From mill to multi-purpose?

YAKIMA, Wash. -- A new complex proposed for the Yakima Bears, other sports and community events, including concerts, is a leading contender to launch development at Yakima's former Boise Cascade property.

In a presentation to downtown business operators and community leaders Tuesday morning, Bears general manager K.L. Wombacher made it clear that the concept of a multi-sports complex is preliminary and other options, including renovating Yakima County Stadium at State Fair Park, remain alive.

But the Boise Cascade site is the one the minor league baseball franchise is most excited about.

"That's become a strong option," he said, adding that property owners are "courting us to that site."

Indeed, the property owners are looking at providing up to 10 acres of the 211-acre former mill site, said Brad Hill, a representative of the property owners.

Developers are seeking the required land use approvals from the city of Yakima and want to start the project's first phase by the end of the year, he said.

The proposed facility is also a natural fit because it's sandwiched between the recreational activities of the Yakima Greenway and the redevelopment of downtown Yakima, Hill said.

"I think it fits in very nicely with the tourism infrastructure and the family-oriented presentation," Hill said. "That's a big part of Yakima's future."

Wombacher said the facility will benefit far more than just the Bears.

"We're not just talking about a ballpark. We're talking about a community gathering place."

Unlike a regional water park once proposed for the site, Wombacher said no new taxes would be sought to pay for a multi-sports facility that he estimates would cost $20 million to $25 million to build.

The Bears, who say their existing stadium is in dire need of renovation or replacement, are looking at a variety of options, including collecting private donations through a naming rights or founders' circle program for a new facility, he said.

"We don't want this to become an issue over a tax," Wombacher said. "We want this to be seen as an exciting project."

A privately funded project could qualify for tax incentives, but it's too early to tell, said Michael Morales, deputy director of the city Community and Economic Development Department.

"The first thing you have to do is sell the project," he said.

Yakima City Councilwoman Kathy Coffey said a no-taxes concept will help the project garner community support.

"They got a real handle (on looking) at multiple approaches to funding," she said.

An early jump on planning will allow city and county officials, downtown business owners and the local sports community time to express their desires for the proposed facility and how to fund it.

"We can kick this around for quite a bit and we can see where some of the opportunities are," Morales said.

County Commissioner Mike Leita believes such public dialogue will help in the long run.

"Bottom line, this is a very timely process they're going through," he said. "(But) you want to caution people not to jump to conclusion that this is going in a certain direction. As this process goes forward, this thing will change course."

There's also time for the Bears to consider their future -- a future unlikely to involve Yakima County Stadium if the 16-year-old ballpark doesn't get an upgrade.

With a capacity of 2,654 seats, the stadium is the smallest of the Northwest League's eight venues, according to team officials, who say they've lost money for nine years.

Wombacher outlined a recent study that showed the Bears' current home, the stadium, falls well short of Minor League Baseball requirements.

Noting that the team's lease expires in 2015, he said, "We will not be able to renew our lease without a major renovation or a new ballpark."

The study also showed that 50 percent of 258 Yakima-area residents surveyed desired a new ballpark near the city's downtown, making the Boise Cascade property an ideal site.

Since the Bears use a stadium only several months a year, they plan to talk to the sporting community about other possible uses of the facility.

During his presentation Tuesday morning, Wombacher said the facility could serve everything from high school and college sporting events to outdoor concerts.

He said the facility would be configured to host soccer, high school baseball and college baseball, and that team officials have already been in talks with Yakima Valley Community College and Central Washington University about their potential interest in using it.

That's an important reason to get the concept to the public early, even if it's not yet definite, said Doug Picatti, chairman of the capital improvements task force for the Committee for Downtown Yakima, which hosted Womabacher's presentation.

"We're talking about building a stadium unique to this community," he said. "It's not about building a stadium built in 10 other communities."

The proposed sports complex could also serve as an alternative venue for baseball at Eisenhower High School, which is expected to temporarily lose its baseball field while a new high school is built.

But the proposed facility might not be built fast enough to deal with that short-term issue, said Gene Rostvold, athletic director for the Yakima School District. 

But otherwise, Rostvold said he supports the project, especially as a way to attract high school tournaments to the area.

And if the facility includes artificial turf for soccer and football games, it will also open up state tournaments not possible with existing venues.

"The nicer the facility you have, the greater the chances are to getting the state playoffs in baseball," he said.

Another option would be to open the existing Yakima County Stadium as a possible venue for Eisenhower High School and other baseball teams.

If the Bears ultimately decide not to renew their stadium lease, they plant to work with Yakima County to find a new use for the stadium.

"I don't suspect or perceive that if the Bears were to transition to a complex like they're visualizing, that they would just abandon the current stadium without doing something to have (Yakima County Stadium) transition to another use," Leita said.

And Leita believes the county will still benefit from the proposed project, even if it requires them to move out of a county-owned facility.

"We understand that amenities within the community, be it the Yakima Bears, The Seasons or other types of museums play an integral role in the overall welfare of the community," he said. "Businesses that want to locate in the community are looking for those types of amenities."

* Mai Hoang can be reached at 509-577-7685 or mhoang@yakimaherald.com.

This story has been updated to correct information about Eisenhower High School's baseball field.