YOUNGSTOWN Engineers estimate building of arena will cost about $30M

The costs do not include such items as building permits and demolition.
By ROGER G. SMITH
CITY HALL REPORTER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Engineers estimate a 5,400-seat downtown arena will cost just short of $30 million.
The projected $29.67 million cost includes building the arena and three nearby surface parking lots totaling 318 spaces. MS Consultants of Youngstown provided the figures to the city.
Engineers based the costs on drawings of the Rio Grande Valley Events Center in Hidalgo, Texas. That arena will open next month.
The city-owned Rio Grande center, which cost $20 million, has seating of 5,500 for hockey and 6,800 for concerts. There are 500 club seats and 24 luxury boxes. The property also includes 2,000 surface parking spaces, a lounge with access from outside the arena, a bar and a skate rental shop.
Reviewing estimates
Youngstown's arena consultant, Iowa-based Compass Facility Management, is reviewing the cost estimates, said Mayor George M. McKelvey.
There will be talks with city council to reach consensus on whether to move ahead with the project if Compass says the arena is financially viable, he said.
Two city council members who traveled to Hidalgo a month ago to look at that arena said they could support a $30 million project based on that model.
"If they build that son-of-a-gun, you're going to appreciate it," said James E. Fortune Sr., D-6th.
He is confident the city will find a way to make up what adds up to a $5 million gap.
The city has about $25 million remaining of a $26.8 million federal grant for the project.
McKelvey said he expects the state to eventually offer about $4.5 million toward the project. The state has helped every other such facility built recently in Ohio, he said.
Higher material and labor costs here than in south Texas account for the increased price tag, said Artis Gillam Sr., D-1st. He, too, said the price and the facility look right.
Cost breakdown
The projected costs break down this way:
U Arena, $20.54 million.
U Parking lots, $3.5 million.
U Fixtures and equipment, $3.5 million.
U Architectural and engineering fees, $1.88 million.
U Other, $250,000.
The costs do not include building permits and fees, utility tap-in fees, other land costs or demolition of existing buildings. MS told the city it tried to incorporate changes into the cost estimates needed to meet local -- not Hidalgo -- building codes.
The city spent about $30,000 to generate the cost estimates, without the involvement of developer FaulknerUSA, McKelvey said.
The city has negotiated with FaulknerUSA all year to develop and build a project. Deadlines to conclude negotiations on what started out as a $50 million project have long since come and gone.
Neither FaulknerUSA nor any other developer has offered private money, McKelvey said. The project is available to any developer, he said.
Site drawing
A drawing of the site provided with the cost estimates puts the arena along Front Street between Market and Walnut streets.
The drawing shows a paved plaza at Market and Front streets. A landscaped area runs along the Market bridge. Two parking lots are behind the arena. A road into the site comes from Walnut Street to service the parking lots. A third lot is on the east side of the service road.
rgsmith@vindy.com