Winston-Salem seeks sale of 2 sports venues

WINSTON-SALEM, NC (AP) — Winston-Salem officials are determined to sell two city-owned sports arenas to universities in town.

The Winston-Salem Journal reports city officials say they’ll aggressively pursue negotiations with Wake Forest University and Winston-Salem State University about selling Joel Coliseum and Bowman Gray Stadium.

Assistant city manager Martha Wheelock says neither school has made a written purchase offer, but each has expressed interest. Wheelock says the city would save about $1.6 million a year in operating costs and debt payments by selling the buildings.

Wake Forest plays its basketball games in Joel Coliseum, which has been appraised at about $37 million. Bowman Gray Stadium hosts Winston-Salem State football games in the fall and stock car races each Saturday through the spring and summer. It’s valued at about $10 million.

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