DATE: April 7, 2004
TO: Mayor Cushing / Homer City Council
FROM: Beth McKibben
THRU: Walt Wrede
SUBJECT: Town Center Development Committee / Civic Center Feasibility Study
The Town Center Development Committee discussed the idea of promoting the construction of a civic and convention center in the town center at its regular meeting on March 16th. The specific question that the committee considered was whether a feasibility study should be conducted to determine whether a convention center was economically feasible, how it should be sized, and what markets it should target.
In general, the Committee agreed that a civic and convention center was a very good idea because it would provide a civic anchor for the town center and stimulate economic development by building upon the economy that Homer already has. The Committee also agreed that it would be a good idea to have a feasibility study done so that the City will have more information with which to make a decision.
The staff suggested to the Committee that a feasibility study would likely cost between $20,000 and $30,000. It was also suggested that this project might be eligible for a DCED mini-grant. The committee asked staff to explore that idea further. A motion was adopted to recommend to the City Council that the City conduct a feasibility study as soon as possible.
RECOMMENDATION:
The Town Center Development Committee recommends that the City
Council appropriate the money to conduct a feasibility study as soon as
possible. THAT THE CITY
COUNCIL RECOMMENDS THAT THE CITY MANAGER IDENTIFY EXISTING FUND BALANCES
AVAILABLE AND APPROPRIATE FOR A CONVENTION CENTER FEASIBILITY STUDY AND PRESENT
A FUNDING SCENARIO AT THE SECOND COUNCIL MEETING IN MAY