It’s down to the wire if the proposed JCC stadium project will move forward.

JCC is asking Jamestown to transfer the city-owned Diethrick Park in order to apply for millions of dollars in capital funding. In order to get its request in for next year’s state budget, where funding would be included, the college needs support from the city that the stadium would be transferred and that Chautauqua County would be willing to bond for a portion of the costs by Friday.

The Chautauqua County Legislature has not indicated it would offer any funding. There was no funding included in this year’s budget, which was proposed by County Executive PJ Wendel and passed by the legislature.

When the budget was passed, Legislature Chairman Pierre Chagnon said no funding was included for the project because there are questions on ownership of the facility and what role the city of Jamestown would have. Because of this, he said the county was not ready to make any commitments.

The next time the full legislature meets is Dec. 20, although a special meeting could be scheduled if desired.

Jamestown City Council has also not committed to transferring the land to the college, which is a requirement of the state. Its next voting session is Dec. 18.

But that doesn’t mean JCC officials are giving up on the project.

In an email sent to The Post-Journal and OBSERVER, which was signed by both JCC President Daniel DeMarte and JCC Foundation Director Maria Kindberg, they insist the project would be a benefit to the city and county.

“When it comes to the proposed athletic complex, Jamestown Community College has, indeed, done its homework. The college began exploring the possibility of creating a state-of-the-art athletic complex over four years ago. Early discussions with city and county officials helped shape the project as has input from various entities including current Diethrick Park lessees. To date, the college has met with both city and county elected officials, the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce, the Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau, the Tarp Skunks, and several youth-affiliated organizations. There have been dozens of meetings and brainstorming sessions, each influencing the design,” they wrote. “The plan has evolved over time, but the intent has remained constant – create an athletic and entertainment destination that will benefit the college, the city, and the greater Chautauqua County community.”

Last year JCC sought $941,000 for a new soccer field, but the county legislature rejected it, saying it was more interested in a multi-purpose sports complex.

In August, the Chautauqua County Planning Board gave its support to create a multi-purpose soccer, baseball and softball field at Diethrick Park in Jamestown, which would cost $27 million to $30 million. The county would have been responsible for 25%, or around $7.5 million.

JCC officials say the need is great, both for the college and the community at large.

“While certain groups have approached the project with a ‘what’s in it for me?’ attitude, we continue to focus on the project in a comprehensive manner. Luckily, there is something in it for everyone. Jamestown Community College will benefit by securing collegiate-level sport facilities. It is no secret that the college’s facilities are woefully inadequate. Updated facilities will assist the college in recruiting students, both athletes and non-athletes, and will have a positive impact on enrollment. But if a $27 million project only benefited our student athletes, we would be the first to abandon it.

With each group, individual, business, and governmental agency with whom we have met, the plan has morphed, constantly evolving into one that will best meet others’ expressed needs,” DeMarte and Kindberg wrote. “There are groups who would like to host youth sport tournaments in Jamestown. Many parents of young athletes cite the time and expense associated with travel to other locations with better facilities. And they wonder, why not Jamestown? Cultural groups can easily identify cities with outdoor performance venues and the host communities who profit from the visitors that those venues attract. And they ask, why not Jamestown? Local youth organizations envision a site that will allow for programming and collaboration, one that will eliminate the need to travel out of the area. Still others simply want to see an investment in our community. Why not Jamestown?”

In a full page ad in The Post-Journal, JCC stated it had support from leaders of the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce, the Chautauqua County Visitors Bureau, Chautauqua Striders, and Allegheny Highlands Council BSA (formerly Boy Scouts of America).

DeMarte and Kindberg invite other local leaders who believe in this project to express their support. “If there are businesses, community groups, government entities, media outlets, or individuals who need more information before deciding if they can support this project, please reach out to us. We can share letters of support we have received, economic impact projections, and lists of groups and individuals whose input and feedback have helped shape this project. We can review numbers, share renderings, disclose challenges. We can illustrate all the ways this project can meet our collective needs,” they wrote.

DeMarte and Kindberg say it’s time Jamestown gets a project like this. “The state has funded similar projects in similar cities because they make sense – they meet a need, they serve the community’s residents, they spur economic development. Why not Jamestown?” they wrote.