It's life or death for Ogden mall site plan
By Kristen Moulton
Salt Lake Tribune, 21 November 2005
Summary:
Residents of Ogden are choosing sides in an emotional debate over Mayor Matthew Godfrey's plan to build an adventure-recreation center that will be run by private businesses. The recreation center is a key part of a project designed to revitalize downtown Ogden, whose streets are lined with empty shops.
The city spent millions to buy and demolish the old Ogden City Mall, and is now working with The Boyer Company to replace the failed mall with shops, restaurants, offices, apartments, and an 11-theater-and-restaurant complex owned by Larry H. Miller. Construction has already begun on the Treehouse Museum. The project requires all three – the recreation center, museum, and cinema – in order to draw enough regional visitors to make downtown Ogden successful again.
The LDS Church purchased two corners of the site, across the street from the Ogden Temple, and will build shops, offices, and apartments.
The fitness center will be run by Health & Fitness Holding LC, which includes as partners Gary Nielsen, owner of four Gold's Gym franchises in northern Utah, and Dave Rutter and Sean Collins, owners of Fat Cats entertainment centers in Salt Lake and Provo. Nielsen will run Gold's Gym as well as the sky-diving, wave-pool and climbing-wall venues. Fat Cats owners will run the 34 bowling lanes, arcade, miniature golf, and two restaurants.