Arena Board Split On City Expansion Plan Proposal For Bigger Convention Center Needs Support Of Facilities District

Thu., April 22, 1999

By Oliver Staley olivers@spokesman.com

If members of the Public Facilities District board are opposed to enlarging its mission to expand the Spokane Convention Center, it is not unanimous.

Divisions on the board were revealed Wednesday as City Manager Bill Pupo and entertainment facilities director Mike Kobluk answered board members’ questions about the expansion project.

The current proposal would use the Public Facilities District as a funding mechanism to channel state sales tax funds into the $85 million expansion, which is expected to generate millions in revenue for the city.

The project also would extend the life of sales and hotel-motel taxes that are currently devoted to the Spokane Arena.

The Public Facilities District is an independent governmental agency formed to fund and manage the Spokane Arena, with a board made up of representatives from the city and county.

The Convention Center plan would allow city and county voters to expand the district’s authority to include the city’s other entertainment facilities, including the Convention Center.

Board chairman Carl Lind has been vocal in his reluctance to support the project and worried about exposing the Arena to financial risk.

“What’s in it for the district?” Lind asked Pupo and Kobluk.

Other board members, however, objected to the question.

“The benefit is not to us individually,” board member Trish McFarlan said. “I’m offended by that question. I don’t think it’s appropriate.”

Lind asked that the city discuss granting the district concessions, such as ownership of the Arena parking lots, in order to ensure its support of the Convention Center expansion.

“You need us,” Lind told Pupo. “We don’t really need another project if it doesn’t serve the best interest of the Arena.”

But board member Ed Clark asked Lind to consider the impact the expanded Convention Center would have for the community.

“It’s not the city that needs us, it’s the citizens that need us,” Clark said. “It’s not an us-or-them decision.”

Pupo and Kobluk acknowledged that Lind needed to be convinced of the plan to gain his support, and agreed to meet with him at a later date with city bond attorney Roy Koegen.

As to whether the facilities district should expand its scope to take on the Convention Center, ultimately the county’s citizens will decide that in a vote, Pupo said.

“That’s where the rubber hits the road,” he said.

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