Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout09/08/2010 Adjourned Meeting - Study Session 325 YAKIMA CITY COUNCIL ADJOURNED MEETING — STUDY SESSION SEPTEMBER 8, 2010 — 9:00 — 10:30 A.M. COUNCIL CHAMBERS — YAKIMA CITY HALL 1. RoII Cali Present: Council: Mayor Micah Cawley, presiding, Assistant Mayor Kathy Coffey, Council Members Maureen Adkison, Dave Edler, Rick Ensey, Dave Ettl and Bill Lover Staff: City Manager Zais, Acting City Clerk Claar -Tee, Finance Director DeBord and Director of Community and Economic Development Morales Mayor Cawley called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. 2. New Yakima Bears Stadium o Review interest in opportunities for supporting the proposed Yakima Bears stadium • Request for direction regarding economic feasibility analysis regarding the proposed Yakima Bears stadium City Manager Zais gave opening remarks describing the material supplied regarding the necessary economic fiduciary analysis and funding proposal needed for the city to be involved in a new stadium. He described three fundamental issues: financial underwriting; infrastructure needs to support access to a stadium and methods of funding them; and the issue of the lease. He also referred to the staff's current work overload and the difficulty there will be in making the time to accomplish those tasks. K. L. Wombacher, General Manager of the Bears, presented their view on a new stadium. He emphasized that rather than this being only about a baseball stadium, it is an opportunity for the city to shape the next 100 years. They hope the city can share the vision. He claimed that the only way the project would work is through a public /private partnership. Mike Thiessen, a consultant from Chicago hired by the Bears, stated that all that is required to move forward is conversation and hard work. Mike McMurray, owner of the Bears, also claimed that this is a vision of the future and an opportunity to make something exciting happen in Yakima. He promised they would do due diligence. 326 SEPTEMBER 8, 2010 STUDY SESSION — YAKIMA BEARS STADIUM Council discussion /questions: A feasibility study would cost between $75,000 and $100,000. City Manager Zais said we do not want to impact the General Fund budget but another option would be to use $50,000 from the general contingency fund and possibly $25,000 from unspent professional services money in the Economic Development fund. Another alternative would be to ask either the Bears or the ownership of the mill site if they would make a contribution toward this study. K. L. Wombacher shared that the feasibility study commissioned a year ago, which was paid for by SIED funds, reviewed three different alternatives: renovating the current stadium, building a new one on the fairgrounds, or building a new one close to downtown. The first alternative was eliminated because the footprint was too small. The reconstruction of Yakima County stadium showed a profit of only $26- $28,000; at that level, one rain -out would eliminate any profit. The study showed that a new stadium would have a profit of approximately $186,000. They felt the study showed that a new stadium was feasible in Yakima. They have already spent $80- $100,000 and do not have the money for another study. They have been operating at a loss for the last ten years. Council Member Edler pointed out that the reason he wanted a study session on this topic was to find out if the Council is even interested in pursuing a new stadium before investing staff time and getting into the details of the project. Council Member Ensey said there are two very important details to him; can this be done without a tax increase and the lease details. Council Member Ettl also stressed the importance of the lease details. Discussion continued on funding options, e.g. LIFT funds and SIED funding. Mr. Morales clarified that LIFT funds could not be the total package but just a piece of it. It may require a tax increase to go before the voters. Mr. Thiessen assured Council that the Bears would assume the operational costs of the stadium. Mrs. DeBord clarified that LIFT money ($10 million) is not funding for the project up front but is potential recovery of debt service in the future. There is not $10 million in the bank we can apply to the project. Even if we are able to use LIFT money, it doesn't help us find the money for the project up front. Council Member Lover suggested that we must determine quickly if we're going to need Union Gap or Selah involved in this package. City Manager Zais clarified that a Selah /Union Gap connection would be if a public facilities option were to be entertained. There have been no communications with them on this issue to date. ADKISON MOVED AND COFFEY SECONDED TO SPEND THE $75,000 IDENTIFIED FOR A STUDY ON THE POSSIBILITY OF THIS BEING A SUCCESS. The motion carried by a 5 -2 roll call vote; Ensey and Lover voting no. 327 SEPTEMBER 8, 2010 STUDY SESSION — YAKIMA BEARS STADIUM 3. Audience Comments Jan Lowell, Jamie Stickel, Claire Powell, Jim Foster, and Mike Isaacs spoke in support of the proposed stadium and urged Council to move forward with the study. 4. Adjournment EDLER MOVED AND ETTL SECONDED TO ADJOURN TO SEPTEMBER 9, 2010 AT 7 :00 P.M. FOR A PUBLIC HEARING REGARDING COUNCIL - MANAGER/MAYOR- COUNCIL FORMS OF GOVERNMENT IN CITY HALL COUNCIL CHAMBERS. The motion carried by unanimous voice vote. The meeting adjourned at 10:32 a.m. READ AND CERTIFIED ACCURATE BY aft/ a2'(u COUNCIL MEMBER DATE OUNCIL MEMBER DATE ATTEST: - 4/e--sle CITY CL ' K MICAH CAWL , MAYOR Minutes prepared by Linda Watkins. A CD and DVD of this meeting are available in the City Clerk's Office