also met in executive session to discuss the situation as a legal matter.

Authority chairman Tate Godfrey pointed out that the authority has an

agreement with the city that spells out exactly how much the city will

provide from the hotel-motel tax funds to subsidize the tennis center

and amphitheater operations and pay for the $2.5 million expansion of

the tennis center.

Brown now wants

to schedule workshops between council and the authority, along with the

city's Recreation Commission and the Fayette County Chamber of Commerce.

He contends the amphitheater and tennis center should be run by a separate

sports and entertainment authority, leaving the development authority

to focus solely on economic development.

Opponents have

argued that the facilities are well-run and therefore the management should

not be changed.

Though Brown

wanted a vote to create the new sports and entertainment authority at

the previous council meeting, none was taken as several council members

said it would be more appropriate to study the concept further.

Although Brown

has said he does not want to cut jobs at the tennis center or amphitheater,

he would like to see some budget cuts, particularly at the tennis center.

The hotel-motel tax funds currently used to subsidize the facilities could

be better used for other city projects, he said.

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