Ogden to plunge $18.5 million into adventure center
Downtown project: It will include an air tunnel for simulated skydiving and a 72-foot climbing wall
By Kristen Moulton
Salt Lake Tribune, 23 November 2005
Summary:
After listening to four hours of impassioned comment by Ogden residents, business leaders, and lawmakers, the Redevelopment Agency Board on Tuesday agreed to borrow $18.5 million to build a high adventure recreation center that will replace the failed Ogden City Mall.
The recreation center will include a Gold's Gym, a Fat Cats entertainment center, an air tunnel for simulated skydiving, a wave pool for board riding, and a 72-foot high climbing wall. The city will own the building, the air tunnel and wave pool, but the operation will be run by a partnership of two businesses, Gold's Gym and Fat Cats.
The Treehouse Museum is already under construction at the north end of the 21-acre site. Larry H. Miller has verbally agreed to build a 11-theater and restaurant complex. Property Reserve Inc., the real estate arm of the LDS Church, will build offices, shops, and condominiums on both sides of the museum. Salt Lake City developer Dave Earnshaw plans a six-story building on the back side of the rec center that will have shops, offices and luxury condominiums.