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Suncoast Pasco News

Second thoughts

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THE SUNCOAST NEWS

Published: November 11, 2009

In the long-running saga of the effort to promote Pasco County's tourism industry nothing has been easy. For years, the county has been socking away a portion of the revenue its tourist development tax generates each year to fund development of a facility that would lure visitors to Pasco. It hasn't, however, had anything it could spend it on.

The County Commission recently struck a deal under which California-based firm Sportsplex USA would develop a multisport complex somewhere in Pasco. Commission Chairman Jack Mariano, who voted with the rest of the commission in favor of the Sportsplex deal, however, reportedly has second thoughts. He wants the company to supply a financial history for its 15 years in business and is bothered the money the company earns from the complex will end up in California.

Commissioner Michael Cox says Mariano is mostly concerned that a site in Mariano's commission district, the county's Arthur Engle Memorial Park, is not on the list of possible sports complex sites.

Pasco County has already seen two proposed major sports-related attractions, a minor league-spring training complex for the New York Yankees and a professional tennis stadium fall through. If the Sportsplex deal doesn't come to fruition, we hope it is for a good reason.

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