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Stafford County Supervisors Debate Gymnastics Center Rent Increase, Call for Long-Term Solutions

Inside the Stafford County Gymnastics Center on Nelms Circle in Stafford County. [Stafford County]
The Stafford County Board of Supervisors is grappling with a proposed rent increase for the Stafford Gymnastics and Recreation Center at 500 Nelms Circle as part of an amended lease extension. The building’s owners, Thurman Campbell and Mark Osborn, have requested a rent increase of five percent, up from the two percent annual increase previously agreed upon. The growth is attributed to rising property values, higher insurance costs, and unexpected fire safety improvements.

During the Tuesday, Oct. 1, Stafford County Board of Supervisors meeting, Parks, Recreation, Facilities, and Tourism Director Brian Southall, we provided details of the increase and the facility's current state. "We’ve been leasing parts of the facility since the mid-'90s. The entire lease for the year is $177,000," Southall said. He explained that the county’s gymnastics program, which serves over 600 children weekly, has outgrown the 25,600-square-foot space, noting, "We’ve outgrown it."

The proposed rent hike prompted a lively discussion among board members, with some raising concerns about continuing to invest in an aging facility. Garrisonville District Supervisor Dr. Pamela Yeung emphasized the need for a more long-term solution. "We need to ask ourselves whether we should continue to invest in this location or seek a more suitable and permanent space for our children," Yeung said. She pointed out that neighboring Prince William County is debating a state-of-the-art sports complex in Woodbridge that, if built, would leave Stafford County behind in providing adequate facilities for its residents.

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