WHEREAS, As a result of Bill 000080, which was passed by City Council on Thursday, March 16, 2000, the City of Philadelphia may incur the $30 million cost of buying back a new Eagles’ practice facility if new stadium deals are not presented by the Mayor and passed by City Council by November 30, 2000; and
WHEREAS, The intentions of the parties, particularly the Philadelphia Eagles’ intentions of possibly abandoning the practice facility that is currently being built at Broad Street and Pattison Avenue if no stadium deal is worked out, and the stages of negotiations between the City of Philadelphia and the Philadelphia Eagles are not clear, and thus there exists the prospect of the City of Philadelphia buying the football practice facility while being left without a professional football team to practice there; and
WHEREAS, In order to prepare for the possible nonoccurrence of the new stadiums contingency, City Council desires to explore all possibilities for use of the facility including but not limited to use by Philadelphia area high schools and colleges as training, practice and game facilities for their football teams, a potential food distribution center, a swimming and sports facility to be used by the Recreation Department, or for use by the general public as a physical rehabilitation center; and
WHEREAS, City Council needs to be informed of the exact status of the current construction of the facility, the amount of money that has been spent on the site preparation and construction of the facility, the total value of the facility in its current stage of construction and its exact value when construction is completed and the facility is ready for use, and the feasibility of abandoning the project and converting the site to some other alternative use if it is found that no viable alternative use for a completed practice facility exists and there remains the possibility of the Eagles abandoning the facility; now therefore
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it hereby authorizes the Committee of the Whole of City Council to investigate the possible alternative uses of the $30 million NovaCare Philadelphia Eagles’ Practice Facility in the event that there are no new stadium deals by November 30, 2000 and the City is forced to buy the facility.
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