Jul. 10--After four months of negotiation, a new lease agreement drawn by the mayor and the Macon Whoopee will go before a committee of the Macon City Council today.
Although the lease agreement has changed several times, council members said Monday it may change again.
'The mood of a number of the council members is to work with the Whoopee but also to make room for other sports,' said Councilwoman Elaine Lucas.
The mayor's proposed agreement with the minor league hockey team would give the Whoopee exclusive sales rights to permanent indoor advertising.
But officials with Sports Towne, a group attempting to introduce arena football to the area, also want to share in that perk.
Bryan Watson, president of Sports Towne, met with Council President Anita Ponder on Friday. Watson suggested the council allow the Whoopee to sell ads for ice events and allow Sports Towne to sell ads for football events.
Whoopee officials have declined to comment on terms of the lease until the matter is resolved. Previously, however, city officials have said the Whoopee was adamant about wanting exclusive sign rights.
But a firm stance by the Whoopee may not be enough for some council members.
'They might not have a choice but to accept it,' Lucas said. 'We want the Whoopee here, but we have to be fair to everyone who wants a contract with the city.'
Other City Council members leaned a little more toward the Whoopee.
'I would like to see (sign sales) go on a rotating basis,' said Councilman Jim Lee. 'But if it comes right down to it -- the Whoopee or the football -- I'm for the Whoopee.'
Watson said he hopes the negotiations don't come down to an ultimatum.
'I don't claim to have all the answers to all of it,' he said. 'I think the answer is somewhere in between.'
While the council, the arena football organizers and Whoopee officials toss around the concept of 'exclusive advertising rights,' others who use the Macon Coliseum are becoming nervous.
Tommy Guillebeau, executive director of the Georgia High School Association which has been hosting basketball tournaments at the Coliseum for four decades, said he was worried exclusive rights to advertising would prevent him from hanging signs for his corporate sponsors.
Although officials with the Whoopee again declined comment, Watson said Guillebeau shouldn't have to worry. Hanging banners should not fit the 'permanent advertising' as defined in the contract, he said.
A combined joint committee, made up of the City Council appropriations and public properties committees, will meet at 4 p.m. today in the council conference room of City Hall, 700 Poplar St.
The full council is expected to vote on the lease July 18.
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(c) 2000, The Macon Telegraph, Ga. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.
