Council approves 50-year lease with Rio Grande County for McMillan Building at Sky High Complex

Staff presented a revised lease agreement between the City of Monte Vista and Rio Grande County for the McMillan Building at the Sky High Complex, describing updated boundaries, easements and upkeep provisions.

The revisions replace the older, ambiguous boundary mapping with a rectangular lease footprint that is five feet from the building's outermost walls on all sides. Staff said both parties had effectively exceeded the original 1990 lease boundaries over time and that the clarified language would reduce future boundary disputes. The draft also adds an access and egress easement along the Clearview extension and the right-of-way between the hotel and the McMillan Building, extending to the site's hard fence.

Other contract changes retained the 50-year term at a nominal $1 rate consistent with the 1990 agreement, added mutual termination with notice (previously termination rights favored the county), and added a paragraph requiring the lessee to maintain upkeep and appearance. Staff also said paragraph 7 now requires council approval for exterior alterations while internal alterations remain under county review because the county owns the building.

Council moved and seconded approval of the lease agreement with an effective date of Nov. 1, 2025; the motion carried. Staff stated the county attorney had approved the lease and that both parties had signed the document pending the effective date insertion.

Council members did not list dollar-value adjustments beyond the nominal rent term and did not provide a vote tally beyond the motion carrying during roll call.