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Allen,

Do you really think the local swim community hasnt looked for private money? The TAC had a beneficiary, a rich one. We dont. Pretty simple. For your one example I can find a hundred across the country that are public. What is your point.

Swimming at the TAC is an expensive proposition. So much so, some teams are not. Few if any can afford to host long course meets there. Hosting short course is expensive enough.
Also, that is also the fourth or fifth pool complex in the general Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill area and the first built with private money. Why not compare our needs to the first four and not just the last one.

I reiterate a long held position. Pools are not good private business ventures. If they were they would exist in good numbers. The bulk of the benefit comes in the form of moneys generated by the visitors. Did the 1200 kid number escape you? They have parents and coaches too you know. So what... 2000+ folks? PER DAY! I bet they spent a little bit. What do you think? Hotels, meals, gas, movies, malls, etc.

In a perfect world some local do-gooders, Guilford County Schools, Guilford County, High Point, Greensboro et al would get together and build a first class facility donated to and run by Parks and Rec. But, in a perfect world we would have done this 10 years ago or 2 years ago or.......

But dont worry, we will continue to share crowded practice time pool space in aging (30-50 year old) facilities. Sometimes until 9 at night. We will keep driving (with our money) to Chapel Hill, Hillsborough, Huntersville, Charlotte, Raleigh and Cary for meets. We will have our High School conference meets in another county. We will continue to live lease to lease with local colleges, various YMCAs and/or private pools. Thank you by the way to those good hearted souls without them the sport would die. It is what we signed up for 8 years ago when we started. Why change now? I wonder how many soccer complexes we will pass along the way, baseball fields, skate board parks. I imagine some will be brand new. Lindley Park Pool, Smith and Grimsley arent so bad afterall. Combined they seat almost 300 people as long as they dont remove the temporary aluminum bleachers. Of course, HS swimming is a winter sport so LPP is out. But that still leaves Smith and Grimsley. I never knew we had it so good.

But all in all you are right. We should just go out and find ourselves a sugar daddy. I wish we would have thought of that years ago. Brilliant!

So, the taxpayers should be the sugar daddies?

Thats all you got, Allen? Most pools BY FAR are public. That is a simple fact.

In addition, tax payers provide numerous sporting venues. Just about every HS has a football field, baseball field, soccer field, some have lacrosse, gyms, tennis courts, softball field. There are numerous public, youth baseball, soccer, gyms and even a skate board park or two.

The Greensboro swim community has 3 competitive style pools. One of which is outdoors and the two "new" ones were built in the 70's. With substantial financial help from The Greensboro Swimming Association I might add!

Again, what is your point about TAC. That it can be done? Great. Thanks for the thoughtful input. Insightful stuff. Just like your snippy little original blog. You dont want a taxpayer funded pool. I get it.

What about War Memorial Auditorium. 50 Mil but no comments. No really....

I like the idea of a new pool. I just consider it a lower priority.
War Memorial Auditorium already exists and serves a much bigger and broader clientele.
It needs to be maintained and updated to stay viable.

I dont disagree but dont see it as a necessary either/or. 134 Mil for the incorrectly deemed "transportation" bond with the greenway again tucked in. It is time for tough decisions. Again, this town's penchant for waiting until the last minute rears it's ugly head.

I know swimming is an expensive sport (believe me I know) but I kinda think many of the patrons of the arts have some pretty deep pockets. Last night the swim community was told time and time again we should build our own facility. One guy even referred to it as "pocket change". Yet only DBS dared mention this to the line of Irving Park residents in favor of the WMA.

There is a need and necessity for public/private partnerships for each of these facilities. I believe the WMA has a better shot at raising big private and corporate dollars than the pool. Selling off naming rights to lobbies, stages, etc was mentioned and is a good start.

I hope we in the swim community will do the same though I believe our options are more limited as are our possible patrons.