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Garrett commissioners don’t expect rafting complex to be county operation for long term

Elaine Blaisdell

Cumberland Times-News

OAKLAND — Garrett County commissioners recently met with the grand jury and indicated that they didn’t believe that it was in their best interest for Adventure Sports Center International in McHenry to remain a county operation in the long term. Commissioner Jim Raley indicated in an interview with the Times-News that he would like to see the manmade whitewater rafting complex run on a lease basis.

If an entity were to take ownership of ASCI it wouldn’t happen until sometime after Deep Creek 2014: International Canoe Federation Canoe Slalom World Championships, which are scheduled for September, according to Raley.

Commissioner Gregan Crawford said that the county doesn’t own ASCI, but that they bought out the bank notes and is ASCI’s largest creditor.

“ASCI was a situation that was really more thrust on us. We didn’t go out and look for it,” said Crawford.

In 2012, the commissioners authorized the expenditure of $600,000 to secure the assignment of ASCI debts from Susquehanna Bank. The original debt for ASCI was $3 million, according to Chairman Robert Gatto.

“When you look at the capital investment that was made, by not only the county taxpayers but the state and some federal monies that went into the project, it had to be stabilized,” said Raley.

Crawford echoed Raley’s sentiments, noting that one of the reasons for keeping ASCI in the short term was the need to stabilize it.

“We hope to polish it up and have everything in place,” said Crawford.

ASCI is funded by multiple sources, such as federal, state and community development block grants. It is still operating in the black, has been for the past two years and sees 10,000 to 11,000 visitors per year, according to Raley. ASCI runs like an enterprise fund on revenues it brings in, similar to the county landfill, according to Crawford.

The county cut costs by looking into the number of personnel and making sure that the water was turned off when it wasn’t needed, said Raley. ASCI has 65 to 70 seasonal (May through September) employees at a cost of $267,000.

Crawford stressed the importance of Deep Creek 2014 and its future economic impact on the county.

Garrett County was awarded $1 million from the state’s capital budget for upgrades to ASCI in preparation for Deep Creek 2014. The state bond proceeds will partially fund the $2.3 million in improvements, which include design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction and capital equipping of ASCI. The project will also include upgrading telecommunications and building new and upgrading existing infrastructure and facilities. United States Department of Agriculture grants, Maryland Heritage Area grants and a local access grant from the Appalachian Regional Commission will be used toward improvements, Crawford said.

An earthen amphitheater with concrete masonry walls, an open pavilion and a viewing platform will be built for the event, according to the county’s website.

An access road bridge for Deep Creek 2014 might not be ready for the event, according to Dwight Emory, P.E., director of the Garett County engineering department. The rest of the improvements are expected to be completed on time.

The event is expected to draw 35 to 40 international teams; 1,200 coaches, athletes and support staff; 30,000 spectators and is estimated to have a more than $20 million economic impact on Garrett County.

“One of the goals of 2014 is to make it (ASCI) an epicenter for adventure sports, not only on the East Coast but throughout the United States as well,” said Crawford.

Gatto said that timing of Deep Creek 2014 will help bolster the economy at a time when there is a seasonal lull.

More here.

Garrett County Maryland Celebrates Legislative Passage of $1M State Bond to Support Deep Creek 2014 ICF Canoe Slalom World Championship Event

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Oakland, Maryland (PRWEB) April 19, 2013

The Garrett County Board of Commissioners is pleased to announce Maryland’s legislative approval of a one million dollar State Bond submitted by the county’s elected representatives to support the Adventure Sports Center International (ASCI) and its preparation to host the 2014 International Canoe Federation’s (ICF) Canoe Slalom World Championships. The event, to be held September 16 – 21, 2014 will bring competitors and spectators from around the world to Garrett County.

The ICF awarded the 2014 Canoe Slalom World Championships to ASCI following presentations at its April 2011 board meeting in Paris, France. The ICF selected ASCI’s “Deep Creek 2014: ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships” bid over competing entries from Vienna, Austria and Krakow, Poland. ICF 2013 Championships are being held in Prague, Czech Republic; the 2015 ICF Championships are being held in London, United Kingdom.

“Hosting this international event is a big honor for Garrett County and for the western Maryland district,” commented Maryland State Senator and State Bond Bill co-sponsor George Edwards. “I am confident that this funding will be well-used, and that the event will have an significant, long-term, and positive impact on regional economic development.”

More here.

Del. Beitzel, Sen. Edwards Secure $1 Million For ASCI Improvements

Apr. 11, 2013

The 2013 Maryland General Assembly adjourned Monday evening in Annapolis. During the 90-day session, Del. Wendell Beitzel and Sen. George Beitzel saw several of their bills make it to governor’s desk for signing into law, while a few pieces of proposed legislation died in committee chambers.

One of the local lawmakers’ more notable achievements was securing a total of $1 million for the Adventure Sports Center International (ASCI) in McHenry. Beitzel explained that he worked with the capital budget subcommittee to include $500,000 in the state’s capital budget on the House side, and Edwards was able to secure an additional $500,000 in the budget on the Senate side.

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The funding will be used for improvements at the whitewater course, including upgrading telecommunications, building new facilities, and upgrading existing infrastructure to prepare for the International Canoe Federation’s Deep Creek 2014 Canoe Slalom World Championships.

“These whitewater course improvements will benefit the facility for many years to attract new visitors to our region of the state,” Beitzel said in his weekly newsletter to constituents.

The championships are expected to generated $20 million for the local economy.

The lawmakers were also able to secure a $15 million bond bill for renovation/expansion work at Garrett County Memorial Hospital. Gov. Martin O’Malley signed Edwards’ SB 369 on Tuesday, which enables the Garrett County commissioners to borrow money on behalf of hospital officials for the $23.5 million project.

