Parker Chamber presses for a permanent home; council weighs park site versus lots behind Spankies

Cha Marshall, vice president of finance for the Parker Regional Chamber of Commerce and Tourism, told council the Chamber is again interested in town parcels behind Spankies as a permanent home for its offices, storage consolidation and the local museum. Chamber members said they prefer a visible, architecturally appealing building with multi-use meeting space and storage for consolidated materials.

Staff reminded council that state law requires a public bid process for sale of town property and described how prior bids and terms were structured (previous advertising, down payment and lease-purchase structures were discussed). Council members and Chamber representatives debated whether the Chamber should pursue the dirt lot behind Spankies (access concerns for large vehicles and ADOT approvals) or a corner of Western Park (visibility and park tradeoffs). Some councilors expressed concern about losing green space or the park’s amenity value; others noted that Chamber investment might improve park landscaping and programming.

Practical next steps identified by council and staff included commissioning a simple feasibility/footprint assessment (square footage needed, parking, utilities), obtaining an appraisal to set fair-market value and clarifying procurement language and minimum bid strategy. Council asked the Chamber to bring building size/plan estimates and preferred locations so staff can evaluate regulatory constraints, ADOT access permits and potential lease-purchase or architect-led design options. No sale or lease decision was made at this meeting.