[{"_1":2,"_99":-5,"_100":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6672866,"mediaKeyId","2113109-f1905c9fd4d2567e6599c7e104cd6823","parentId",2113109,"title","Consultants recommend phased approach: outdoor pool fix, optional indoor aquatics, turf field house or full recreation center","audioSeconds",1869,"startMs",4660670,"endMs",6530200,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2113109-f1905c9fd4d2567e6599c7e104cd6823&start=4660&end=6530","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2113109-f1905c9fd4d2567e6599c7e104cd6823/thumbnail_4660670.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6672866/Kennewick-City/Benton-County/Washington/Consultants-recommend-phased-approach-outdoor-pool-fix-optional-indoor-aquatics-turf-field-house-or-full-recreation-center","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6672866-ed72eb4da20e55c8b1088472caa4bc36/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168495&Signature=RDwTLUsfKtoprkQgds5WtU4I0dukjfRGmbJgmWAfFTNFBg~jDj5TK9FPOHwRP2VLEZ38p9nSflgRGrwT2d0~UI69bII-fCqe2s~oPe1k4KGGxEMeis6Vd6sqgWITz-oms2d1Dzc1L0Zz5IZVebxYZiA1iDNtXe0Fw8YZ3l1uW86JfqH7PmvfDJLV9AVm2krduKxd-V7DFLl4fsHCe3rdcMRlsUbWvuj3lNiedNsfCS9WH54SJZIEOWCApB1NQMiP7YPi6LKRQXOX7WdLnFp-yVFwmk7u9DfnKopRPH3vf5uKKUBi8R5yfap~etZZbyImFXuVtOGgaNaEUZsMSzj3mg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Kennewick","date","2025-01-14T00:00:00Z","article","Consultants CSL and Studio CKA presented a final recreation‑center feasibility study to the Kennewick City Council at the Jan. 14 workshop, offering a phased approach that starts with stabilizing and improving the city’s deteriorating outdoor pool and lays out several options for subsequent investments: a standalone indoor aquatics center, an indoor turf field house, renovation/expansion of the Kennewick Activity Center, or a full‑service recreation center that bundles aquatics and gymnasium/community spaces.

Short term: outdoor pool improvements. The consultants proposed a multi‑phase plan for the outdoor facility that they said could keep the pool operational while constructing a new bathhouse and a new recreational leisure pool alongside a competitive lap pool. The presentation estimated the combined phased investment at just under $12,000,000 and included a conservative pro forma that shows an estimated annual operating subsidy of roughly $130,000 in early years.

Medium and long term options and cost/operating outlooks. Consultants presented four principal capital options:
- A 55,000‑square‑foot indoor turf field house (estimated construction cost about $24,000,000). Consultants projected it could generate operating surplus and estimated about $225,000 annual operating surplus by a stabilized year and roughly 5,000 annual hotel room nights by year four from tournaments and regional use.
- A roughly 20,000‑square‑foot standalone indoor aquatics facility (estimated construction cost about $22,000,000) to provide year‑round aquatic programming and supplement the outdoor complex.
- A renovated and expanded Kennewick Activity Center with a roughly 21,000‑square‑foot addition (estimated cost about $13,000,000) to add courts and community programming space.
- A full 61,850‑square‑foot recreation center combining aquatics, gyms and community space (estimated construction cost about $51,000,000). Consultants modeled a larger facility that would serve mainly local residents and estimated an annual operating subsidy on the order of several hundred thousand dollars (their conservative estimate was roughly $373,000 annually), while also projecting several thousand annual hotel room nights and other economic benefits from events and programming.

Funding, governance and next steps. The report analyzes multiple funding tools, including bonds, a Metropolitan Park District (requires voter approval and a new taxing district), public facilities district options, developer contributions and targeted sales or lodging taxes; consultants noted no single funding source typically covers a project of this scale. They discussed governance options—city operation via Parks & Recreation, third‑party management, or formation of a district for larger builds—and included comparative pro formas for each option. Consultants emphasized these are conceptual pathways; no funding decisions were requested at the workshop.

Council questions focused on debt service, operating subsidies, demand assumptions and timing. Council member Jason McShane asked about per‑year debt service on a $10 million borrowing as a point of reference; staff said market rates vary and exact debt service depends on final financing and market conditions. Consultants reiterated the need to weigh short‑term community needs (year‑round aquatics) against long‑term regional event opportunities (indoor turf or larger rec center) and recommended using the feasibility study to inform capital prioritization work already scheduled in late February.

