The citizens of Hockley County voted Saturday to allow the county commissioners to issue $15 million worth of bonds to build a Multi-Purpose Event Center in Levelland Texas.
This is the culmination of over a decade of work and planning by a dedicated group of individuals who never stop believing that Levelland and Hockley County deserved to have this opportunity. And an opportunity it will be, this project opens the door for major retail opportunities in the Levelland area including new restaurants, hotels, and a truck stop. With the thousands of visitors that will be coming into Levelland and Hockley County for various events each year, Levelland is poised for growth like never before in both housing development and job creation expecially for South Plains College students who want to work, live and go to school in Levelland.
And icing on the cake of this weekend's vote, less than 24 hours after the bond passed the Levelland EDC received its first offical request to reserve the new banquet facility for January 2011 from the Hockley County School Employees Credit Union. You can see the letter here.
In a letter to the Editor of the Levelland & Hockley County News-Press dated April 19, 2009 long time Levelland resident, Jim Cole urged the citizens of Hockley County to remember the vote that created South Plains College and forever changed the Levelland and Hockley County. He goes onto ask citizens to once again be Bold by voting yes to the Hockley County Multi-Purpose Event Center Bond election coming up in May and again help create a positive change for Levelland and Hockley County.
Below is a copy of the letter submitted to the editor of the Levelland & Hockley County News Press:
Dear Editor:
A few of us can remember that in the early 1950's Levelland, Brownfield and Littlefield were the same size in population Lamesa was larger than any of three. Of course, each community was the best according to their citizens.
In the mid-1950's a group of local business leaders came up with a BOLD IDEAL-a community or junior college for Levelland. In 1957, a junior college district was formed and South Plains Junior College was organized. Yes, the college was going to cost us tax dollars, but what bold ideal. South Plains College is the star in the crown for Levelland and Hockley County. Just look at our neighbors in Littlefield and Brownfield to see what this BOLD IDEAL did for Levelland.
Now, 50 years later, we have another group of business and community leaders with a BOLD IDEAL-a Multi-Purpose Event Center for Hockley County. Yes, it is a bold ideal that will cost us tax dollars, but it will make our county stronger in so many ways. Approval of the $15 million bond will provide a first-class event center-large enough to handle groups from throughout the region and state.
Vote yes on the Multi-Purpose Event Center-a bold ideal for the future of Hockley County.
Jim Cole
The following story submitted by the Levelland & Hockley County News Press 806.894.3121
Hockley County Commissioners approved a resolution of support for the proposed Tax Increment Financing Reinvestment Zone proposed for the future Levelland Industrial Rail Park.
Levelland City Manager Rick Osburn met with the commissioners to thank them for their endorsement of the TIF zone and to ask them to put their support into a resolution, which they approved unanimously. He told commissioners that the South Plains College Board of Regents will consider the TIF proposal at their April meeting and that the college's involvement will be essential to make the whole program work.
"Basically, there is no risk with the taxing entities benefiting from personal property and inventory taxes if Project Gorilla goes forward," Osburn said. "Not doing it is the biggest loss." This TIF is to encourage industrial development.
The city and the Levelland Economic Development Corporation have been working on a project which will require the construction of a 550,000 sq. ft. manufacturing facility, which would add about $28 million in new real property value and $60 million in personal property consisting of manufacturing equipment and inventory.
By law, new taxes generated by real property development go into the TIF program to pay for the infrastructure while new taxes from new personal property would go directly to the taxing entities.
Osburn agreed that the Levelland TIF Zone #1 the city and county participate in has done exactly what it was supposed to do: stimulate housing construction. The goal was seven new houses; it has already resulted in 19 new houses being permitted. Osburn also asked that commissioners appoint a representative to serve on the new TIF board. Commissioner J.L. "Whitey" Barnett agreed to serve in that capacity.
Commissioners also authorized the filing of paperwork for the upcoming multi-purpose event center bond election, approved refunds of overpayments of property taxes, denied the resale of property in Sundown, approved a resolution which will allow the county to be reimbursed for expenses associated with the multi-purpose event center if the bond issue passes, and okayed an interlocal agreement between the city and the count in regard to a Justice Assistance Grant Program application and possible grant.
County commissioners agreed Monday February 23, 2009 to a request that a May bond election be held on a $15 million multi-purpose Event Center to be built in Levelland Texas.
Commissioners ordered the May 9 election after hearing from community leaders who thronged the commissioner's courtroom. The facility would serve county residents for decades and offer a "wide range of uses " said Paul Pinkert, a member of the Multi-purpose Committee.
"The list of anticipated uses include banquet and reception accommodations for up to 800 people, youth rallies, concerts, car shows, livestock shows, rodeo or other equine events, dog shows and much more,' Pinkert said. He noted that four years ago, commissioners appointed a committee to explore the replacement of the current aging stock show barn and Women's building, that were built more than 50 years ago.
See full story at GoLevelland.com/news
Follow this link to see a Video News Story by Fox 34 in Lubbock. Hockley County Voters Consider new Multi-Purpose Center