Part II Discussion: CASA Sports Facility to Help with Young Population in Shelby and Cleveland County!! Mr. Willie A. Green ups ante with an open letter to the Mayor of Shelby!! Forwarded by Robert A. Williams to the citizens of Shelby and Cleveland County

Editor’s Note: Mr. Green has provided additional information regarding his sports complex. By all appearances Mr. Green has laid out the beginnings of a very common-sense approach to a reduction in crime by the youth in our community as well as increasing tax revenue for Cleveland County. What is not to like about that???

Mr. Green’s writes:
Mayor Stan Anthony,
This past Saturday I sent Chief Jeff Ledford an email in response to an article in the Shelby Star relating to the increasing number of homicides particularly among our youths in the age range of 15 to 18-years old. I offered Chief Ledford an invite to discuss a proactive solution of giving our young men and women another option other than resulting in joining gangs and involving themselves in criminal activities, because our kids don’t have many options of being part of more organized programs. Just this morning, I read in the Shelby Star about another victim of gun violence shooting that took place on Sunday.

In the same Shelby Star, I also see where the 12-mile $10-$13 million rail trail is close to becoming a reality. In the article, it shows a great picture of you holding projected plans of the rail trail and you are quoted saying “The rail-trail is the kind of an anchor. I think we could make our county a real recreation destination.” I don’t know if your comments were a direct swipe to my comments about my proposed sports facility, where I have stated that the sports facility would make Shelby and Cleveland County a “premier destination for travel ball sports.” According to the City’s own 10-year Parks & Recreation Master Plan, that was passed by the City of Shelby in 2008 data shows, a sports facility would have an economic impact of $2,242,000 per year from tournaments over a 12-weekend period just hosting 220 teams. What I presented to the County Commissioners in February 2018, (but not allowed the same opportunity to present to the Shelby City Council) was an economic impact of over an beyond the City’s $2.2 million projections, because of my sports facility would host travel ball tournaments and other sporting events between 35-45 weekends each and every year with an average of 40 participating teams per weekend event as opposed you the City’s projection of 12 weekends per year. The 10-year Master Plan also called for the City of Shelby to “expand their partnerships with other public agencies and private-sector organizations.” The Master Plan stated that many local governments throughout the nation are utilizing partnerships with public and private-sector interests to accomplish the community goals of building sports facilities.

While it is not stated in the Shelby Star article of the taxpayers return on this $13 million investment of rail-trails that are free to the public but funded by the taxpayers. We have shown in addition to the economic impact of the revenue generated from teams and family who will be staying in local hotels, eating in our local restaurants and shopping at our local retail businesses during our travel ball events. The City of Shelby and Cleveland County would also benefit from job creation and guaranteed recurring revenue from property taxes and utilities. To put this in perspective, my proposed sports complex will be 50,000 SF on my 16 acres, the current old Kmart building across from my land (recently bought by Ingles for $3.75 million) annual property taxes for the 88,917 SF building is $32,153 per year with $14,750 paid to the county, $3,881 paid to CC Schools and $13,521 paid to the City of Shelby. LIDL Grocery, which is 35,829 SF, pays $40,065 in annual property taxes with $18,472 going to the county, $4,861 going to the school system and $16,933 going to the City of Shelby. Thus, it’s safe to say, if my sports facility was built, and if we could develop other lots to sell or lease to restaurants and/or hotel. The annual property tax revenue generated would be between $45,000-$50,000 annually. Not to mention the hundreds of thousands of dollars each year in water, utilities and other services provided by the City for the sports facility, the restaurants, and hotels.

Over the past several years, I have made two proposals to address how our County can have a tremendous economic impact, create new jobs, bring new residents, help our student-athletes with scholarship opportunities and help all our kids go to college. The Cleveland County Promise Scholarship program and my Carolina Athletic Sports Academy Sports Complex, each has been rejected by our local government, but other cities including Kings Mtn and Gaston College now has a scholarship program similar to my Promise Scholarship program and if the City of Shelby continues to fight against the sports facility, don’t be surprised another city or county near us won’t build one and we are left with just a rail trail and more kids falling victims to crimes that could have been avoided if they had something to do that was more constructive.

