Management and Performance Review of County Government ...

Enterprise Operations of Jefferson Count
Gulf Coast RV Park, the 15 acres of land occupying the southeast corner of Ford
Park, is managed under a separate contract with I-10 RV, LLC. Under the county’s
agreement for RV operations, I-10 RV is responsible for operation, maintenance,
upkeep, daily supervision, permits and licenses, insurance, rate setting and financial
reporting for the RV Park. The county is responsible for providing infrastructure required
for park operations including streets, sidewalks, drives, patios and pads, pipes for a lawn
sprinkler system, water and sanitary sewer extensions, lighting, stormwater
improvements, perimeter fencing and various hookups such as water, sewer, electrical,
cable TV, and dual telephone hookups for voice and electrical transmission.
The county receives a percentage of gross rental revenue received by I-10 RV in
conjunction with RV park operations. The county also receives a percentage of gross
sales revenue from convenience store, game room and vending machine sales. As
required under the contract, the county receives 10 percent of gross rental revenue up to
$500,000 and 20 percent of gross rental revenue over $500,000. The percentage of
gross sales revenue that the county receives is 3 percent.
In February 2000, the Jefferson County commissioners unanimously voted to
issue $55 million in certificates of obligation to fund the construction of the multi-purpose
entertainment center, at the time called the Southeast Texas Entertainment Complex
(later named Ford Park under an agreement with the Ford Motor Company). Plans for
the facility soon were expanded, based on input from the public and an outside
management firm, increasing the complex’s cost by $17 million.
The land on which Ford Park is located was obtained through a partial donation
and sale; a private citizen donated 50 acres and sold the remaining 171.2 acres.
At the time when county commissioners were considering whether to build the
complex, the county auditor projected annual revenue growth for the county of 2.3
Page 8-4