The Macomb city council this week agreed to authorize Sports Facilities Companies to solicit RFQs (Requests for Qualifications) for a master developer for the economic development project anchored by an indoor sports complex.
“This binds us to nothing. This gets us out there and gets some people who are qualified to be master developers, which is very important to this, on-board as far as knowing who can be there and who can’t,” said fourth ward council member Dave Dorsett.
“It’s not jumping ahead. It’s just following the process.”
The city would like to build the economic development project on a 30-acre site at the southwest corner of East Jackson Street and Bower Road on Macomb’s far east side.
City Administrator Scott Coker said city leaders had earlier discussed the project with a couple master developers.
“That hasn’t led to any fruition yet, so we’re putting it out to a wider audience,” Coker said.
He said the state’s STAR bond program, which Macomb is interested in, requires the project to have a master developer. The STAR bond program would help pay for the project.
The city council approved the RFQ authorization on a 6-1 vote. The first ward’s Justin Schuch cast the lone “no” vote. He believes the RFQ documents should have been made public before the council voted on authorization.
“I maintain I’m in support of the project. But stuff like this is what people continue to question and say that it seems secretive and stuff,” Schuch said.
“I just think we’re handing people reasons to critique a project that is good by simply not giving people the opportunity to give feedback.”
Coker responded that there will be opportunities for input if city leaders find a master developer they like.
“Absolutely, if we find a master developer that we want to work with, we feel fits this, we will have interaction with council and the public because that’s a major milestone,” Coker said.
He also emphasized the city is seeking Requests for Qualifications, not Requests for Proposals.
“It’s a shorter process. It gets them in the door so we can talk through the project in detail and hopefully generate some interest and find a master developer from that,” Coker said.
The city is partnering on the project with the Macomb Park District, McDonough County, MAEDCO, the Macomb Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Macomb Area Chamber of Commerce, McDonough District Hospital, the YMCA, and Regional Office of Education 26.
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