February 16, 2000
LifeWay trustees affirm 15-year plan
to 'revitalize' Ridgecrest & Glorieta
___NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)--A 15-year plan to revitalize the facilities of Southern Baptist conference centers at Glorieta, N.M., and Ridgecrest, N.C., has been affirmed by trustees of LifeWay Christian Resources, which owns the centers.
___Meeting in Nashville, Tenn., Feb. 7-8, trustees received a report citing the condition of facilities, the ministry of the conference centers and projections for the future based on independent market research.
___The report said current conditions at the centers do not represent the quality and standards needed to serve effectively. No new accommodations have been constructed at either conference center in 27 years, the report noted, and deferred maintenance has left deteriorated facilities and some less-than-suitable environments.
___Revitalization of the centers is a "next step in LifeWay's total ministry as we move into the 21st century," said Mike Arrington, vice president of LifeWay's corporate affairs division.
___In recent years, LifeWay has tackled major overhauls of its book store chain and Sunday School literature lines.
___"The time has come to provide the needed improvements and upgrades to the conference centers," Arrington said. "The conference centers can continue to be a vital part of LifeWay, and they can grow."
___The strategic plan calls for incremental site development with review of results prior to subsequent steps of development. The first step would be $8.5 million in construction at Ridgecrest in 2000-2001, followed by a $7.8 million project at Glorieta in 2001-2002. Requests for funding will be presented to trustees for review and budget approval prior to each step.
___Arrington said a 10-year fund-raising plan projected by LifeWay's capital resource development department would provide $73 million toward the estimated $84.7 million cost through the 15th year.
___A recent effort to fund overhauls at the conference centers through a massive national capital campaign met with disappointing results. What is planned now would be different, Arrington said. "This is not a campaign but an ongoing fund-raising process for specific projects."
___As conference center facilities are upgraded, attention also will be given to strengthening programming and marketing of events, Arrington said.
___Market research identified large groups in adult conferences as the greatest ministry opportunity, but one which will require significant facilities upgrades and new development, the report said. Research showed 60 percent of adults interviewed want standard lodging and amenities equivalent to hotels such as Hampton Inns; 35 percent want economy housing offered by Motel 6 and others; and 5 percent want premium accommodations. Arrington said the best of current conference center lodging is equivalent to economy commercial housing.
___Among requirements cited for serving adult conferences with quality are multiple medium-sized conference rooms, many small break-out rooms, state-of-the-art audiovisual and communications equipment, exhibit space, banquet space and varied food options, indoor/outdoor recreation, airport access, on-site transportation for the handicapped and commercial-quality lodging.
___He emphasized that youth conferencing will continue to be provided.
___A master site plan will identify needed new facilities, plans for refurbishing some existing facilities to meet "economy" needs and removal of some structures. The master plan will be presented to trustees for consideration at their September meeting.
___In other matters, trustees elected as board chairman Bruce Robinson, senior pastor of West Lonsdale Baptist Church in Knoxville, Tenn., and as recording secretary Phil Neighbors, co-pastor of Valley Baptist Church of Bakersfield, Calif. Ben Rowell, pastor of First Baptist Church of Rogers, Ark., was re-elected vice chairman.
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