Residents receive little warning about Premier plan detours

This horse is dead.

So this will be the last time you will read about me beating it.

I am talking about Premier Sports Campus North, as it was so named by its owner, Manatee County.

Our East County Observer reporter, Lesley Dwyer, toured the campus last week with Molly White, the director of Sports and Leisure for the county, along with Commissioner Amanda Ballard.

Right away in her story, which is on Page 3A of today's issue, White notes that the general development plan has been finalized, and the overall vision for Premier is to be a sports complex.

So there you have it.

In 2017, Manatee County bought the initial 127-acre Premier Sports Campus (for $5.2 million) along with an adjacent 36 acres to the north from Schroeder Manatee Ranch. The next year, SMR cut the county a great deal ($4.6 million) on an additional 75 acres just north of those 36 acres it purchased in 2017.

The Observer story in 2018 wrote that the county purchased the 75 acres "for a future hub for government services and parks and recreation offerings." County officials promised a library, and a swim complex.

Although it took the better part of a decade, all those promises were fulfilled, except for the recreational offerings.

Focusing on the failure to add those recreational offerings might seem to be trivial, considering the county built a $17.6 million library and a $44.2 million pickleball and aquatics facility. Those are advancements to celebrate. Way to go, Manatee County!

My problem isn't what has been built, or what is coming. What I don't like is the lack of transparency when spending taxpayer dollars along the way.

In 2021, the Observer ran another story after interviewing county officials about future plans for the Premier North land.

Here were some of the amenities that were listed as part of the plan — a playground, a gymnasium, a baseball/softball complex, a dog park, a BMX track, a basketball court, a skate park, volleyball courts, and an event lawn.

 Although a baseball-softball complex remains unfunded, White said it remains in the plans.

The rest of the stuff isn't likely. Despite all that acreage, Premier North has run out of room.

The library and the swim/pickleball complex ate up much of the land, and now it appears we will be getting an ice hockey arena on site as well. You can't have it all.

Manatee County wanted a sports complex that would attract competitors and tourists from outside our area. Mission accomplished in that regard.

Again, the finished product should make Manatee County and its residents proud. The swim center figures to attract thousands of visitors for major events, and we know that some of those visitors become homeowners once they see our area. All those visitors need to eat and sleep, so area restaurants and hotels will get a major boost.

The same could be said about a hockey arena, although I am ambivalent about it. Perhaps my age would make me less likely to make use of it, as my skating days are over. If they do put a minor league hockey team in there, I might see a game or two every couple of years, but that's about it. For kids and their parents, it could represent a major score. Again, it will generate economic impact.

It all adds up to a boon for Manatee County and its residents.

Unless you wanted something similar to what they have on the west side of the county in G.T. Bray Park. The county's own description is "the heart of recreation and leisure in Manatee County. Spanning 140 acres, this park is packed with endless opportunities for fun, fitness, and relaxation. Whether you’re here to exercise, play, or simply unwind, there’s something for everyone."

I never expected Manatee County would build another G.T. Bray in Lakewood Ranch, but when I heard about a playground, a gymnasium, a baseball/softball complex, a dog park, a BMX track, a basketball court, a skate park, volleyball courts, and an event lawn, I was hopeful.

My complaint with Premier North is not that sometimes officials must swerve away from previous plans. It's just that when you are swerving, you should bring the residents along for the ride.

Countless times over the past decade, the East County Observer requested interviews with county officials about their Premier plans. Most of the time, we were denied. Everyone was so busy that they didn't have 30 minutes to tell the public what was coming, or that plans had changed.

That's the rub. As taxpayers, we often get told about a project after all the plans have been finalized. Then it's either too late to do anything about it, or it is cost prohibitive.

That lack of transparency can get expensive. For example, Manatee County had to change the dimensions of the pool it was building at Premier so it would be more accessible to major swim meets. Even planning can get expensive when you change midstream.

It wasn't like all the swim parents, coaches and teams weren't accessible for an opinion before the initial pool plans even began.

The eventual finished product at Premier North is going to be outstanding in terms of general economic impact. Congratulations.

But if you are a resident who wanted a county park where you could walk your dog, or ride a bike, or use the gym, or see a concert at an amphitheater, you're out of luck.

You have little recourse, except for explaining to this year's Manatee County Commission candidates that you need someone who will keep the public informed when plans change, and who will demand public feedback when they do.

This horse already is dead, but others are on the way.