District Director Robert Parrish will return to the Summit County Council with a $71 million bond proposal. The Snyderville Basin Basin Special Recreation District board OK'd that plan Thursday.
County councilmembers are expected to vote on whether to put the bonds on the Nov. 3 ballot at their Aug. 19 meeting.
Basin Rec’s original proposal was for $150 million in debt financing for two new fieldhouses: one focused on climbing in Jeremy Ranch and a larger one in Silver Creek Village with aquatics.
Parrish said that was based on community outreach and taxpayer feedback. Once Basin Rec firmed up the budget and construction plans, that feedback changed.
“I think where people were realizing is that, OK, what they want isn't exactly what they need, particularly at the property tax level,” Parrish told KPCW. “So they've asked us to come back smaller.”
The $71 million budget was chosen to cover soft costs, like insurance and planning, and have enough left over for labor and building materials. That works out to an extra $121 annually for a $1 million primary residence, according to Parrish.
“Our net construction will probably be around $59 million to $60 million, is what we're going to budget for. And right now we don't know exactly what that's going to get,” Parrish said. “We are meeting with our architects and engineers to kind of figure out what we can program for that cost, whether it is one facility or two.”
He said residents will be a part of that process, which he compared to the way the Trailside Wheels Park design was iterated.
The recreation district says it wants to build new facilities to accommodate new growth. According to its own internal calculations, the existing fieldhouse in Kimball Junction will reach capacity next year.
District leaders also say population increases will decrease individual taxpayers’ share of whatever debt they eventually issue.
Provided the county council puts the bond question on November’s ballot, a simple majority is needed to pass it.
Summit County is a financial supporter of KPCW.
