With Jefferson City's conference center plans in limbo, one idea of how to use the project's funds has resurfaced - merging them with funds for a proposed multipurpose building to allow for a larger facility.
At a City Council meeting early this month, council members voted 9-1 to reject conference center proposals from the Jefferson City-based Farmer Holding Co. and the Hannibal-based Ehrhardt Hospitality Group after nearly two years of work on the process. After the vote, most council members said it was time to put the concept on the shelf and get public input on how the lodging tax funds should be used.
But at a Parks and Recreation Commission meeting earlier this month, commission member Darryl Winegar mentioned the idea of having the commission make a presentation to the City Council to merge the two pools of money for one project, noting it could be a direction to a "grander vision." At that meeting, commission member Brad Bates also noted the project likely would draw people to the community, fulfilling the promotion of tourism that the conference center funds are legally slated for because of the ballot language for the lodging tax increase.
The Parks and Recreation Commission has been working toward construction of a multipurpose building, but recently has struggled with the project's budget. The department has identified roughly $5 million for the facility, but commission members have indicated a desire for a facility that likely would cost closer to $8 million.
Winegar said by merging the two funds, the city would be able to achieve a larger facility that could attract a large number of people from throughout the state.
"I think it's worth discussing," Winegar said. "I believe it's a wise option to at least consider."
Winegar said the decision to reject two conference center proposals was disappointing, but it now leaves open the option to merge the projects. He said he believes an athletic facility would provide the same draw to bring in families from all over the state who would then stay in local hotels, eat at local restaurants and shop at local businesses.
"It's amazing how people spend money on their families and their kids after these events," Winegar said. "It would also give you the medium to bring in a tremendous amount of people from other communities."
Several council members said they'd be willing to hear the idea, as they would almost any other at this point, but it's too soon to say whether such a project would work.
Some noted the main issue would be making sure such an idea would adhere to the ballot language from when the lodging tax increase was approved, which stated that the funds would be used for the promotion of tourism.
"It has to meet the goal of increasing tourism and putting heads in beds," said 3rd Ward Councilman Bob Scrivner.
Second Ward Councilman J. Rich Mihalevich said though the idea is "worthy of consideration," the council needs to figure out if it adheres to the spirit of what was promised when voters approved the lodging tax increase.
Third Ward Councilman Ken Hussey said the idea does hold true to the ballot language and he supports finding ways to collaborate on these types of projects.
"We have a good opportunity right now to really explore options like this," Hussey said. "That excites me."
First Ward Councilmen Rick Prather and James Branch both said the city needs to not rush into a new project and take the time to listen to the public.
Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department Director Bill Lockwood said the idea is very premature and there are several obstacles in the way. One of the larger ones, he said, is that the department has always planned on subsidizing the multipurpose building's operations and the council has consistently said it would not support any general fund subsidy to a conference center.
"I think it's probably premature," Lockwood said. "This is a facility that would have to be subsidized."
Fourth Ward Councilmen Carlos Graham and Glen Costales both said they are open to any idea and want to hear from the public about what they would like to see but both specified they remain completely against any subsidy being used for such a facility.
Winegar said it could be possible that by building a larger facility that attracted more people, it would need less of a subsidy and could become a revenue generator.
Lockwood said they also would need to be able to balance local interests with out of town interests, since the multipurpose building would be geared toward local people who shouldn't be blocked from using the facility because of those coming in from out of town.
Another obstacle Lockwood identified is the location for such a facility.
The commission has identified Riverside Park, on the city's east side, as the location for a multipurpose building, while the council has expressed a desire to have a conference center located in the downtown core. Lockwood said the department's studies have stated the multipurpose building would be preferable in a "park-like setting" and needs to be in a location where it can be expanded in future phases as funds become available. Both of those requirements would be hard to achieve in the city's downtown, he said.
Winegar said obviously a lot would have to be worked out between the council and the commission to make the idea workable, but that shouldn't stop the discussion.
"The devil's in the details," Winegar said. "But you get a win-win."
Two years ago, former City Administrator Nathan Nickolaus said Mayor Eric Struemph was looking into an idea for a civic center that would combine the conference center and multipurpose building funds. Lockwood noted the idea was brought up in town hall meetings held around that time, but said the idea was "not deemed desirable."
The concept was not explored further publicly and, a few months later, the council launched into drafting a request for proposals for a conference center.
Struemph did not say why the civic center was not explored further, but said throughout the next few months the city needs to solicit public input through town hall meetings.
"What we just went through was somewhat divisive," Struemph said. "We need to take a step back, take a little healing time ... regroup and see what we want to do and go from there."