It's free, but with strings attached in special contract

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Hoping to get a better contract for free scoreboards, the Peachtree City

Council tabled a proposal from the Coca-Cola Company that would have added

a new scoreboard for the Fayette Field of Hope, a specially designed baseball

field for kids with physical challenges.

The company currently has scoreboards at many athletic venues owned by

the city under an agreement that was approved by council in 1995. But Councilwoman

Judi-ann Rutherford said she wanted to see if the city could get a better

deal with Coca-Cola or with other beverage companies such as Pepsi, which

also offers a sports scoreboard program.

The current Coca-Cola program saves the city an estimated $30,000 over

its 10-year life. In addition to providing and installing the scoreboards,

Coke also offers follow-up maintenance and provides bulbs for the older

scoreboards which need them.

In return, the contract calls for only Coke products to be sold at the

athletic facilities which use the scoreboards.

"Perhaps there's a better deal out there," Rutherford said.

City staff will develop a request for proposals on the matter so council

can evaluate all the options at one time before making a decision.

It was not clear at press time Thursday whether delaying the Coke agreement

would keep the Field of Hope from having a scoreboard in time for its opening

day later this fall. Work for the project is nearing completion thanks

to a $74,000 cash donation from an anonymous benefactor in late June.

The field features a rubberized playing surface, which makes it easier

for children in walkers and wheelchairs to move around as opposed to a

traditional grass and dirt field.