City of Winston-Salem officials discuss selling Joel Coliseum, Bowman Gray Stadium

(By LAURA GRAFF AND JOHN DELL, Winston-Salem Journal) - Winston-Salem city officials are talking again about selling Joel Coliseum and Bowman Gray Stadium to Wake Forest and Winston-Salem State universities, respectively, in an effort to save money.

The talks, which City Manager Lee Garrity said have been ongoing for a number of years, are included on a list of his priorities for the city for 2011.

Garrity said city officials have sent the schools letters outlining each facility's financial performance and other issues — such as keeping the coliseum available for entertainment events and the stadium open to racing — that would have to be addressed before either venue could be sold.

The city has lost a total about $850,000 a year for the last five years on the two facilities, Garrity said. Winston-Salem spends an additional $1.5 million paying down the debt the city incurred to build or improve them.