By DAVID NICHOL
T-H Staff Writer
A report on the local economic impact of the AAAAA State Basketball Tournament was presented to the Forrest City Advertising and Promotions Commission this morning, indicating that between a half-million and three-fourths of a million dollars was generated.
The report, the first of its kind in Forrest City to attempt tracing the economic impact of a major event, was prepared by Dr. John Alderson, director of the Business and Industry Training Center at East Arkansas Community College.
The tournament was held Feb. 27 through March 3 at Mustang Arena.
Alderson said the estimates of economic impact were based on concession sales and program sales. Those attending were also asked to fill out a survey on restaurants at which they ate, how much gas they bought, with motels at which they stayed how much shopping they did while they were in town.
From those surveys, it was estimated that fans and players from out of town spent a total of $111,129.71. Alderson said a multiplier of from 3-7 is used to estimate how many times a dollar "turns over" before it leaves a community. He said using the mid-range multiplier of 5, the economic impact would be $555,648.55. Using a multiplier of 7, the figure foes to $777,907.97 for the five-day tournament.
The A&P Commission, which is funded by a "hamburger tax," provided $12,000 to help underwrite the tournament.
A survey was also made of six local restaurants. Those restaurants reported an average increase in sales of 17.6 percent the week of the tournament, compared to the week before the tournament. Four restaurants reported an average increase of 22 percent over the same week a year earlier, when there were no special events taking place.
Even more dramatic was the increase in motel usage, according to a survey of five local motels. They reported an average occupancy increase of 76.4 percent during the week of the tournament, as opposed to the previous week. The same motels had an average occupancy increase of 85.7 percent over the same week in the previous year.
Kem Merrell, chairman of the A&P Commission, said it was a good investment. He also said that the commissioners want to work with EACC to get similar economic impact surveys done for other events with which the commission is associated.
"For big items like these, we feel it's important to see what kind of a return we're getting for our tax dollars," he said. "It's something we want to continue."
By KENDALL OWENS
T-H Staff Writer
Demolition on a partially collapsed building located at the corner of Front and Izard Streets took a turn for the worse Tuesday when a portion of that building fell, damaging the nearby Forrest City/St. Francis County Abstract Building.
Damage to the roof of the Abstract Company could be seen from outside the building just after workers for C.C.R. Inc. pulled on a portion of the east wall of the building located at 525 Front Street.
Workers spent over two hours yesterday trying to pull the building down as onlookers stood watching. After several attempts to pull the building were made to no avail, workers tied steel cables around the center east wall of the building and then pulled the wall down using a dump truck and bulldozer.
According to Brad Beavers, one of the attorneys for the Abstract Company, it is too early to tell if additional litigation will be filed against the three defendants, James F. Taylor, owner, Ralph Holland, contractor, and C.C. R., Inc. Those three were named in a lawsuit filed last week in St. Francis County Chancery Court. An additional motion for an emergency preliminary injunction was filed this morning in the case.
"We have filed litigation both to try to find out some information about what was going on, we did that yesterday, and also yesterday, we requested additional information because we had conflicting reports as to what was going on and who was doing what," said Beavers. "We plan to pursue that litigation now because there are substantial damages to our building."
The suit entered in the Circuit Clerk's office this morning would stop demolition of the building until it could be done in a safe manner. The suit alleges that "the manner in which the removal is proceeding is unsafe and unsound and below the required level of care to be safe and acceptably free from danger."
A court date is set for Thursday morning on the matter. The injunction also claims that the plaintiffs objected to Howard Cranor, owner of C.C.R. Inc., one of the defendants in the original suit, proceeding with demolition before credentials could be shown that would qualify Cranor and his employees to properly and safely remove the structure.
The lawsuit entered last week is seeking the removal of the structure; indemnity from loss, costs, damage or risk with regard to such removal; judgement against the defendants, for damage to improvements on the Abstract Company's lands and attorney's fees and costs.
Work continued this morning at the site where workers with C.C.R. continued to tear down the structure. Cranor would not comment on the demolition or the pending lawsuits.
Suspended sentences were revoked for three people during circuit court proceedings Tuesday in St. Francis County.
Gary Gardner, 25, 955 Victor St., Forrest City, was sentenced to 10 years in the Arkansas Department of Corrections after a previous suspended imposition of sentence was revoked. He also will serve another five-year SIS after his release from prison.
Quincy C. Breathitt, 21, Colt, was sentenced to five years in prison on drug charges with a five-year SIS after his release.
Vincent Woodard, 19, 301 Poplar St., Forrest City, was sentenced to 15 years in the ADC and also received a five-year SIS after release.
A 14-year-old Forrest City youth was treated and released at Baptist Memorial Hospital after being struck by a car Tuesday morning.
The accident happened at the intersection of South Washington (Ark. Highway 1) and Martin Luther King. A vehicle being driven by Minnie L. Gardner of 133 S. Powell in Forrest City was turning from Martin Luther King onto Highway 1 when she struck Mark D. Millbrook of 2427 Fernwood, who was riding a bicycle.
Millbrook was taken to Baptist Hospital by ambulance.
Close to 200 District 7 voters have cast their ballots in early voting on the proposed 2.5 mill increase.
According to figures released by the St. Francis County Clerk's office, 193 voters had made their decision regarding the millage as of this morning, the third day of early voting.
Registered voters can vote between the hours of 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, at the county courthouse. Voting will be closed next Monday for Memorial Day, but will be open an additional day, Saturday, June 2, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., according to County Clerk Elizabeth Smith. Election day is Tuesday, June 5.