When Arshot Investment Corporation announced their plans to convert Cooper Stadium into a multi-use motorsports complex in May, several concerns were raised by residents, namely the noise it could potentially bring to the area.
In order to answer those questions, Arshot has been working with the city and area groups to hire a sound consultant, and the criteria for those consultants were announced at the Nov. 19 Southwest Area Commission meeting.
To be considered to head up the noise study, they must be able to meet the following qualifications:
•Have an understanding of the project and be able to identify key issues.
•Have experience with similar projects.
•Have the ability to perform the work within the required timeframe.
•Be able to present a concise and responsible proposal (to the public).
The consultants will be evaluated by representatives from the City of Columbus Department of Redevelopment, Columbus City Council, the King Holding Corporation, the Franklin County Economic Development and Planning Department, Franklinton Board of Trustees and the Southwest Area Commission.
According to commissioner Clyde Miller, over 100 proposals have already been submitted to the proposal review committee.
“We are in the process of reading over all of them, and would like to narrow it down to 5 or 6 great proposals before the beginning of the year,” he said.
Another noise study, independent from the one above, is also in the works.
Redevelop Our Area Responsibly (ROAR) Columbus has set a budget of $20,000 to cover the cost of their study, as well as legal fees.
To date, they have received $5,000 from the Midtown Area Real Estate Association, a $5,000 commitment from the Ohio Association of Realtors’ Issues Mobilization Fund Committee, and a pledge of $10,000 from an unnamed source.
When rights to the stadium were sold to Arshot for $3.3 million in May, they had 17 months to close the deal on their motorsports complex proposal.
Advisory groups
At the meeting, the commission discussed implementing advisory groups for the environment, health issues, public safety, transportation and zoning.
“I think the whole area would be better served if we could get these set up,” said SWAC Chairperson Ralph Horn.
Each advisory group would be headed by one or two commission members and they would meet with representatives pertaining to their issue and report their findings at the monthly commission meeting.
For instance, the Environmental advisory group would meet with the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency to discuss environmental issues in the Southwest area, and the Public Safety advisory group would meet with the Ohio Department of Transportation to discuss related safety issues.
