Land deal puts arena on track

Here's an interesting article from the Wenatchee World regarding the new $48 million dollar arena to be built on the Wenatchee waterfront.

Land deal puts arena on track

http://wenatcheeworld.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070404/NEWS04/704040334/0/FRONTPAGE

WENATCHEE -- A deal Mayor Dennis Johnson called the "linchpin" in the process to build the 5,000-seat Greater Wenatchee Regional Events Center has been worked out after a week of negotiations.

Ken Blodgett, owner of the 10-acre plot on Walla Walla Avenue where the events center will be built, said Tuesday that he's agreed to transfer control of the property to Global Entertainment, the company building the $48 million arena.

"Everything's positive," Blodgett said. "We're in unison."

Blodgett and Global President Rick Kozuback both said that papers need to be prepared before they are signed but that they've settled on terms. They said the deal -- a private matter the details of which were not disclosed -- should be sealed in writing by week's end.

"I think everything is due to come together," said Kozuback.

The settlement between Blodgett and Global caps a series of snags that have delayed the arena's opening 10 months.

Construction started in September with Blodgett as the builder. Bad weather slowed progress early on and last month the project faltered when Blodgett, a local contractor without a track record of executing arena-like projects, said he couldn't secure financing.

That's when Global, a Phoenix-based company that had planned only to manage the events center, upped its stake by committing to build it. The change meant scrapping the original contract between the city and Blodgett and quick crafting of a new one between the city and Global.

A couple of kinks resulted: The project price tag went up $4.3 million -- about 10 percent -- because of increased lending fees and the new primary player -- Global -- didn't own the arena site across from Walla Walla Point Park.

The original plan had the city turning over its ice rink property at Riverfront Park to Blodgett in exchange for the Walla Walla plot once construction of the arena concluded. When Blodgett couldn't get financing and Global took over as builder, the city took the land swap off the table, and made its consent to the new contract contingent upon Blodgett and Global working out an arrangement. That apparently is what has happened, clearing the way for construction to continue.

Robert Knowles, a local architect hired by the Public Facilities District to oversee building of the arena, said full-scale work should resume toward the end of the month. The Public Facilities District is a taxing entity representing several jurisdictions that is authorized by the state to collect sales taxes to put toward the arena.

Knowles and Kozuback said the events center is on track to open by the August 2008 deadline fixed in the new contract.

Wenatchee Mayor Dennis Johnson could not be reached for comment.

Given the project's fits and starts so far, Councilman Frank Kuntz said he'll relax when he sees work crews on site but that he's still excited about Blodgett and Global coming to terms.

"It looks like the final piece of the puzzle is put together ... I just want to see construction happening. That means it's a done deal."

Jay Patrick: 664-7155

patrick@wenworld.com