Judge Rules Documents Private For Now

Financial documents related to the River Park Square redevelopment project are only temporarily exempt from public disclosure, a judge ruled Thursday.

State law clearly exempts the release of the documents while they are being used to apply for economic development dollars, said Spokane County Superior Court Judge Linda Tompkins.

“Once the application is complete, the reason for the exemption disappears,” she said.

Attorney Steve Eugster sued the city for the release of several documents.

They include a Nordstrom lease, which is being used as collateral for a $22.65 million loan from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Attorneys for the city and the two companies that own River Park Square argued the documents contained proprietary information that would give the shopping center’s competitors an unfair advantage.

Eugster argued the documents should be disclosed because they were being used by city officials as a basis for deciding whether to help developers secure the federal loan.

Eugster said he planned to appeal the ruling. Under Tompkins’ decision, the documents wouldn’t be released until after the council votes on the loan Monday night, he said.

Tompkins said she would determine by next week when the loan application period will end.

Duane Swinton, attorney for the developers, said he wouldn’t comment on the decision until Tompkins’ determination.

Stan Schwartz, assistant city attorney, called the decision “well-reasoned.”

River Park Square is owned by Citizens Realty Co. and Lincoln Investment Co., affiliates of Cowles Publishing Co., which owns The Spokesman-Review.

, DataTimes