City To Consider Property Options One More Time

The city of Casper will take another look at their options. Options to purchase property for a convention center, that is.

At a special council session last week the possibility of putting 1 percent down on parcels of interest was tabled. The request came from City Manager John Patterson. "While this option agreement was negotiated successfully there was at least one other that we're having difficulty with and prior to exposing ourselves to these costs I would ask that this be tabled."

That was Tuesday July 25th. Now they are ready to reconsider and will do that on July 31st. Any property acquisition that results would be part of a preparations toward the building of a conference center and hotel in downtown Casper.

The city is taking proposals through early September from potential hoteliers who would finance privately, build and manage a hotel attached to a conference center that the city would construct using public money.

Patterson suggests ball park figures of $12 million for the conference center and $30 million for a hotel.