Archive for Monday, May 8, 2006
Hayden in the spotlight
Study to examine economic impact of sports complex
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An economic impact study will be used to determine the feasibility of a sports complex in Hayden.
The complex would include baseball and softball fields that could be used by Triple Crown Sports.
"Our understanding is that it's under contract, but we don't know with whom," said Brian Berndt, Steamboat Springs' assistant director of planning services.
Berndt said Mary Brown told them about the contract a couple weeks ago, but she did not specify how much of the property was under contract.
When asked Monday in a telephone interview whether her land was under contract, Brown said, "I don't have anything to say about that."
The Browns own about 540 acres west of the town, about 85 percent of the land identified in the West of Steamboat Springs Area Plan. The plan identifies the land as the most logical place for residential growth around Steamboat.
In recent years, officials have been tweaking the plan to make it more desirable for developers. In the coming weeks, a revised plan likely will be up for adoption that would reduce the affordable housing requirement from the original 33 percent to 15 percent.
Brown has said she has seen fresh interest in the property from the developers since the plan was rewritten. Apparently that interest has evolved into a contract.
Brown has said she envisions a community environment with a variety of housing options, commercial property and possibly some light industrial property.
"Our significant motivation at the end of development is to really be able to look at what occurred there with some pride and to feel like it is a significant asset to the community," she said.
The Yampa Valley Economic Development Council has developed a timeline and a draft of the scope of work and questions the agency hopes the economic impact study will answer.
The Economic Development Council is composed of elected officials from Routt County, Rio Blanco County, Moffat County, the town of Hayden and the city of Steamboat Springs.
The entities have until Thursday to provide feedback about the scope of work to be completed by an impact study. The draft calls for analyzing the revenues from hosting tournaments, predicting how much money visitors will spend and where they will spend it, the impact of increased traffic and what it would cost to build and operate the facility.
"To us it's very important to answer some of these questions," Hayden Town Manager Russ Martin said. "I don't think it will answer all the questions, because, by its nature, it's an economic study."
Some Hayden officials said the study will be key in the decision they make.
"I'm not convinced one way or another, but prove to me by preponderance of evidence that it is a good project and we will go from there," Hayden Mayor Joe Schminkey said.
The facilities likely would include baseball, softball, multi-use fields and likely would host Triple Crown youth and adult baseball and softball tournaments. Triple Crown officials have said they would leave unless new fields are built in the area.
The YVEDC is forming a work committee to oversee the impact study. The committee will be composed of two representatives from Steamboat, Hayden and Craig. There will be one Routt County representative and two at-large positions, which will be selected by the other members.
The study is expected to cost between $25,000 and $35,000. The town of Hayden has $2,000 budgeted for the study. The city of Steamboat is expected to pay most of the costs.
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