“Things go better with Coke,” according to the advertising slogan. This is especially true for the Douglas County Parks and Recreation Department which will receive 10 new park scoreboards in exchange for selling only Coca-Cola beverage products.

The Board of Commissioners (BOC) is expected to approve a contract today which specifies that Coca-Cola will provide four scoreboards for Winston Park, four scoreboards for the new Lithia Springs Park and two additional scoreboards, with locations to be determined later by the county.

Coke will maintain upkeep and maintenance of the scoreboards at no cost to the county.

The company also agreed to provide up to $150 per park in product promotional items, including athletic equipment, coolers, squeeze bottles, towels and cups. Coca-Cola will also provide drink machines and coolers at the athletic parks and will pay the county general fund $1 per case of beverages sold in county parks.

The contract declares, that in exchange for these products, “Douglas County allows the Atlanta Coca-Cola Bottling Company to be the exclusive vendor for beverage sales in Douglas County parks, beverage sales to be soft drinks, sports drinks, water, tea, energy drinks, juice drinks and juice.”

Gary Dukes, parks and recreation director, said Coca-Cola ownership of the scoreboards is a huge benefit to the county.

“It’s a tremendous advantage for them to come change the lights on the scoreboards,” Dukes said. The company also works on the electronic “brains” that make the units operate, he added.

Wes Tallon, county communications and community relations director, said the county and Coca-Cola began the mutual agreements two years ago at Boundary Waters Park.

“They provided eight scoreboards for Boundary Waters and continued the relationship with our September Saturdays,” Tallon said.

He said Coca-Cola made every change in the contract that the county requested.

“I think it’s a good agreement for everybody,” Tallon said.

The contract is for 10 years, but must be renewed annually, he noted.

In addition to carbonated drinks, Coca-Cola products listed in the contract include Dasani water, Minute Maid juices and juice drinks, Glaceau Vitamin Water, Nestea and Powerade sports drinks.