.

Tuesday, July 16, 2013

Event Center to be topic Thursday at Grow Idaho Falls investor breakfast

The site of the event center is shaded in grey. (Click on the map to enlarge it.)
Cindy Ozaki, who chairs the Idaho Falls Auditorium District, will speak Thursday morning at a Grow Idaho Falls investor breakfast about the progress of the Idaho Falls Event Center.

The breakfast will be at the Hotel on the Falls from 7:30 to 9 a.m. RSVP by calling 522-2014 or emailing soseen@postregister.com.

Voters approved formation of an auditorium district in May 2011. In May this year, a plat was filed with the city of Idaho Falls. It has been reviewed by the Idaho Falls Planning Commission and recommended for approval. The matter goes before the City Council July 26, at its regular meeting.

Once a plat is approved and land is annexed, developers can file site and building plans and begin work on the project.

Last winter, when the Idaho Falls Auditorium District named Centennial Management Group to operate the center, CMG President Kevin Bruder said they expected to break ground in May. Obviously that hasn't happened, but when it does the construction is expected to take 18 months.

Plans for the center include a hockey area, shopping area, restaurants, conference center and concert venue. It will be located on 22 acres at Snake River Landing, south of Pancheri Drive, with a road that runs between Pioneer Road and Snake River Parkway serving as the main access.

Partial funding for the project comes from a 5 percent hotel and motel bed tax, which is administered by the auditorium district.

Here is a link to the Event Center's Web site: http://www.idahofallseventcenter.com/index.html