Two things are perfectly clear about the West Third Street corridor in Rome. City officials want to recruit a full-service hotel to the area, and Barron Stadium is not going to be moved anywhere anytime in the foreseeable future.

City Manager John Bennett said the West Third corridor would be one of the main agenda items at an upcoming planning retreat. Greater Rome Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Lisa Smith is working on a brochure to help the city market the property.

City officials said a full-service hotel is their No. 1 priority. They would also like to see some high-end residential development that would be beneficial to the downtown business district.

Commissioner Howard “Buzz” Wach­steter said he wants a major hotel.

“A medium-sized group won’t come to a community unless they have at least 200 rooms within walking distance of their meeting space,” Wach­steter said. “That would take the handcuffs off the Convention and Visitors Bureau people.”

Bennett echoed Wach­steter’s comments. “Until we get a hotel downtown, you’re really not going to see The Forum reap the full benefits of having all that meeting space,” said Bennett. “We’re not trying to take anything away from the hotels that are already out on (U.S.) 411, but we think there is a demand for a full-service hotel.”

Bennett and City Commissioner Kim Canada both indicated a desire for a hotel facility similar to a Courtyard by Marriott or a Hilton Garden Inn.

“A lot of things have come together,” Bennett said. “We’ve finished the pedestrian bridge. We’re fixing up Barron Stadium. The Town Green has been completed. The parking deck for downtown has been done, and the cancer center has been announced and is fixing to start construction, all of which are very positive signs for that area,” said Bennett.

If Rome and Floyd County are successful in obtaining state funds for the proposed Tennis Center of Georgia near Mount Berry Square mall, officials would attempt to sell the 16-court Rome-Floyd Tennis Center adjacent to Barron Stadium.

Bennett said a portion of the current tennis center site would likely be earmarked for additional stadium parking, which would leave about two acres available for future development.

“The city is not in the market to buy any more property over there,” said Bennett.

Canada heads the city’s redevelopment committee. “I think it’s 100-percent safe to say that if there is development stimulated over there, that private development will follow very closely,” Canada said. “Now whether those other property owners can come to agreement with other developers about the cost or whether they want to venture out and do their own development would be their choice,” he said.

The city actually purchased several parcels along the corridor, including the former Dempsey Auction building, the building that houses Just Sports and Tennis, and an old glass building. Rome paid approximately $1.8 million for those three parcels. The city is receiving $1,000 a month in lease revenue from the Just Sports and Tennis building.

Land, which formerly housed the city police headquarters and is now a parking lot, is also part of a four-acre tract which the city has available for developers.

The first serious talks regarding redevelopment along the West Third Street corridor occurred back in 2005. James “Doc” Kibler and Delos “Dee” Yancey III brought their vision for a multi-use redevelopment to the city. It was a major project, which originally involved the relocation of Barron Stadium and a land swap for property adjacent to State Mutual Stadium.

Rome and Floyd County governments had a difficult time agreeing to the tax allocation district financing arrangements. About the time the TAD deal was finally agreed upon, Kibler and Yancey decided it was not feasible for them to move forward with their plans.

Local real estate executive David Doss and builder Tommy Hackett put together a proposal for mixed-use development on close to two acres, which would have included condominiums overlooking the Oostanaula River. Doss was optimistic that he could attract a major restaurant to help anchor the retail and commercial aspect of their proposal.

Doss and Hackett put down $20,000 in earnest money in March of 2008, but that proposal fell victim to the downturn of the economy, and after getting one extension on a purchase option, the Doss-Hackett project was laid to rest early last year.

The TAD has accrued $38,113 through calendar year 2009. City finance director Sheree Shore explained those funds could be available to assist developers with items such as infrastructure or debt service.

Money is added to the TAD annually based on increases in the tax value of property within the specified tax district.

Bennett said there are people interested in the site, but “building hotels in this economy is not something that banks are gung ho about doing,” said Bennett.

Wachsteter said the city is going to re-double its efforts to make something happen on West Third sooner, rather than later.