Georgia State University president eyes Turner Field (Atlanta: lease, home)

[MathmanMathman]

Originally Posted by cwkimbro

I understand, but of a part of the tract switches to more private business and residences, then it becomes unfair for the property to not be taxed. Those additional people will bring added cost to the city.

The parking lot is at least used for a civic facility. A new retail district and private apartments are not.

So the businesses that operate in Tech Square operate tax-free?

[gtjared]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

So the businesses that operate in Tech Square operate tax-free?

There's definitely sales tax at those restaurants. Maybe they meant the property taxes? I assume you pay the hotel/motel tax and other taxes at the GT hotel? Is that incorrect?

[cwkimbro]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

The concern is the quality of students a school attracts and with that money. Both are finite even for a market as rich as Atlanta. It's really not important that a school's football team wins or not except where the alumni are concerned. Why else does GSU even bother with having its own football stadium? KSU and GSU have the same market so the rise of one will diminish the other.


Shows the value of location in attracting students. I think GSU's sole downtown campus has held it back.


I think if the GSU Foundation owned it, it would be taxable. Which might also explain why GT's Tech Square can sell alcohol. Not sure if 'market housing' means it's open to anyone to buy or rent, I'd rather the areas was exclusively GSU.

You might have a point on the GSU foundation. I'm not sure how the law reacts to a private non-profit renting to and developing on behalf of a state-owned facility.


I disagree with the KSU vs GSU mentality a bit. The problem the city has grown so much and will continue to do so in the long-run and in the time it would take for KSU to be more of a full operational research university. Our city wouldn't maintain demand if it didn't.

Both schools seem to be attracting plenty of students at current tuition rates just fine, so I don't seen the diminishing of either. KSU also has a long way to go to have a fully developed graduate program. They have a ways to go still and the city is going to grow a good bit.

The success of GGC just showed me we didn't have enough college space inside our metro and more and more students were looking outward previously.

[cwkimbro]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

So the businesses that operate in Tech Square operate tax-free?

Tax digest of the land. Property tax.

If the -land- is owned by the college, then yes. I know this was true for a few private businesses that rented out space in the student center in Athens on campus. This is a common disussion in Athens, because UGA takes up such a large percentage of the total land within the developed part of the city.

Sales tax is another thing all together + 4% of the tax is a state tax too.

[arjay57]

I don't see any reason to give tax-free status to an entity that is operating for profit.

[cwkimbro]

Fulton County Assessors Office

quick update for those interested. The parcels of Technology Square are all over the place. Many of the parcels are granted E1 or E6 status and many aren't. So what they have done is given exempt status to some but not all, based on its use. The hotel, for example, is accessed at $10 million in value with not exemption.

Land owned by the Georgia Tech Real Estate Foundation, as well as some 3rd party LLCs had E6 tax exempt status.

Now it appears mostly college-use buildings that have a few eating places in it (rented to private parties) are given the exemption.

[tikigod311]

Been out of the loop for awhile, what exciting news to come back to!

I hope this happens in some similar form. I love love love them reusing the stadium. Seemed like a criminal waste to tear that down. Love this potential development along the potential streetcar line. We couldn't ask for anything better.


Mayor Reed is doing quite the PR blitz to pump up downtown. I love it! He is building expectations, hype, momentum for the downtown area that will help make these huge developments a reality. There are some things I don't like about Reed, but so many things that I love. I think he is going to do much more than the average politician to actually get things done. He seems to be seriously determined to make the development of Turner Field, Underground, and the Streetcar expansion/Beltline Transit a reality. I think he can do it. He is shaping up to have a fantastic exit from office

Exciting times in the A

[DTL3000]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

Don't think WRAS ever brought in money, it's commercial-free. Maybe $75,000 a year is it's air-time value.
Football can be very lucrative to a school. UGA was built on it.


GSU is still accredited so you can still use newspaper...while they are still around.

I realize WRAS doesn't bring in money directly but the station's value amongst alumni and the national independent music scene is immeasurable. Think of how many possible lost donations from alumni the WRAS situation will likely cause. The school has already created way more that $150,000 worth of bad PR and ill will amongst Atlanta residents and alumni in my opinion. I will never even think about contributing to GSU unless they do away with this deal ASAP.

The ironic thing is that GSU has more than a few successful musicians and entertainment industry insiders amongst it's alumni network. I don't see very many of them being very happy at all with this move.

Correct, football is lucrative to a school, but I just don't see it catching on at GSU. It's an enormous investment up front that isn't guaranteed to pay off. I just don't think it'll ever reach near the level of its sister schools. UGA and Tech have football traditions that stretch almost to the very beginning of the game itself. GSU can't even fill a tenth of the Georgia Dome. GSU alumni also aren't the sort to develop an attachment to this team. There will be no memories of tailgating on the campus common or of raucous parties after a big victory because there IS no campus common nor big victories(0-12 in 2013). It's just the nature of the school. My friends who went to UGA and Tech are diehard Dawg and Jacket fans. I can't even guarantee many of my fellow GSU alumni can even recall GSU's mascot.

Whoever said GSU football will always mean the Eagles first and foremost is right.


What Georgia State said about attendance | Georgia State Sports | www.ajc.com

[MathmanMathman]

GSU might be out-bid

City may have multiple Turner Field offers | www.ajc.com

Though I think long term, GSU would be the best option.

[bu2]

Originally Posted by MathmanMathman

GSU might be out-bid

City may have multiple Turner Field offers | www.ajc.com

Though I think long term, GSU would be the best option.

Sounds like two who want casinos. Definitely think GSU is best long term option. They are the surest bet.