About $7.5 million of its cost will come from hospital operations and cash reserves, and $1 million will come from donations. The hospital will be solely responsible for paying off the bond’s debt service, which will be at a rate of 5.25 percent over a 20-year period.

The governor is also expected to sign HB 504/SB 370 – Garrett County Commissioners – Industrial Wind Energy Conversion Systems. This legislation authorizes the commissioners to enact ordinances pertaining to setbacks and the decommissioning of wind turbines.

“As you may know, Garrett County is the only county without countywide zoning,” Beitzel said in his newsletter. “I am pleased to announce that after six consecutive years of introducing this bill, it finally made its way out of the House and Senate, and is currently sitting on the governor’s desk awaiting [his] signature.”

HB 828/SB 766 – Oil and Gas Land Professionals – Registration was also approved by the House and Senate and awaits the governor’s signature.

“This is the second year that I have sponsored this significant legislation,” Beitzel said. “This bill requires that a person seeking to obtain any oil or gas leases from a property owner must provide proof to the property owner that the person is registered as a land professional in the state of Maryland.”

Under the pending law, a person may not operate as a land professional in the state unless he/she is registered with and Department of Labor, Licensing, and Regulation and is issued a certificate by the department.

Beitzel said a “land professional” is defined as a person, acting on their own behalf or on behalf of a prospective lessee or buyer, who negotiates with a property owner for the acquisition of mineral rights in oil or gas. He added that “mineral rights in oil or gas” means property rights, including an oil or gas lease, that allow the holder of the rights to enter into or under the property of another person for the extraction of crude oil, natural gas, or the constituents of crude oil or natural gas.

Also approved during this year’s General Assembly were bills that Edwards and Beitzel introduced on behalf of the Garrett County Liquor Control Board. One piece of legislation clarifies Sunday alcohol sales regulations that are already in place in the county. Another bill allows establishment of a beer festival license and the off-premise sales of special commemorative bottles or special event bottles of alcohol on a licensed Class C premise.

Some of the local lawmakers’ bills did not receive favorable reports from House and Senate committees, most notably HB 451/SB 310 – Garrett County – Coal Combustion Byproducts – Storage. The Garrett County commissioners requested the legislation. They asked that the state amend COMAR to allow the county to stockpile coal combustion byproducts, which are used locally as a road abrasive in the winter. The county has stored bottom ash at its three roads garages for numerous years, but the Maryland Department of the Environment cited the county last year for not having the piles covered, as required by COMAR.

MDE told county officials they must either cover the piles with a tarp or construct buildings to house the abrasives. Local officials, in turn, pointed out that the tarps would have to be one acre in size and buildings would be greatly cost prohibitive.

Edwards’ SB 204 – Bowhunting – Possession of Handguns for Protection received an unfavorable report from the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee.

Also not winning approval were SB 298, which would have allowed the speed limit on I-68 to be increased up to 70 mph; and SB 286, which would have changed the definition of a “school vehicle.”

ICF to bring more money to Garrett than once thought

From Staff Reports Cumberland Times-News

MCHENRY — It is estimated that the September Deep Creek 2014: International Canoe Federation Canoe Slalom World Championships will provide a $20 million economic impact on Garrett County, according to a county commission news release.

Previously, Nicole Christian, president and CEO of the Garrett County Chamber of Commerce, estimated that the event would bring $10 million to $15 million to the county.

“The ICF World Championships represent much more than a simple competition. It is a gathering of nations from around the globe joining together in sport and camaraderie while establishing the legacy of this Olympic-style event,” states the news release.

At an annual prelegislative meeting in December, Christian requested legislation for a $1 million state bond bill to be used in connection with the event.

Sen. George Edwards and Delegate Wendell Beitzel are requesting  Senate Bill 423 and House Bill 611, which would authorize the creation of state debt not to exceed $450,000 and are requesting the state bond bill. The proceeds would be used as a grant to the county commissioners for the planning, design, construction, repair, renovation, reconstruction and capital equipping of Adventure Sports Center International. The project will also include upgrading telecommunications and building new and upgrading existing infrastructure and facilities.

These improvements are necessary to fulfill the requirements and obligations necessary to host the 2014 ICF Championship, states the bond bill fact sheet.

Estimated capital costs of the project are about $2 million.

In addition to the project being funded with state bond money, $906,000 will come from an Appalachian Regional Commission grant, $250,000 from an ARC Area Development grant and $500,000 from an ARC Local Access Road Grant.

The ARC and AD grant will require a county match of $94,000 and $350,000, respectively, according to the bond bill fact sheet. The project construction is expected to be complete by May 2014.

It’s estimated that the event will bring more than 1,500 athletes and team support staff from about 50 countries. With 40,000 spectators expected, an additional 150,000 are estimated to attend related events. The ICF World Championships will tie in with the Star Spangled 200 celebrations, which will include a flag relay on water and land from Fort McHenry to the town of McHenry, according to the ASCI website. The relay will include a canoe paddle on the Potomac River and C&O Canal bringing the ICF flag and other historic flags to the opening ceremony in Garrett County on Sept. 16, 2014.

The ICF championships will mark the 25th anniversary of the 1989 Canoe Slalom World Championships held on Savage River in Garrett County, according to the ASCI website. The total economic impact of the 1989 World Championships was $10 million as reported by the Maryland Department of Economic and Employment Development.

In spring 2011, ASCI won the bid for the ICF Championships over Vienna, Austria, and Krakow, Poland. In March 2012, the county commission took ownership of ASCI.

More here.