Aug. 1--Mayor C. Jack Ellis confirmed Monday that he and officials from Sports Towne have reached a tentative agreement that, if signed, would bring arenafootball2 to Macon.
Although the mayor declined to discuss specifics of the agreement, he said city staff would be drawing up a formal document. That document will be placed before the City Council for approval, then signed by Ellis and Bryan Watson, president of Sports Towne.
Once the written document is filed with the council, the terms of the agreement will become a matter of public record.
The agreement comes in just under the wire. Watson was given a deadline of Aug. 1 by the af2 league to present a lease agreement in order to be included in next year's season. League officials have said that they would wait until Wednesday for the agreement to be finished.
Watson said there are a few minor details to be hashed out, but declined to comment on what they are, citing an agreement with Ellis to remain silent until the final document is signed.
'I went away from the meeting very optimistic,' he said. 'I think we're almost there.'
League organizers appeared to have inside information about negotiations -- or at least a healthy dose of optimism. Over the weekend, league officials issued a press release that already had Macon joining the league for next season, along with Memphis, Lafayette, La.,
Shreveport, La., and Fort Myers, Fla. Watson said the report was slightly premature.
'We're expecting a package (from Sports Towne) by Wednesday,' said af2 executive director Mary Ellen Garling. 'I feel confident it will get done. There has been a lot of hard work on both sides, but a lot of good-faith negotiating by both sides. All of the (franchises) have presented challenges (to complete). Each has been unique in their own way.'
Garling, who has been getting ready for the playoffs over the next two weeks, wants to announce all of the new franchises during the Arena Bowl Aug. 10. She is looking forward to having Macon's entry in the af2.
'It's been a pleasure to work with (Sports Towne owner) Beverly Olson and it's been a pleasure to work with Bryan Watson,' Garling said. 'The city and the arena have been great to work with. It's taken a while to put together, but things are moving along right where they should be.'
Last month, the City Council approved a new lease for the Macon Whoopee negotiated by the mayor and Brother Stewart, majority owner of the hockey team. The council, however, removed language that would have given the Whoopee exclusive rights to sell indoor advertising at the
-By Thomas W. Krause and Phillip Ramati
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