MASON CITY – A multi-purpose facility for Mason City is back on the discussion table for the City Council in Mason City, again.
After a work session on May 25th of this year and then a pubic forum on August 11th, the issue is back on the table to move forward after a request from Councilmen Scott Tornquist and Max Weaver.
The public discussion was not all positive or all in favor of the project, but the majority of those that did attend were in favor of continuing fact-finding.
At the next City Council meeting, which will be held November 2nd, an action item will be added to the agenda that states: “Move to request the Mayor to recommend, for City council approval, a seven member citizens committee to further explore and refine the concept of a multi-purpose facility for Mason City.”
The aim will be to appoint the committee as soon as possible, with the goal of developing answers to the following questions by the first of April, 2011:
A. What is the optimum facility for the community based upon the types of events we wish to host (in terms of square footage and use of space)?
B. Utilizing historical square footage construction costs for similar facilities in the Midwest, what is the anticipated construction cost for the facility defined in (A)?
C. What is the anticipated operating cost (to the City of Mason City) for the optimum facility both with, and without, a contracted facility operator?
In the meantime, the directive asks City staff to look into financing options for the project if it’s a go.
