Hopeful PFD holds block party

Though the grand opening celebration for the Spokane Convention Center expansion is still weeks away, plans already have been launched for another space addition.

On Thursday morning, the Spokane Public Facilities District convened a group of property owners, businesspeople and economic development representatives to discuss possible uses for the city block across the street to the south from the INB Performing Arts Center.

That block, bounded by Spokane Falls Boulevard, Main Avenue, Washington and Bernard streets, is owned by three parties. Architect Glen Cloninger owns slightly more than half the block. Diamond Parking owns about 30 percent. And the PFD controls the remaining 20 percent or so.

The PFD would like to see a building on the block that includes three levels of parking, additional exhibit-hall and meeting-room space and ground-floor retail shops. Three scenarios were presented Thursday that also showed part of the block dedicated to private commercial space either along Washington, Bernard or Main.

For those who believe the 100,000-square-foot expansion satisfies the city’s future convention center needs, think again, said Spokane Regional Convention and Visitors Bureau President Harry Sladich. Spokane is competing not only with other convention centers, but also with hotels in other cities that offer as much exhibit hall space as the expansion, Sladich said.

“If we stop, we’re also going to stop our progress,” Sladich said.

The PFD has $3.8 million designated to purchase as much of the additional property on that block as possible, said Kevin Twohig, the district’s executive director. He said that was enough to buy some of the property, but not all of it. Twohig said the state might help fund a capital project, but would not help buy land.

Twohig envisions the district using revenue from a parking garage to help maintain the future convention center facility, as is done at the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena.

“Parking goes a long way toward making the Arena profitable,” he said. “We think the same equation will work for the Convention Center.”

While it’s not clear whether the property owners would do the development together or whether the PFD would succeed at purchasing the additional land, Cloninger and Dan Geiger of Diamond Parking said they’re interested in working out a deal. Geiger asked whether the PFD preferred to do the project alone or with the other property owners.

In response, PFD board member Mick McDowell said securing money from the state for a capital project would be easier if the PFD owned most of the property. He said satisfying the needs of all three owners would be difficult, but he is confident issues would be resolved within the next six months.

“The PFD is more than willing to pay our neighboring property owners market value for their property,” McDowell said later in an interview. “Lacking that cooperation, we will pursue all options available.”