WENDELL - The road to a 2012 Wendell wonderland Christmas event built upon a 200,000-light display offered to the town in August will be a bumpy one.

At Monday's town board meeting, commissioners and the light show creators discussed locations for the display and found themselves on opposite ends of downtown.

Don Williams, who created the synchronized music and light show that has drawn thousands of visitors to his home on Lake Myra Road during the past decade, proposed moving the annual event off his property and into Wendell Park beginning in 2012.

According to Williams, the most suitable location for the display is on the T-ball field.

Commissioners would prefer the display set up in the heart of downtown at J. Ashley Square.

"In our discussions about economic development we're told to keep things downtown. I'd like to see it downtown. If we can bring in crowds 45 nights maybe it would entice a restaurant to come in, or keep the businesses open," Commissioner Sid Baynes said.

"The best options seem to be the town square and the T-ball field. I'm focused on Option A (the town square), it's ideal for the most impact on the town. I'm curious to hear from Mr. Williams what are the limitations. Is the show possible there or is it not?" Commissioner Christie Adams said. "Access to the T-ball field is a concern for me, but the park is a public facility to use for all facets of activity, not just ballgames. I hope we can work something out."

The town square provides a paved area and access to an electrical system powerful enough to run the show, plus it would be the least expensive location to provide other necessities like restrooms and parking, Interim Town Manager Teresa Piner said.

But Williams said the room available is just too small and shrinking the light show to fit the space would diminish the attraction.

"I'd love to be there, (the town square) is a great site. It's got the power, the stage; but it will not work," Williams said. "It's way too small. It would only hold a third of the display. And the Lake Myra light show is not a walk through display."

Williams said the show includes a 30- to 45-minute music and light performance, which needs to be seen from the front. It is not just a light display.

Williams' preferred site on the T-ball field does not have the electricity, the stage, the restrooms or the parking in place, but provides enough space for the show, which takes up nearly the full length and more than half the width of a football field.

There is open space near the community center which could be used for parking and the other needs would be expensive but could be met - but the biggest problem with the site is the show would eliminate the fall soccer season and possibly effect the spring T-ball season.

Soccer games are played every weekday in the fall on the T-ball field.

Williams said for at least the first year of the show, he would like to begin setting up in August to have adequate time to prepare the new location. The show would run nightly for approximately 45 days during the holiday season, which could cause the grass to die or effect how it grows in the spring.

"The bottom line is there are a lot of ballgames out there. We do not want to cut soccer, we do not want to tear up the turf. It's not fair if we bring something in to lose what we already have," Commissioner Ginna Gray said.

Downtown there are not parking issues, there's power, it's paved, it answers all the issues that have been brought up. I'm in favor of Option A right now."

Other options

Piner also presented two other locations on the Wendell Park property - near the tennis courts and beyond the T-ball field - but those sites didn't enter into Monday night's conversation.

"I'd like to see this downtown. We might have to start a little smaller than Williams has done it, at first," Commissioner Carol Hinnant said.

The discussion included the cost of temporary preparations as well as some projects that could be done in connection with the display that would provide long term benefits for the park, but those issues were pushed aside to focus on working out a location the town and organizers could agree on.

"Let's not take Option A off the table. There is area available," Hinnant said.

"I prefer the square, but Mr. Williams has provided answers about why it won't work. If the best option is (the T-ball field) give it back to the staff and come back in 30 days to work out any overlaps or conflicts," Commissioner Ira Fuller said.