The Weber County Commission has approved spending $204,000 for a study to determine the feasibility of building a downtown conference center.
But commissioners stressed the study is merely a first step. The decision whether to build the center will not be made until after the study is completed in June."We need to find out whether it's feasible, first, then at that point make the decision as to how to approach the next step," said Commissioner Spencer Stokes.
The study will be conducted by a design-management team headed by Sanders Herman Architects of Ogden. It also includes Fentress Bradburn and Associates of Denver, Theater Projects Consultants of New York, Conrad Schmidt Studies and Big D Construction of Ogden and Hamer Siler George Association of Denver.
Committee members said that while $204,000 seems expensive for preliminary studies, it's necessary if they are to be comprehensive.
"It's a natural inclination to want to hire a bunch of suits from out of town to come in and tell you whether your idea is feasible," said Rob White, Egyptian Theatre Foundation president.
But a generic feasibility study would not address all questions, White said.
Ogden Mayor Glenn Mecham encouraged the commission to view the study "as an investment."
"From the city's perspective, we see this as a major opportunity to revitalize the nucleus of Weber County," Mecham said.
Preliminary plans call for Weber State University's Utah Musical Theatre relocating to the Egyptian Theatre and the university holding classes and conferences in the center. There also has been talk of WSU managing the center once it's completed.