Return to site events center near bus station

In his presentation to Elko County commissioners, he said the current proposal is for the center to be built “entirely” on the bus station site to alleviate noise issues. Fundraising for the estimated $32 million project has begun.

Bahr said the bus station site will be “less intrusive to the rest of the community” than other sites being considered.

The Boys and Girls Club looked at land near the Komatsu building and the bus depot site and decided on the location of the bus depot before learning of another potential site. Bahr said a developer was willing to donate 100 acres to Spring Creek, but there were water and sewer issues.

“The offer just wasn't viable,” Jenna Campbell, director of operations for the Boys & Girls Club, said Friday.

Bahr said in early May, when the Boys & Girls Club was investigating the latest potential location, a confidentiality agreement prevented more details from being obtained.

The bus station property involves 5.648 acres of city of Elko land and 22.86 acres of U.S. Bureau of Land Management land leased to the school district, and Bahr told commissioners Wednesday he will appear before the Elko City Council regarding the city-owned portion of the site.

According to the agenda for the June 11 Elko City Council meeting, the council will consider setting aside 5.6 acres of municipal land for the events center for one year rather than initiating a relocation process. owner.

Complaint letters about the bus station location reported in early May included potential impacts on residents of Canyon Crossing and Kittridge Canyon and traffic issues at Ruby Vista Drive.

The Boys and Girls Club originally planned to build an event center at Kump Field in the city, but that plan fell through due to congestion on the field.

The Boys and Girls Club plans to operate the center, but Elko County will have oversight as it provides $15 million for the facility that would host a variety of events ranging from concerts to rodeos to Horse shows, carnivals, a Cowboy Bar, sporting events and more, including the Silver State Stampede.

Bahr said the 50,000 to 70,000 square foot event center will not compete with the Elko Convention and Visitors Authority because the center's events will be larger than ECVA can accommodate, with 8,000 to 10,000 people .

He also said he wanted to “make clear that this is not an equestrian facility. The ground will be hard. »

Land will be brought in for equestrian events, but the plan is to also accommodate artists who need a large venue, Bahr said, also noting that the center will need a minimum of 13 events per year to reach the break-even point, and that the project will be “progressive”. over the years.”

Bahr also assured commissioners that he knew the project would be difficult to complete with all the hoops to jump through, such as a traffic study for the city, and that the Boys and Girls Club will work with the city, county, district school and the BLM.

Casey Gallaher, president of the Boys and Girls Club board of directors, said, “It's exciting to see what the final project will be,” and he told commissioners the county should view the project as an investment, because it will increase taxes. base.

“It’s about making the pie bigger,” Commissioner Delmo Andreozzi said.

Commissioner Rex Steninger said the event center is “the only project that promises us a return on investment.” This is going to be great for our community.

Bahr also highlighted the event center project under the leadership of the Boys and Girls Club because a private-public partnership would not be considered a public works project that would require prevailing wages. The event center would be too expensive given prevailing wage requirements, he said.