Jim Kershner’s This day in history » On the Web: spokesman.com/topics/local-history

From our archives, 100 years ago

The Inland Empire Amusement Co. announced plans to build a giant “amusement castle” – the “finest fun factory in the West.”

The company bought property on Riverside Avenue, fronting Jefferson Street and said it was about to start work on Buenos Tiempo, a Spanish mission-style building that would house:

• A swimming pool, 80 feet by 160 feet and 12 feet deep, with a full array of diving boards and slides. Also, it would have a “big fountain, similar to the one in the tank at Venice, Calif.”

• A huge ballroom/lodge room big enough to accommodate 225 couples. It would be rented out to fraternal societies and social clubs.

• Eight bowling alleys.

• A rifle gallery.

• A billiard room.

• The biggest, “by far,” roller skating rink in the city.

• Noodle rooms and tea rooms, staffed by “Chinese boys in fancy costumes.”

This news occasioned great excitement, especially, it’s safe to guess, among Spokane’s schoolchildren. The owners said they would begin construction right away.

Unfortunately, the excitement didn’t last. Six months later, the company was still trying to sell stock to finance the project. I could find no evidence that this “amusement castle” was ever built.