From Don Covington #1

VENICE, FLORIDA - Three groups want to lease land surrounding the former Circus Arena and operate businesses that would improve the southern entrance to the city. The Venice City Commission has a full agenda for its next meeting as members return from a one-month break. The meeting begins at 9 a.m. Tuesday at City Hall, 401 W. Venice Ave., Venice. For details, visit www.venicegov.com and click on “Meetings.” The City Council is scheduled to review the proposals during a meeting Tuesday and may, or may not, decide to begin negotiations with any or all of them. Tito Gaona asks to continue operating his Flying Trapeze Academy, Venice Circus Adventure Golf proposes a 36-hole miniature golf course and arcade, and the Venice Circus Arts Foundation wants to form a for-profit business to rebuild the arena for use as a sports and entertainment venue. “We want to make it an attractive gateway and preserve circus heritage,” Airport Administrator Chris Rozansky said during a presentation to the city's Economic Advisory Board on Wednesday. He did not address specifics during the presentation, but paperwork filed with the city shows that each proposal asks for a separate parcel of the 11-acre arena property that is owned by the Venice Municipal Airport. The former circus property is among about 400 leases the airport manages as a commercial landlord, Rozansky said. Last year, the 65,000-square-foot arena building, used by Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus from about 1961 until 1993, was deemed unsafe and was partially demolished, leaving only the steel shell standing. The city's one-year option to complete the demolition ends in September. To restore the arena will take a sustainable business plan, Rozansky said. In May, the airport and city issued a solicitation to get a feel for what the market was for development of the property, he said. As part of future plans, an access road will be built through the site to connect U.S. 41 to Airport Avenue East. Where the road will be built depends on what the developers need, Rozansky said. Gaona, a member of the Flying Gaonas circus family, wants to continuing leasing less than an acre from the airport. For the past 12 years, he has given trapeze instructions to people of all ages. He said his family — residents of Venice since 1955 and affiliated with the Ringling circus — welcome the new spirit of cooperation with the Venice Golf Adventures and the Venice Circus Arts Foundation. “It is our hope the city will consider this association in taking on this challenge to make the Southern Gateway to Venice a beautiful and financially fruitful enterprise,” Gaona wrote in his proposal. “The restoration of this site is necessary and will benefit our community.” John Mischel, owner of Venice Circus Adventure Golf, said his group has enough cash and guaranteed bank financing to build and open a facility by January. The proposal submitted to the city details an outdoor circus-themed 36-hole miniature golf course, indoor arcade in the octagon-shaped building, and sales of circus-type food, such as popcorn, hot dogs, peanuts and cotton candy. Initially, the company requests 21/2 acres, but a playground is being considered. Future options also might include rock climbing walls and batting cages, according to Mischel's proposal. In its 71-page proposal, the nonprofit Venice Circus Arts Foundation wants to create the for-profit Vecus Entertainment Inc. to restore the arena on 1.4 acres of the property. Possible uses include circus performances, concerts, conferences, and indoor sports events, such as soccer, track meets, tennis, basketball, hockey and boxing. The first phase calls for an open-air pavilion. As money becomes available, the proposal said, the arena will be completely renovated. Initial revenue for the work would come from an offering of 20,000 stock shares at $100 per share. As part of the proposal, Venice Circus Arts suggested using the airport festival grounds for parking. During his presentation, Rozanksy said the festival grounds may not be available for long-term use if airport expansion occurs. A 5,000-seat arena would require 1,666 parking spaces, Rozansky and city Procurement Manager Peter Boers wrote in a report to the City Commission. “Leasing all or a portion of the Circus Arena Property will spur economic development and bring new businesses to Venice,” Rozansky and Boers' report stated. They also warned that the financial capability of each of the proposals should be carefully considered to ensure the city is not burdened with the liability of a failed project.