Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout12.17.2002• • COUNCIL WORK SESSION December 17, 2002 2:45 p.m. Council Chambers Members present: Mayor Rooff, Berry, Welper, Greenwood, Clark, Hurley, Jordan, Getty. Moved by Berry, seconded by Welper that the Agenda, as proposed, be approved. Ayes: Four. Absent: Jordan, Getty, Hurley. Motion carried. Mayor Rooff stated that Brian Vanderwalle, from Vanderwalle & Associates, and Dr. Robert Koob, President of UNI, are here to speak about the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center. Vanderwalle & Associates have been developing an overall vision for the downtown. Dr. Koob is here to speak about the discussions that have been heard about UNI being involved in the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center. Dr. Koob, President of UNI, reported that UNI is involved in joint management of an exhibit hall in the Cedar Valley. UNI is involved in various events from the Gallagher/Bluedorn, craft shows, etc. The question has been raised if UNI is interested in a joint partnership with the city and the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center. Dr. Koob stated that at this time UNI is not interested in a joint venture as the current shape of the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center is not up to UNI standards as the facility is run down. Dr. Koob stated he understands the city is attempting to bring up the operating levels, but UNI would need to see a commitment to bring it up to their standards. There has been no long term maintenance, and it is not a clean, attractive place to hold conventions, and UNI is not confident it could be marketed like the Gallagher/Bluedorn. Dr. Koob suggested joint management/marketing within the Cedar Valley. Councilpersons Hurley and Getty now present at 2:57 p.m. Dr. Koob stated that the City of Cedar Falls passed a resolution to form a $2 million partnership with UNI for the exhibition center. Dr. Koob stated UNI is always interested in viable partnerships, but UNI would need a long term commitment for quality space. Dr. Koob stated that to make the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center attractive to UNI we need to revisit the transportation facilities. Dr. Koob stated UNI is not interested in taking over the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center and things would need to be in place for UNI to consider a joint partnership. Dr. Koob reported that a private entity in Cedar Falls is planning and have had discussions with the City of Cedar Falls to locate a convention center on Hudson Road. Councilperson Jordan now present at 3:00 p.m. Dr. Koob reported the intent is to create a convention center privately run for 800 people with food service and meeting rooms. They are also thinking about hotel service in conjunction with the convention center. Mayor Rooff stated the convention center in Cedar Falls will impact Waterloo if the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center is not improved. Councilperson Hurley stated that the city spends $250,000 per year of hotel/motel funds on maintenance and improvements to the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center and asked if that is not enough. Dr. Koob responded that he can only answer from his personal experience and his staff's experience that the first impression is one of deep disappointment of the interior. Councilperson Hurley asked if the area will be overextended in convention space. Dr. Koob responded that he believes more business builds more business. Two convention centers just means we are more competitive for more events. Dr. Koob stated the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center has a lot of issues such as the airport location, transportation, etc. Dr. Koob stated the city has to have a plan of what it wants to achieve and does it fit the need of the community. Dr. Koob stated the centers don't have to compete as facilities are different from each other, but we might want joint management of all the facilities. Council Work Session December 17, 2002 Page 2 Mayor Rooff commented that we must have a larger vision for our community. UNI is just as important to Waterloo as any other city in the Cedar Valley. Brian Vanderwalle, from Vanderwalle & Associates, stated his firm goes to towns to try to reconstruct economics in cities. Mr. Vanderwalle suggested that the city think like a region. In order to market and manage a facility like the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center, we need to market more aggressively for the sake of the downtown. Mr. Vanderwalle stated they did not think the center was big enough to market by itself, and that is when they came up with the idea to expand it and put more pedestrian traffic next to it. Mr. Vanderwalle stated that the fact that it is not part of the Vision Iowa Plan does not mean it is invalid, but it stresses the need for a regional manager. Waterloo cannot market the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center as a free-standing facility. Mr. Vanderwalle stated the niche for marketing is around agri business with ability to focus on new products produced as bio-agri crops. Mr. Vanderwalle reviewed the proposed plans for the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center and the area around it. There is a lot of space and opportunity to create jobs. The Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center could be programmed to position Waterloo into a new agriculture economy. Waterloo is in a triangle with Ames, Iowa City, Des Moines and the Cedar Valley and needs to tap into that as a plan to talk about a carbohydrate economy. Mayor Rooff stated that John Deere does not want to get rid of buildings, but they want to be a part of the plan. Mr. Vanderwalle stated the city has an opportunity to take advantage of building infrastructure that otherwise would be demolished. Mr. Vanderwalle stated he sees it as a huge, exciting part, to create/expand jobs in the downtown pedestrian area. The city needs an exciting rebirth opportunity, including new businesses, bio testing labs and an anchor visitors destination. Mr. Vanderwalle stated the city will have to find a new market to talk about agriculture and new products from the farm. We need to figure out how to draw a circle to be in the middle of Iowa City and Ames and tap into that local market. We have to posture ourselves for that 130 minute drive to Waterloo. Mr. Vanderwalle stated he is not just talking about the interior of the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center. Vision Iowa talks about the River Walk, the Cedar River Mall, and the dam. The Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center has to tie into the idea creating pedestrian amenities, people have to flow from inside of the building to the outside. Presently, only one corner of the block talks about the five Sullivan brothers on the outside, but there are no plaques or flags about the five Sullivan brothers. There are no amenities to market, and we need to show this is a fun place to be at night. We need to tie the inside, such as lights and banners, with the outside and the Vision Iowa Plan. Mr. Vanderwalle stated convention centers are not noted as cash cows, but they are economic drivers, create sales tax and hotel occupancy and impact feasibility of restaurants. Mr. Vanderwalle explained how all the blocks around the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center are part of the big picture to concentrate on new businesses and rehabilitating buildings and moving buildings that are inappropriate. Mr. Vanderwalle stated the city has a relatively straightforward development, but it depends on if the city keeps its mind on the big picture. Mr. Vanderwalle stated downtowns are going to be the place if you want to attract and retain quality people as they look at and prefer a downtown over a mall. Mr. Vanderwalle stated there is a possibility of exciting things happening in reuse of the buildings in downtown, but it all has to tie together with the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center, Library, The Center for The Arts and river crossing. This will be the entry to the downtown. Mr. Vanderwalle stated it takes commitment and perseverance by council members and the mayor and they cannot give up. Mr. Vanderwalle stated everyone needs to recreate and rethink ourselves. The majority of jobs and people live in cities of population of 100,000 or less. Mr. Vanderwalle stated if the city spreads its investments out thinking it is healing everyone, the city will get nowhere. The Cedar River is the center of the downtown. Council Work Session December 17, 2002 Page 3 • • Councilperson Hurley asked how the city's one-way streets affect the downtown. Mr. Vanderwalle responded that the objectives of one-way streets was to move people through a community, but one -streets destroyed many communities and continue to destroy many communities. Mayor Rooff stated the city is moving on the one-way streets, but not quite ready to implement. Mr. Vanderwalle stated there is a safe two block walk and lots of activities around the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center, and the exterior surrounding the center could drastically change the opinion of the downtown. Mayor Rooff stated we need to decide on the master plan for downtown, the cost for the plan and hope that private business and John Deere are willing to work with the city. With no further business before the council, it was moved by Getty, seconded by Welper that the meeting be adjourned at 3:58 p.m. Ayes: Seven. Motion carried. Nancy Eckert City Clerk