DOWNTOWN ARENA Mayor mounts drive for $4.5M from state

The arena could create up to 400 jobs after it opens, the mayor says.
By PETER H. MILLIKEN
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- The community must unite in seeking its share of state money for the new convocation center, Mayor George McKelvey said.
The mayor said Wednesday that he would soon be asking city council to pass a resolution in support of that effort and forward it to state legislators from this area and to the Youngstown/Warren Regional Chamber.
"I'm confident that there is no other project that will have the economic impact or the job impact," of the convocation center, he said.
The city could get from the state up to 15 percent of the estimated $35 million cost of the arena. The 15 percent figure would be about $5.25 million. The arena is being paid for mostly by federal money.
The city expects to request $4.5 million from the state, according to David Bozanich, finance director.
"It is small compared to the other appropriations throughout Ohio. We are entitled to it. It is our turn. It's important that, we, as a community, be united in how we request capital budget funding," the mayor said.
"That $4.5 million is dollars that leverage our existing dollars to get a higher quality facility for this community," McKelvey added.
Job creation
The arena project will not only generate construction jobs, but the city also hopes the arena will create 100 full-time jobs and 200 to 300 part-time event-related jobs after it opens, the mayor said. "There is no other project in the Mahoning Valley that could even come close to this," he observed.
"Our request must be supported by the State Senate and the House," he said. After that, the Ohio Arts and Sports Facilities Commission oversees the spending of the money appropriated for each project in the state's capital budget, he explained.
The mayor noted that substantial state sports facilities construction money was provided to projects in other major Ohio cities: $57 million for the Cincinnati sports facilities; almost $36.8 million for Cleveland Browns Stadium; and $5.8 million for the Akron Stadium at Canal Park.
"There's never any problem funding projects in Columbus, Cincinnati and Cleveland. I'm guardedly optimistic that we will be treated fairly by the state of Ohio," the mayor said.
The mayor noted that Gov. Bob Taft told him during a recent visit here that it's important for the community to be united as to its top priority project for these monies and that the project should be linked to job creation. The mayor also told council that state Rep. Sylvester Patton, D-60th, and state Sen. Robert Hagan, D-33rd, both of Youngstown, are fully committed to pursuing money from the state for the Youngstown arena.
milliken@vindy.com