Next steps: staff said the trails and recreation plans will be scheduled for future council adoption items and that the city will bring prioritized capital options back in a late‑February workshop to inform the next budget cycle. The study does not commit the city to any financing or construction; it is a planning tool to inform future decisions.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Kennewick - City Council Workshop - Jan 14, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Consultants CSL and Studio CKA presented a final recreation feasibility study on Jan. 14 recommending the city first stabilize and rebuild the outdoor pool and then consider one or more larger investments—an indoor aquatics center, a turf field house or a full recreation center—each with different costs and operating profiles.","taxTitle","Kennewick City, Benton County, Washington","taxId",5807,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6672871,"Kennewick outlines Pathways & Trails Master Plan with focus on canal service‑roads and ‘Widgeon Way’ branding",4488,2046230,6534440,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2113109-f1905c9fd4d2567e6599c7e104cd6823&start=2046&end=6534","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2113109-f1905c9fd4d2567e6599c7e104cd6823/thumbnail_2046230.jpg","/articles/6672871/Kennewick-City/Benton-County/Washington/Kennewick-outlines-Pathways-Trails-Master-Plan-with-focus-on-canal-serviceroads-and-Widgeon-Way-branding","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6672871-ab0fa64447b95584ed1633457d2d52de/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168495&Signature=DyPXp0zF8JR7DNeQUovnWO~hdU8O7UBqdSHA~GbyTHukHNXDofpQShOiaYmOUlAiwCJ3SDA8env8B4EEgkXZz9qKt08qKnl6fbub0WwLHMGqcPXWTlBOwYC150bW6jUVwpRam0hnmJU0QTM~58x7VaQNdXNf5BUJIznI6a6zczs5mBnZaY-oCqULELBPpX3MPI9lz9C9lSekBQJ7TM3zl~MOV1DE~-Rw95qHN3PvAgVihbWGxL6PkNXjkem~zSn88T4AjHLxoaLJ9RRAaEGxdBHFnoboFlEZSLpfLi-0lguWE7EyZO87qSC781VMkhi8Qif5-XeCBmohKfctcXDJHA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kennewick Parks staff and consultants presented the draft Kennewick Pathways and Trails Master Plan at a Jan. 14 City Council workshop, describing a phased strategy to expand the city’s trail network from about 40 miles today to roughly 63 miles over time and to brand the system as “Widgeon Way.” The plan recommends short‑term, low‑cost “activation” projects—signing, wayfinding, minor gravel improvements and memorandums of agreement (MOUs) with irrigation districts—to open canal service‑roads to legal public use and to increase connectivity with existing trails, parks and community destinations.

“Kennewick is sitting in a position that most other cities would be very, very jealous of,” lead consultant Wendy Wilbur said, noting 40 miles of existing trails and cooperative irrigation districts. Transportation analyst Cameron Bennett described the plan’s priorities, saying activation projects “largely don't require much funding” and that establishing MOUs with the Kennewick Irrigation District and Columbia Irrigation District is the key to unlocking much of the network.

Why it matters: the plan aims to create an interconnected, accessible trail system that supports active transportation, recreation, tourism and grant competitiveness. Consultants said an adopted trail plan is commonly required to leverage federal and state grant funding and that the plan’s Appendix E identifies potential funding sources and partnerships.

Liability, maintenance and partnerships: council members pressed staff on insurance and liability. Council member Jason McShane, who said he works for the Kennewick Irrigation District, explained the district has modeled its agreements on Phoenix‑area examples and noted that irrigation partners require indemnifications and insurance levels. He added that recreational immunity typically applies to cities and counties and not to irrigation districts, so the city’s partnership is important to enable canal trail use. Staff and consultants said detailed MOUs would address fencing, signage, maintenance responsibilities and insurance; some canal reaches may require physical improvements or fencing before being opened to public use.

Project priorities and costs: consultants recommended nine high‑priority projects that generally use existing right‑of‑way and scored segments for constructability, equity and access to destinations such as schools and libraries. Activation steps include pursuing MOUs, establishing a wayfinding/branding program for “Widgeon Way,” pursuing grant funding, installing trail counters and making limited surface and crossing improvements. Consultants noted that more capital‑intensive paving or bridges could follow as funding becomes available and that staff will need to plan for incremental maintenance capacity as the system grows.

Funding and implementation: the presentation said park impact fees and developer agreements can be sources for trail work in growth areas, and Appendix E lists candidate grant programs. Mayor Pro Tem Charlie Torelli praised the funding appendix for mapping likely sources. Staff indicated the plan will return to council for formal adoption at a future meeting and that capital project prioritization will be discussed at an end‑of‑February workshop.

