Madison leaders still debating $30 million Toyota Field clubhouse
MADISON – The Madison City Council addressed several endof- year housekeeping items at last week’s city council meeting, including two items regarding the new Toyota Field clubhouse.
The council approved annual appropriations for Madison Chamber of Commerce, Huntsville Hospital Foundation, Emergency Management Agency, The Enrichment Center, and National Children’s Advocacy Center for fiscal year 2025. They also reappointed David Barnett, Missy Martin, and Taron Thorpe to the Industrial Development Board for terms that last until Nov. 2030.
The council also heard the first reading of a proposed amendment to Madison’s agreement with BallCorps for Toyota Field. BallCorps is the parent company for the Rocket City Trash Pandas, a minor league baseball team.
The baseball park was con- structed at a cost of $46 million in 2020.
The proposed new terms include a clubhouse addition on the third base line that holds the city responsible for its construction up to $30 million, along with parking improvements.
The city says they need to build the new clubhouse to meet updated MiLB standards, but council members continue to debate whether to approve building a one-story $12 million clubhouse or one that is four stories costing $30 million.
“We do have some blanks to continue to fill in to the agreement,” said city attorney Megan Zingarelli about the proposed agreement. Those blanks include working with BallCorps to identify which equipment the city needs to supply for the venue and how BallCorps can help pay off the associated costs, updating venue license fees, refining plans for a new parking lot, and determining language for signage in the stadium that meets zoning ordinances.
At the same meeting, the council heard another first reading of an ordinance that would update the city’s lodging tax code in preparation for the updated BallCorps agreement. In 2017, the city set up a new lodging tax structure as a plan to pay off the bond for Toyota Field. This proposed agreement updates that plan with the clubhouse project and changes in hotel projects in mind.
“The purpose of this ordinance is to remove an earmark that was put in place to help the Margaritaville project, which did not proceed. So, that’s the main purpose of this ordinance. We want to get our lodging tax proceed dispositions corrected in anticipation of the BallCorps deal,” explained Zingarelli. “We also want to make sure we have lodging tax dedications that are going to help to pay for the interchange improvements over in Town Madison.”
The council was previously scheduled to vote on the BallCorps agreement at a special-called meeting on Dec. 4, which was cancelled. It is unclear now when the amended agreement will be voted.
A work session will still take place on Dec. 4 at 6 p.m. to address the city’s comprehensive plan. It will be held at Madison’s city Hall, 100 Hughes Drive.
The city is currently seeking the public’s opinion on the Madison on Track 2045 comprehensive plan during the public comment period that runs until Jan. 24. The Dec. 4 work session and a public open house on Jan. 6 are open meetings that are part of the public comment period.
Madison on Track 2045 involves community-based planning to shape Madison’s future by updating the city’s Comprehensive Plan, which will be used as a policy document by city leaders, developers, business owners and citizens to make decisions about future growth, development, policy and capital improvements.
