Massive Sports Complex in Hope Mills facing foreclosure after lack of support
HOPE MILLS, N.C. (WTVD) -- A local community center is at risk of closing before it's open. The TJ Robinson Life Center in Hope Mills was supposed to mentor at-risk youth and host sports tournaments but was hoping for more buy-in from Hope Mills and surrounding municipalities.
"July 1 they are going to foreclose on the property," said Charlotte Robinson.
The TJ Robinson Life Center is now in desperate need of a lifeline.
ABC11 first told you about the 57,000 square foot facility last March as they were trying to get community support from the Town of Hope Mills to finish the multi-million dollar construction.
"The TJ Robinson Life Center has taken grants to them and asked for a partnership and couldn't get a buy-in. Its two service-disabled veterans, skin in the game with a program for the community but no elected official buy-in from elected officials. You tell me," Robinson explained.
ABC11 took those concerns straight to Mayor Jackie Warner of Hope Mills.
"I'm saddened at where they are at, at this point right now, because I do think it was a good thing," said Warner.
Still, Warner says the town couldn't just fork up thousands of dollars.
"I don't think there was any buy-in necessarily from the town because it would be like anyone in our town saying I want to do this project and help us fund it," said Warner.
But Mayor Warner says it's even deeper than that. As she understood, the TJ Robinson Life Center would serve as a nonprofit mentoring hub for at-risk youth, a senior and community center, but on the weekends, a sports tournament facility that would rake in hundreds.
"How do you separate those two things? Yes the tournament ball would help our economy, that would probably be a good thing, but I don't see how we can create seed money for a for-profit group," said Warner.
While the Town of Hope Mills say they can't step in, Charlotte Robinson says you can.
If you would like to donate to help prevent them from foreclosure click here.
