Here are the people making key decisions about Montgomery Whitewater
Montgomery Whitewater is technically in the city.
But it’s also its own little district, with its own leaders.
The park is within something called the Montgomery County Community Cooperative District (MCCCD) governed by seven members appointed by the original interested entities — the county, the city, the Montgomery County Building Authority and the Montgomery County Local Redevelopment Authority.
A cooperative district is a governmental body created by the state to focus on a specific project — in this case Whitewater, said Alabama Power executive Leslie Sanders, who chairs the board of directors. Other board members include:
Florence Cauthen
James Harrell
Sam Martin
Sheron Rose
The district functions kind of like a corporation, with the power to work out project details and enter contracts. For instance, the MCCCD contracted with Southern Whitewater Development Group to develop and operate the park.
The district is exempt from paying sales tax, according to the way the Alabama law is set up. And the money earned by Whitewater will go back into the project to pay employees, the cost of operation, future projects and more.
Money for the now estimated $90 million project has come from many directions — state, county, Poarch Band of Creek Indians — and the city donated the land while also contributing $10 million. However, the cooperative district had to take out about $40 million in bonds.
The county is helping to repay that money. In 2019, a new 2% county rental tax went into effect. It generates about $2 million a year, said Doug Singleton, chairman of the Montgomery County Commission.
It’s been a lot for seven strangers to digest, Sanders said.
Sanders said the group is extremely diverse not only in race and sex, but in backgrounds as well. Each member has a four-year term and is appointed by one of the four entities instrumental in getting Whitewater started.
More: Montgomery Whitewater's crowded opening weekend will feature national competition
The MCCCD board meets about once a month and the public is welcome to attend, Sanders said. They are subject to all the open meeting laws that other government entities are.
Sanders remembers the day the former county commission chair called and asked her to be on the board. She quickly replied “sure, I’ll be on the board,” not knowing how much work it would be.
“If I could relive that day,” Sanders said, laughing.
About a month from the grand opening, Sanders is a very busy woman.
She said it’s amazing what everybody involved has accomplished in three years during a pandemic. At some point “you think, man, this is going to be bigger than I ever thought,” Sanders said.
The city and county are hoping that Whitewater will be the catalyst for new businesses, restaurants and retail to locate around Maxwell Air Force Base, Singleton said.
There have been calls from nationally known retailers and developers from all over the country, he said. There are plans to add infrastructure on both sides of Maxwell Boulevard which leads to Whitewater and the base.
“Montgomery doesn’t really have a gateway from Interstate 65,” Sanders said.
All are hoping this can be one of them.
Holly Sutton is a freelance reporter for the Montgomery Advertiser.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Here are the people making key decisions about Montgomery Whitewater
