JOHN COFFELT, Editor

Coffee County Mayor Dennis Hunt and Manchester Mayor Joey Hobbs disagree on the benefit of the conference center, now renamed the Manchester Events and Welcome Center.

Hunt said in one of his “From the Hood” podcasts that he hopes to recoup some of the taxpayers’ investment in the building. Hunt sent a letter to the city as a 50-50 co-owner of the building requesting the number of events, revenue and number of guests that were at the center from Feb. 1-July 31.

He explained that, per the 2020 contract that in essence dissolved the joint Coffee County and Manchester body that governed the operation of the center and created the now defunct Manchester Public Building Authority, the center must retain an operating status. If the center becomes non-operational during a six-month period, it is to be sold and the proceeds split between the joint owners, Manchester City and Coffee County.

Hunt said he hoped that a private firm purchases the building at auction and that the county needs the revenue for capital projects.

Hobbs, however, said that the conference center is operating in the black for the first time ever.

According to an email Hobbs sent to Hunt and the Coffee County Commission on Oct. 26, the center has had 52 events during the specified six-month period with 6,017 guests attending.

Hobbs further sent the county a bill for $80,000 in repairs the city has made and that the county had agreed to fund.

He also said that the new business model of no longer offering event planning or catering services has allowed the center to become profitable.

According to the email, the city encountered $100,000 in outstanding debt when the PBA resigned. Hobbs asked the county to cover its portion of the repairs made to the over 20-year-old building.

Of the building’s 10 HVAC units, only two were working. The city had three units replaced on Oct. 21, 2025 for a cost of $72,374. In December of 2025, the city had $45,378.50 in asphalt work done to the center’s parking lot and ADA compliant doors installed for $8,490.25.

On Nov. 5, a Purchasing and Property Sales Committee will address whether to designate the property surplus.

Hobbs has said that in order to auction the property, both parties would need to agree on the move. He said the city is not interested in selling its portion but would entertain negotiating buying the county’s portion.