The Show Low City Council voted unanimously to approve the updated programming conceptual design and programming-stage cost estimates for the Show Low Sports & Event Center (project FM4625).

"I moved to approve the updated programming conceptual design for the Show Low Sports and Event Center and the programming stage cost estimates," the Vice Mayor said; Councilman Adams seconded the motion and the council approved it unanimously.

Design teams from Hayden Companies and 4Line Studio told council the project has advanced from concept to program stage and presented an updated total programming estimate of about $56,400,000. The presenters allocated roughly $47,000,000 for construction, about $4,700,000 for design and preconstruction already in the plan, an 8% contingency of roughly $3.5 million, and an allowance for furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E) that the city would purchase.

Presenters and council members discussed the primary cost drivers: an increase in building footprint (the team described an assembled program of roughly 120,000 square feet versus earlier conceptual figures), additions such as skylights and a wood soffit, life-safety equipment (a generator and fire pump to support required standpipe systems at higher occupancies), a potential public-safety radio repeater system if in-building radios fail testing, and kitchen-equipment estimates that ran about $500,000 higher than earlier budgets. Design staff said they will hold focus meetings with the equipment vendor and user groups to refine capacity and reduce costs where feasible.

Council asked how the championship-court options would affect operations and cost. The consultant said portable overlay courts provide a premier experience but are labor intensive and more expensive per square foot; the team outlined lower-cost alternatives such as designating one court as the championship court with portable bleachers. Storage for the championship setup and an estimated on-site storage square footage figure (provided in the program materials) were discussed.

Councilmembers raised questions about revenue offsets and community use; staff and consultants said sales activity and sports tourism opportunities supported the program rationale and that the bed tax also contributed to sales-tax totals discussed earlier in the meeting. Several councilmembers urged balancing future-proofing with cost control. The council asked staff to continue tightening the building program in schematic design and to return with refined cost estimates.

Votes at a glance: the consent calendar (including Resolution R202601, acceptance of emergency well repairs, Well 13 repairs, and approval of minutes from 12/09/2025) was approved unanimously earlier in the meeting. The updated programming and cost estimate for project FM4625 passed unanimously on the Vice Mayor's motion and Councilman Adams' second.

Next steps: staff will advance the project to schematic design, hold a follow-up focus meeting on kitchen and equipment sizing, and schedule a public open house on the design next month; council asked staff to return with more detailed cost breakdowns during the schematic-design phase.