Council members raise concerns about Lowell sports complex

Lowell City Council members said they are growing concerned as the clock ticks on a lease agreement between the city and a company that plans to build a sports complex on city land.

The agreement allows Life Wellness USA to lease 30 acres of land for $1 a year for 25 years. The company in turn promised to build a 230,000-square-foot athletic and therapy facility. City Council members approved the lease in February, and it was signed in May.

Council member Kendell Stucki said he is concerned the council has not been updated on the project in a while.

"I have lost confidence in this project even happening," Stucki said. "Two months ago, we were supposed to have a meeting with them, and they have canceled twice. I am worried, and I am concerned."

The agreement can be terminated if the company has not started construction by Feb. 9, the lease states. The lease gives the company 270 days from the day it was signed on May 15 to start construction. As of Friday, 140 days had passed.

The company previously told the city it plans to build the $30 million facility to house basketball and volleyball courts, soccer fields, an Olympic-sized pool and therapy center.

Mayor Eldon Long said he is eager to hear a presentation the company has said it will make during the council's next meeting Oct. 20

"I am aware that there are some revisions that will be more beneficial to Lowell," Long said. "I am anxious to see what these additional revisions may look like and what it will consist of."

Officials with Life Wellness previously said construction could possibly start in June. Long said in August construction could start in September. Long said he hasn't received recent word on when the project could start or details about revisions.

Richard Hutzler, president of the company, said last week the Lowell project was delayed as the city waited for a Cave Springs land study to be released. He wouldn't reveal a new timeline for the project before talking to the City Council in October, he said.

Council member Thomas Evers said he has been concerned about the company for some time. The company was supposed to have private funding set up before the lease agreement, but company officials later said they needed the agreement to get the funding, he said.

Evers also questioned the company during a February meeting about another facility company officials have said is in the works in Flagstaff, Ariz.

Jay Mejia, Life Wellness USA managing principal, addressed the board during that meeting. He said the company planned to begin the Flagstaff facility first, but later decided the Lowell facility would be first. Meija told the council the Flagstaff project had issues that would slow it.

"The land the city secured for us is close to an observatory," Mejia told the council. "We are having to deal with dark sky lighting codes."

He said the company planned to start with the Flagstaff project as soon as the financing was established for Lowell.

Gail Jackson, Flagstaff business attraction manager, had trouble remembering Life Wellness USA when first asked about the company's proposed project in Flagstaff. She said city officials had conversations with Life Wellness USA officials, but the city didn't specify any site options for the company.

"There was significantly more we need to understand about the project before we would be able to perform a procurement process or bring the potential provision of land to the City Council," Jackson said via email. "The last time I had contact with this group was on Jan. 28, 2015."

Hutzler has said multiple times in interviews in recent weeks Life Wellness USA was still working with Flagstaff. He said the company was discussing a specific site with Flagstaff and was waiting on a non-disclosure agreement from the city.

"I don't want to go too deep because I don't want to jeopardize this," Hutzler said. "I don't want to mess up anything that is going on out there because they may not be able to talk about it. It is a big economic boost for them as well."

Evers said he wasn't surprised to hear conflicting stories between Flagstaff and Life Wellness USA officials.

"I questioned them pretty good on that project," Evers said. "I hope the due diligence was done so that what we voted on becomes a long-term project."

Long, who attended the February meeting, said did not remember mention of the Flagstaff project.

"I have had no discussions with anyone from Flagstaff," Long said. "As far as the remarks made at the February meeting, if he made those, I have no reason to doubt that isn't taking place."

Several council members said they would research the Life Wellness USA project further after hearing about Flagstaff officials' comments.

Council member David Adams said he is being cautious.

"I know the mayor assured us that they have crossed all their t's and dotted their i's," Adams said. "We have X number of days before they are turning dirt and after that, if it is not happening, we need to re-evaluate before we maintain this relationship."

Council member Dean Bitner said the project could be good for Lowell, if it is built. If it's not going to be built, city officials need to know.

The Life Wellness facility is envisioned as a focal point of the city's 100-acre Kathleen Johnson Memorial Park. The undeveloped lot sits at the intersection of West Monroe Avenue and Bellview Street just off Interstate 49.

"The city and the City Council have gone above and beyond for this project," Bitner said. " Our whole western dream for that 100 acres hinges on that facility. If that facility is not going to be there, we need to rethink what we are going to do."

Stucki said the city has already spent about $100,000 on design and engineering studies for the park.

"We are six to eight months into this thing," Stucki said. "They should have least put some drawings together. The only thing financial I see from them is getting on a plane and talking a lot."

In recent months there hasn't even been talking, Stucki said.

NW News on 10/04/2015

Upcoming Events