Optimism abounds at Coliseum renovation launch

A $22.9 million renovation project is expected to "to breathe another 50 years of life" into the Rapides Parish Coliseum.

The Coliseum has been closed for a year while awaiting renovation, but it's expected to reopen in about 20 months with a new look and revived hopes for economic prosperity.

At the ground-breaking ceremony for the renovation project Monday morning, speaker after speaker expressed optimism about the opportunities the project affords.

"I am so elated I don't know what to do," said Police Juror Ollie Overton, who was president of the Police Jury when voters passed a tax in November 2012 to fund the renovation.

"We got a little rain today, but we're under the big top, and the show must go on," he said.

The ceremony, attended by about 60 people, took place inside the Coliseum because of rainy weather, although the sun broke through the clouds just before the event started. A load of dirt was placed on the floor of the Coliseum so officials could take part in a ceremonial dirt-shoveling ritual.

Police Jury President Richard Billings was unable to attend because he's sick, so Vice President Craig Smith emceed the ceremony.

When the project is finished, Smith said, "we'll have a completely renovated Coliseum that voters of Rapides Parish will be proud of. … This is great for Central Louisiana, and we want to move it forward for completion."

Juror Joe Bishop, who was jury president in 2013 and 2014 when the project ran into some snags, said, "For the citizens of Rapides Parish and Central Louisiana, this is an exciting day for us to move this project forward because it's going to benefit Central Louisiana, for our local youth, religious groups, concerts, and the list goes on and on."

Robert Ratcliff of Ratcliff Construction Co., lead contractor for the project, said, "This building is something that's going to be especially prideful for me in that we're going to breathe another 50 years of life into this building."

The Coliseum is 50 years old.

Coliseum Authority Chairman JimboThiels said the road to the renovation project "was an uphill battle with a short stick for a long time, but it's here now, and we're going to make the best of it."

Thiels said he's letting event promoters know "a better day is ahead for Rapides Parish," and promoters are taking notice of the renovation.

"I really do think it's going to bring it up to speed with every facility around the country," he said.

"With the maintenance tax that accompanies the construction tax, we'll be able to do things. As new technology becomes available, we'll be able to bring those things in, and we won't have to worry about falling behind like we have fallen behind for the last 30 years," Thiels said.

The Rapides Parish Fair is expected to stay at its new location near Louisiana State University of Alexandria even after the Coliseum reopens, said Thiels, who is also president of the Rapides Fair Association. The fair previously was held on the Coliseum fairgrounds.

"I'm proud for Central Louisiana that something is finally happening that's going to enhance tourism and economic development for our area," said Police Juror Scott Perry, whose district includes the Coliseum.

Sheriff William Earl Hilton, who reminisced about the Coliseum's history, said he's hopeful the Louisiana high school basketball championships will return to the Coliseum after the building is modernized.

"They're waiting on us to get through with this project so we can give them a bid and hopefully to come back in the year 2018," he said.

The renovation will make Alexandria competitive with other cities for big events, he said.

"Once this is completed, we'll have something as good as anybody and better than a lot, and that says a lot for the citizens of Rapides Parish," Hilton said.

Alexandria Councilman Roosevelt Johnson also has high hopes for the benefits of the renovation project.

"It means Central Louisiana is destined for greatness and the things we want to accomplish. One of the things we are working through the Rapides Parish Coliseum Authority is bringing back the Top 28 and Sweet 16 high school championships" to the Coliseum, Johnson said.

Among the dignitaries on hand were police jurors, District Attorney Phillip Terrell, Coliseum Authority members, Alexandria City Council members, Alexandria Mayor Jacques Roy, Pineville Mayor Clarence Fields, Woodworth Mayor David Butler II, Ball Mayor Neil Kavanagh and LSUA Chancellor Dan Howard.

The ground-breaking ceremony comes about 2.5 years after Rapides Parish voters approved a 2.5-mill property tax to fund the bond issue to finance the renovation. Voters also approved a 1-mill tax for maintenance and operation.

Getting to the renovation stage has not been easy.

In August 2013, Barron, Heinberg & Brocato, the original architectural firm for the renovation project, informed the Police Jury that it could not complete the project within the $22.9 million budget. The jury ended its contract with BH&B and contracted with Alliance Design Group. The jury later sued BH&B.

Another major hurdle for the jury was getting clear ownership of the land needed to meet parking codes for the renovated Coliseum. The property was jointly owned by the city of Alexandria and the Police Jury.

Alexandria officials said the city was legally obligated to get value out of the property while police jurors thought the city should have allowed free or nearly free use of the land for parking.

After protracted and often-acrimonious negotiations, the Police Jury earlier this month obtained full ownership of the nearly 16 acres it needed for parking. In return, the jury paid the city $1.1 million and gave the city clear ownership of 0.833 of an acre at the Coliseum where the city has water wells and a communications tower.

At Monday's ceremony, some parish officials made it a point to thank Mayor Roy and the City Council for assisting the project.

Despite the delay in getting to the renovation stage, Bill Tudor of Alliance Design Group said, "It's been one of those things where the public doesn't see movement happening out on the site and thinks that work hasn't been going on, but it has been going on very hot and heavy for months and months at the design side, getting everything ready."

When people return for the ribbon cutting following the renovation, he said, they'll see "a transformed environment."

"We are at the starting block today, ready to go," Ratcliff said.