Study finds Bend likely ready to explore a flexible 2,0003,000-seat public event venue; staff to hire ownerrep for next phase

Visit Bend and City of Bend staff told the Core Area Advisory Board on July 16 that a feasibility study shows Bend is probably ready to explore a flexible public assembly venue that could support performing arts, indoor sports and conventions.

"We are probably ready to start looking at some sort of public assembly venue," Katie Brooks, the city's economic development officer, said. Jeff Knapp, CEO of Visit Bend, said the study (conducted by CSL International and funded with lodging tax dollars) recommends a flexible facility in the 2,000-to-3,000-plus-seat range, adaptable for concerts, conventions and sports, and that the next step is to bring in an owner's representative to refine size, uses, financing and siting.

Knapp said the lodging-tax-funded effort aimed to test Bend's competitiveness and market demand and to identify what a sustainable, multiuse venue might look like. "We contracted with the city, funded through lodging tax dollars to help spur economic development," he said, describing the study's outreach and market comparisons.

Staff emphasized that the work so far is exploratory. Brooks and Knapp said no decisions have been made; council direction allows the project to move into a second phase to better define form, financing and potential public involvement, and to identify candidate sites that could be publicly or privately sited.

In a separate but related presentation, Matt Stewart (Real Estate, Facilities & Housing) summarized a "highest and best use" study of city-owned parcels and options for a future administrative facility. Consultants and staff concluded that while downtown and the BCD (central business district) have high opportunity costs for redevelopment, a 15th Street scenario is less impactful and offers more near-term development capacity; staff recommended removing the downtown-only option from active consideration to narrow the analysis as the city proceeds with visioning and potential RFQ work for Franklin-area parcels.

Stewart said the city currently operates across about 50,000 square feet downtown for roughly 250 employees and that projections used in recent analyses targeted about 85,000 square feet for longer-term administrative needs. Council endorsed moving to near- and midterm work streams: address short-term space needs (lease expiry June 2027), conduct visioning for Franklin-area parcels (the former Rainbow site and adjacent acreage), and retain analysis of 15th Street and the BCD as potential future options.

Board members asked about transit, parking and the potential to combine a public-facing presence with off-site administrative functions. Staff suggested creative options, including partial occupancy in mixed-use projects, long-term land leases instead of outright sales, and pursuing development partners through RFQ/RFP processes.

Staff said further community engagement and expert consultant work will follow before any financing or siting decision is made.