I will continue to extend an invitation to you and this current City Council to work together so that we can give our kids a place to improve their lives, reduce chances for criminal behavior and put them on the path of a successful nonviolent career. I await your response.

Willie A. Green

Original Article calling for discussion. Including Mr. Green’s letter to SPD Chief Jeff Ledford”

Mr. Willie A. Green Offers Help in Rising Crime Rates in Shelby!!!
Proposed Sports Complex Provides Opportunity available Nowhere Else in Cleveland county!!!
Potential to save young lives!!
–No gossip report forwarded by Robert A. Williams

Editor’s Note: We have obtained and provide below a letter Mr. Willie Green had written to Shelby Police Chief Jeff Ledford. This common sense letter should be considered by ALL of Cleveland County, not just the City of Shelby. Discrimination and the results of discrimination are killing people in Cleveland County. It’s time to make the deal and build the sports complex. ASAP!! The lives saved may be your own. Or you child’s life!!!

Mr. Green’s Letter:

“Chief Ledford,

In a recent article in the Shelby Star on July 7th titled “A look at lives lost to gun violence in Shelby” the article states the following “A disturbing trend has emerged in Shelby this year…. The number of homicides is up, and more young people seem to be involved…. More and more, officers are investigating cases involving 15 to 18-year-olds.” And the parents and community are asking the question why is this taken place and what is going to be done to stop it?

During my due diligence for building my sports facility, one of the most disturbing things I was told by the young boys and girls in the county and even some adults is they have nowhere to go in Cleveland County to participate in organized sports and pick-up games. They feel they are not welcomed at the YMCA because the gym floors are now used for indoor soccer in most cases, and the YMCA don’t want those young boys running around shirtless and working out to loud music. City Park gym is now being used for pickleball for seniors during the hours where the kids normally play basketball, Holly Oak Park gym can’t accommodate multiple games for different ages and the $8 million sports complex at McBrayer Park is only for soccer games and practices. As it relates to our young women, there are very few programs available to the low-income and minority girls in the county. And thus, we wonder why we are now witnessing the number of incidents and violence among that population.

The Carolina Athletic Sports Academy (“C.A.S.A) sports facility I am wanting to build on my 16 acres located on Earl Rd will have multiple basketball/volleyball courts where a free and affordable play will be available for all ages, we will be able to have youth volleyball, basketball, dance, karate and gymnastics for our young girls and boys. While also providing sports training, weightlifting with certified trainers in the name of health and wellness and we will also have programs to help students with their educational needs such as tutorial programs, ACT/SAT prep and college recruiting for our student-athletes. It is also my intentions to have a Post-graduate Prep School football and basketball program that will bring student-athletes from across the country and give a second chance of getting the exposure and receiving a college athletic scholarship. Those student-athletes will be taking college classes at CCC and playing football and basketball against other Prep Schools, Jr Colleges, and Division II & III colleges and we will be hosting travel ball tournaments on weekends that will bring millions of dollars in economic impact to Shelby and Cleveland County from those travel ball teams staying in our local hotels, eating in restaurants and shopping at our local retail businesses. Travel ball sports has become a $15 billion industry, and with the top-caliber athletes we have in Cleveland County, our county should be hosting travel ball event each and every weekend as opposed to our athletes traveling to other cities to compete.

I have a plan to address a number of concerns and issues as it relates to our youth and young adults and our county as a whole, with your support for my sports facility, we can start taking a proactive approach of keeping guns out of the hands of our young community population that is being pushed to join gangs because they don’t feel welcome. I look forward to your response and your support of my sports facility so that I can help your efforts to help our kids and help our community.

Willie A. Green”