Next steps: consultants recommended the city pursue MOUs with irrigation districts, begin low‑cost activation (signage, hazard fencing, wayfinding), target grant opportunities aligned with priority projects, and return a formal plan resolution to council for adoption. No formal action was taken at the workshop; council discussion centered on implementation details, liability allocations and maintenance responsibilities.","Kennewick Parks staff and consultants presented the draft Kennewick Pathways and Trails Master Plan at a Jan. 14 City Council workshop, proposing to expand the city’s trail network from about 40 miles to roughly 63 miles, largely by formalizing use of existing canal service roads and adopting a branded system called “Widgeon Way.”",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6672874,"Kennewick staff brief council on city guarantee, timeline for bonds to finance 3 Rivers convention center expansion",1982,54341,2036435,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2113109-f1905c9fd4d2567e6599c7e104cd6823&start=54&end=2036","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2113109-f1905c9fd4d2567e6599c7e104cd6823/thumbnail_54341.jpg","/articles/6672874/Kennewick-City/Benton-County/Washington/Kennewick-staff-brief-council-on-city-guarantee-timeline-for-bonds-to-finance-3-Rivers-convention-center-expansion","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6672874-03a6496eafbf6e8beb2baa35d38509cf/orig.mp4?Expires=1771168495&Signature=Fkjq0sDNRV5OSRkusqBI2lV91LW5cqneoIpNe7eLHQbJhe~fap7tj6tmjqeXgdoA0ORWsI7USDe1kGXcm8rk7k~a3MPZp9ION1dUcx~mTgG6R0HbmX2VQ1pkp9RHSraVqaPjpnt-07nITUco~mUJNidqJ89horumFZy29rJ7ZYRmkJfSk3J8pyRGlwb~YoiG9-2Pnx-kSpocOYu-w58MSgus3F6hHG5pnmU5TsMr2CAWQTSGYVYMaDiGnTf0pBNM3CkqPqosoWc9T1ufgH~79l8flvlKnuYTpTQ63~ai8qdALQSKhoKp4L3RabVWsGrIAS50fDeGwatXEieM8b3t-g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Kennewick City staff and outside financing advisers told the City Council at a Jan. 14 workshop that the Kennewick Public Facilities District plans to sell municipal bonds in mid‑March to help finance the 3 Rivers Convention Center expansion and that the city will guarantee the PFD’s debt through a contingent loan arrangement.

The presentation, led by Finance Director Jessica Platt and representatives from Hilltop Securities, Piper Sandler and bond counsel Foster Garvey, said the project is currently estimated at about $71,000,000 and that the PFD would likely borrow roughly in the $50,000,000 range to fund design and construction. “We currently anticipate that the PFD will be selling bonds in mid March,” Hilltop representative Lindsey Sogdi said.

The financing team said the bonds will be sold publicly to investors and that the city’s guarantee means the city would be responsible for debt service if the PFD lacks operating or tax revenues to pay on schedule. “These bonds will be tax exempt,” bond counsel Mark Greenough said, noting ongoing disclosure and federal tax rules that will govern the transaction and the facility’s public‑use requirements.

Why it matters: the contingent loan will affect the city’s nonvoted debt capacity and could require amendments and extensions to several interlocal agreements that currently govern the PFD and its partners. Using 2024 assessed‑value figures, presenters said the city’s nonvoted debt capacity was approximately $174,000,000 and the PFD’s capacity about $58,000,000; staff added that preliminary 2025 assessed value discussions indicate a roughly 4 percent increase to about $12.1 billion, which would raise the city’s nonvoted capacity to about $182,000,000. Council member Jim Trumbo asked whether the interlocal agreements will return to council for approval; staff said the agreements and the contingent loan will be brought back, with the interlocal agreement targeted for council consideration on Feb. 18.

How the sale will work: Hilltop and Piper Sandler described the typical municipal financing steps—preparing a plan of finance and preliminary official statement, seeking a rating, conducting a due‑diligence call, pricing the bonds on a sale date and closing about two weeks later. Presenters said they expect to seek an S&P rating; staff said the city currently carries an S&P rating of AA and that the PFD’s debt would likely receive comparable treatment because it would be backed by the city. Underwriting and cost estimates are still preliminary; Hilltop staff estimated the cost of issuance around 1 percent of par (excluding underwriting discount), and Piper Sandler indicated the underwriting spread and fees are being finalized.

Council questions and context: council members asked about cost components, interest‑rate sensitivity and long‑term debt capacity. Justin Monway of Piper Sandler said current market pricing for a 30‑year paper was “probably in a in the 4 a half percent range,” but cautioned rates are fluid. City staff reported the city’s currently outstanding nonvoted debt at about $38,000,000 (including roughly $2,500,000 tied to KPFD obligations) and said the proposed bond issue would use a substantial portion of the PFD’s capacity but would leave remaining capacity at the city level if the council elects to proceed.

Next steps: presenters said the PFD board will consider adopting a bond resolution at its next meeting; staff expects the PFD’s bond resolution and related interlocal agreement amendments to be routed first through the partner jurisdictions (Pasco, Benton County and others) and then back to Kennewick Council for formal action. No formal council vote occurred at the workshop; the presentation served as an informational briefing and to flag upcoming council decisions.

The financing team encouraged council members to direct questions about rates, structure or legal covenants to staff and the advisers before the Feb. 18 council agenda item.","City staff and external advisers told the Kennewick City Council on Jan. 14 that the Kennewick Public Facilities District expects to sell bonds in mid‑March to finance an expansion of the 3 Rivers Convention Center, and that the city will enter a contingent loan/interlocal agreement to guarantee the debt if the PFD cannot make debt service.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Consultants recommend phased approach: outdoor pool fix, optional indoor aquatics, turf field house or full recreation center

Kennewick outlines Pathways & Trails Master Plan with focus on canal service‑roads and ‘Widgeon Way’ branding

Kennewick staff brief council on city guarantee, timeline for bonds to finance 3 Rivers convention center expansion