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