Representative Shelly Kloba presented House Bill 1024 to the Environment & Energy Committee to correct a statutory inconsistency and allow the State Parks and Recreation Commission to consider 80-year leases at St. Edward State Park, the same maximum lease period now available for other state parks.

Srinandan Ramachandran, nonpartisan staff, told the committee that St. Edward’s statutory exception dates to 2016 when the commission was authorized to enter a 62-year lease to enable rehabilitation and financing of the seminary buildings at the park. The broader increase from 50 to 80 years for other parks was enacted in 2020, but the 62-year exception for St. Edward remained. HB 1024 would raise St. Edward’s cap to 80 years to match other park properties and remove the anomaly.

Owen Rowe, legislative director for Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission, described the original financing need that prompted the 2016 exception. He said the lodge project that followed produced an “over $60,000,000 investment” to rehabilitate the historic seminary buildings and create the Lodge at St. Edward, and that the 62-year limit is now an outlier compared with current law. Extending the authorized lease length, Rowe testified, would level the playing field and permit the commission to negotiate lease terms that support continued investment and the lodge’s financial viability.

James Daniels, speaking on behalf of his parents Kevin and Mary Daniels (owners and operators of the lodge), said an extension to 80 years could enable additional private investment — he cited a potential $30 million to $40 million net investment scenario and said a longer lease would help secure financing for projects such as a proposed Nordic spa and could create up to about 50 permanent positions. “The commission can agree to 80-year leases for all state parks except us,” Daniels said, urging a correction to the statute so lenders and partners will have the term lengths they expect.

Representative Kloba characterized the bill as a simple technical fix that does not cost the state money; she said it would open options for private investment to improve park facilities while preserving public access.

There was no recorded opposition during the hearing. The committee heard proponents and closed testimony on HB 1024 before moving on to the next agenda item; no vote was taken during the hearing.

Ending: The bill was presented as a technical correction to remove an unintended statutory limitation at St. Edward State Park and supporters said it would permit further private investment in the lodge and park amenities without direct state capital outlay.