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Serving Lutz since 1964 and Pasco since 1981.
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Serving Pasco since 1981/Serving Lutz since 1964

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Laura Black

Wiregrass sports complex will be hurricane-ready

April 25, 2018 By Kathy Steele

Pasco County received a $2 million federal grant to make the future Wiregrass Sports Arena hurricane-resistant, according to a news release from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Pasco’s emergency management department applied for the grant, which will pay for 75 percent of the approximately $2.7 million total cost of hurricane preparedness.

“We’re very excited for this opportunity,” said Laura Black, assistant director of emergency management. “It’s one of our top projects.”

This is a rendering of how the Wiregrass Sports complex will look. The complex is expected to open in 2019. (File)

The federal agency awards these grants through its Hazard Mitigation Grant Program. The grants are provided to states, and tribal and local governments, to reduce the loss of life and property due to natural disasters, including hurricanes.

The 98,000-square-foot sports arena will be built and hardened to withstand up to 170-mph winds. That exceeds Florida’s standard requirement of 142 mph.

In addition, the floors will be elevated by 1-foot to reduce the risk of flooding. Also, a 1000-kilowatt generator will be installed to provide backup power.

All of this will be done from the ground up, during construction. Doing that will result in substantial savings, Black said, adding the cost could be as much as $8 million, if a retrofit was required afterward.

The Pasco County Commission approved the project as a public/private partnership in 2017.

RADD Sports, a private company, will operate and manage the sports complex. Pasco County will own the facility and share in anticipated profits.

The federal application included a cost analysis on economic losses, if the arena suffered hurricane damage and couldn’t operate for a period of time, Black said.

In addition to the indoor sports arena, the complex will have seven outdoor sports fields, an amphitheater with an event lawn, trails, pavilions and a playground. The county also has a ground lease for a Marriott Residence Inn that will be built with private funds at the complex.

Richard Blalock, president of RADD Sports, spoke last year at an economic briefing luncheon sponsored by the Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce (now known as North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce).

The facility will host sporting and recreational activities, including basketball, volleyball, cheerleading, dancing, wrestling, gymnastics, curling and badminton.

Blalock last year estimated annual economic impact would be about $6.5 million. Over 10 years, about $8 million or more in sales and use taxes would be generated, not including tourism taxes from hotel stays.

A construction date isn’t scheduled as yet, but the arena is expected to open by late summer or early fall of 2019.

Published April 25, 2018

Filed Under: Local News, Wesley Chapel/New Tampa News Tagged With: Federal Emergency Management Agency, Hazard Mitigation Grant Program, Laura Black, Marriott Residence Inn, North Tampa Bay Chamber of Commerce, Pasco County Commission, RADD Sports, Richard Blalock, Wesley Chapel Chamber of Commerce, Wiregrass Sports Arena

Pasco names new assistant county administrator

June 14, 2017 By Kathy Steele

The Pasco County Commission has named Kevin Guthrie as an assistant county administrator for public safety.

The appointment took effect on June 12, and Guthrie will receive an annual salary of $135,000.

Guthrie had been serving as the county’s emergency services director.

Pasco County Assistant County Administrator for Public Safety Kevin Guthrie (File)

Commissioners promoted Guthrie during their June 6 meeting in Dade City, acting on a recommendation by County Administrator Dan Biles.

Since 2015, Pasco County Fire Chief Scott Cassin has served as acting assistant county administrator for public safety. Cassin now will return full-time to his position as fire chief.

Pasco County Emergency Manager Laura Black will be in charge of the Division of Emergency Management during non-disaster operations. Capt. Dan Olds, of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office, will lead the Division of Public Safety Communications.

Former Pasco County Administrator Michele Baker hired Guthrie in 2016 as the county’s emergency management director. Within months, he was promoted to emergency services director.

“I’m excited about what we’ve accomplished in the emergency services department over the past year, and I look forward to leading the entire public safety team,” Guthrie said.

Guthrie served for 24 years as a law enforcement officer for the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office in Duval County. He also served seven years as emergency preparedness coordinator.

He retired from law enforcement, but was Flagler County’s emergency management director for three years before his hire in Pasco.

Published June 14, 2017

Filed Under: Local News Tagged With: Dan Biles, Dan Olds, Kevin Guthrie, Laura Black, Michele Baker, Pasco County Commission, Scott Cassin

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The Pasco County Library Cooperative will present a “Best of Craft Tuesdays: Playlist” on Jan. 19 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Check out a video at Facebook.com/hughembrylibrary or Facebook.com/newriverlibrary to learn about some of the craft programs that are worth revisiting from the past year. For information, call 352-567-3576, or email Danielle Lee at . … [Read More...] about 01/19/2021 – Best of crafts

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01/21/2021 – Gasparilla History

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This week in SPORTS: All-Pasco County fall awards announced. https://buff.ly/3srDpyU

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State road projects will ease congestion. https://buff.ly/3oIP5eo

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