By John Kiesewetter
The Cincinnati Enquirer
WEST CHESTER TWP. - A community and recreation center could be financially self-sustaining, according to a preliminary financial data received by township officials Monday.
"This is very doable," says Steve Jones, project manager for the township's proposed 148,000-square-foot building in Union Centre, across from Lakota West High School.
"The numbers are very close. But these figures do not guarantee that a center will be built," cautioned Catherine Stoker, trustees president.
Trustees have repeatedly said they will not build the center if it cannot operate at break-even.
Ballard King and Associates, a St. Louis-based consultant, has estimated that the center could operate at a slight profit with a 25-yard competitive pool and a large indoor multipurpose room with turf field for soccer and baseball.
But the consultant's financial plan requires a $100,000 commitment from the local swimming community to rent the eight-lane pool, in addition to $199,200 from sports programs on the indoor multipurpose field. So far, no swim team has pledged any money to use the pool.
Profitability also was based on 1,800 annual memberships to the center, which also would include an outdoor pool, indoor leisure pool, three-lane track, racquetball courts and sauna.
Annual operation would cost $2.39 million for the center, which would need 13 full-time-equivalent employees. Ballard King projected annual revenue from the center at $2.92 million at the high end of the membership ranges.
Yearly single adult passes could range from $305 to $375, the company recommended. Annual family passes could cost from $500 to $625, according to the report.
By comparison, annual passes for the new Mason Community Center and outdoor pool are $335 for Mason adults and $540 for city families. However, the Mason center just completed its first year of operation with a $585,000 deficit.
Township officials said they will scrutinize the business plan before deciding on April 27 whether to build the center.
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E-mail jkiesewetter@enquirer.com
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