Although voters rejected the Pasco/Regional Aquatic Center in 2013,   it was still very much on life support - and expected to be re-submitted to voters.

It was one of the biggest stories of 2013 that carried over to 2014 for the Mid-Columbia.   The Tri-Cities Regional Public Facilities District put together an ambitious plan for a regional aquatic center that would attract swimming events, and offer the region a large, public waterpark; something not seen since the departure of Oasis Waterworks on Canal Drive in Kennewick years ago.

However,  due to a projected sales tax that would be needed to fund the project,  it was voted down.  Pasco and most of Franklin County approved the measure, but Benton County, Kennewick and Richland over ran those votes.  The further away from Pasco and the project, the more negative votes.

It was fully expected the District, as well as supporters, would reconfigure the plan, perhaps scale it back a bit, and have another go at it sometime in 2014.    Some suggested it be split into two or even three projects...one for each city.  Nonetheless,  most residents expected another vote.    Often this is done with school levies and other projects - it gets revamped and resent to voters.

But any real chance in the near future of such a project ground to a halt when the largest remaining parcel of land near Road 68 in Pasco was sold for development.

Pasco, not wanting to miss solid business opportunities,  sold half of the 28 acres intended for the project to Basin Disposal in early 2014,  and the final blow came in October, when the McCurley Dealerships bought 7 more.  They plan to relocate their Subaru Dealership there, and it will create dozens of new jobs - providing Pasco and Franklin County with more tax revenue.     The City couldn't sit on the land too long, especially since new developmental interest arose in the property.

That left 7 acres left,  which the City expects to sell quickly to other interested developers.     There might have been a chance for the aquatic project to be scaled back to 14 acres, but the 7 acre sale all but killed the project.

If another such project is attempted, the Regional Public Facilities District will have to locate another parcel of land, one that can easily be accessed by residents from all 3 of the Tri-Cities.

 

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