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Kalamazoo commission approves county events center assessment authority to back multi-sport complex
Summary
The Kalamazoo City Commission approved an agreement with Kalamazoo County to form an assessment-district authority to support a proposed multi-sport events center financed primarily by a hotel assessment; the facility will prioritize tournament-generated hotel stays while offering community access when not in use.
The Kalamazoo City Commission on Aug. 4 approved an intergovernmental agreement with Kalamazoo County to create the Kalamazoo County Event Center Assessment District Authority, a body charged with advancing a proposed multi-sport events center funded primarily by a hotel assessment.
The authority’s creation, approved by motion from Commissioner Cooney and supported by Commissioner Wilson, passed on a roll call vote in which Commissioners Hoffman, Wilson, Vice Mayor Hess, Mayor Anderson, Commissioner Cooney and Commissioner Decker voted yes.
City Manager Pat Risma and Discover Kalamazoo representative Jane Ghosh told commissioners the facility’s financial model centers on tournaments that generate hotel stays; when tournaments are not booked, the facility will be available to local users. "Generally speaking, it will be open to the community when there is not tournament activity taking place," Ghosh said. She said the authority will explore operating models and issue requests for proposals for a third-party operator to manage the site.
Why it matters: discover Kalamazoo and city leaders said the events center aims to attract overnight visitors, boost hotel tax revenue and expand youth and community access to courts and fields that local schools and colleges can use. Commissioners asked about transit links, staffing and community access during non-tournament hours; Ghosh said two bus lines run nearby and that discussions with Metro Transit about a possible drop-off loop are underway.
Commissioners also flagged potential partnerships with local institutions. Ghosh and commissioners said Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo Valley Community College and Kalamazoo College could be partners for programming and workforce training; Vice Mayor Hess and others said the facility could be used as a recruiting and educational tool for those schools.
Next steps and governance: the agreement moves the city to a point where Kalamazoo County’s governing board will take parallel action; Ghosh said the newly formed authority expects to hold an initial meeting (targeted for Aug. 11) to begin discussing operating models, issuing RFPs and finalizing governance. Commissioners and staff said the plan also contemplates working with the Kalamazoo Community Foundation to identify funding to subsidize access for local youth if needed.
Support and concerns: commissioners across the political spectrum expressed support for the concept as a creative financing approach that avoids using the city’s general fund for construction while aiming to deliver youth programming. Vice Mayor Hess and Commissioner Cooney thanked Discover Kalamazoo for leading the effort.
The commission’s action authorizes the city manager to finalize the agreement and participate in the authority’s formation; the county will take separate action on its portion of the agreement.
