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Travel Lane County outlines $60M plan for indoor multi‑use sports facility, asks county to anchor financing
Summary
Travel Lane County presented plan for an indoor sports facility (8 basketball/16 volleyball courts) estimated at roughly $60 million (excluding land) and said decision‑grade feasibility work and a public anchor commitment are needed to attract private partners.
Travel Lane County and county staff presented a quarterly update on April 28 about a proposed indoor multi‑use sports facility intended to meet year‑round demand for court space and drive sports tourism in Lane County.
Samara Phillips, Travel Lane County president and CEO (joining virtually), said the facility is modeled to produce about $21.6 million in new visitor spending annually when it reaches maturity and would likely be operationally sustainable after three years. "This project is a gift to Lane County for decades to come," Phillips said, and added that the model requires public investment because the project is expected to be EBITDA‑positive operationally but will not fully service its debt without public support.
Presenters described a public‑private partnership model that centers a nonprofit entity to raise capital and govern the project, with an expected total capital cost of about $60 million plus the cost of land; presenters said the $60 million figure includes fixtures, furniture and equipment but not land. They said private participation is often modeled as meaningful when private capital represents roughly 20% of the financing mix, though no technical minimum exists.
Jason Harris (Lane County Community Economic Development) said an RFP for decision‑grade feasibility work will be issued the week of the meeting, with consultant selection targeted by July 14. The feasibility phase will be scenario‑based (adaptive reuse vs. new build, varied site scenarios) rather than site‑specific, staff said, and will refine funding, ownership and operator models.
During Q&A, commissioners pressed on the form of private investment (philanthropy, prepaid use agreements, private operators), the amount of potential profit after operations stabilize (presenters estimated up to about $500,000 annually depending on the model), and the tradeoffs of choosing a quick operational site versus a higher‑cost site with better expansion potential.
No board vote was taken; presenters said the feasibility work will provide the information the board needs later to accept, reject or delay a public commitment.
