A fire that destroyed the Golden Spike Coliseum on Aug. 27 has turned out to be something of a windfall for Weber County.
County officials say they have received a $250,000 insurance check and expect more to come.Before the suspected arson blaze, the county was trying to sell the boarded-up structure and surrounding land to Smith & Edwards Co. for $105,000. The county had planned to keep the coliseum's attached skating rink, which also was destroyed.
County and insurance-company officials say the $250,000 check is just an initial payment, with a final settlement pending.
County Attorney Mark DeCaria said the county's policy with Affiliated FM Insurance calls for full replacement value if a new, similar structure is built.
If the county does not rebuild, the insurance payment still is based on replacement value but depreciated to reflect the condition of the old building before it burned.
In the case of the crumbling 67-year-old coliseum, depreciation as high as 85 percent has been discussed, which would leave the county only a 15 percent settlement.
Regardless, the total would be substantial, said J. Jay Hill, a representative of the county's insurance brokers.
"If replacement cost is $3 million, then . . . you'd still get $450,000," he said.
An estimator hired by the county put full replacement cost at $3.9 million, while an insurance company estimator said $2.2 million.
"I think they'll make us an offer of settlement and we'll evaluate it," DeCaria said.
John Coplen, claims manager for Affiliated, declined to comment on specifics of the case.
A new Olympic ice rink was under construction at Weber State University before the fire, and the coliseum's rodeo arena was replaced in 1988 by the new Golden Spike Arena and county fairgrounds.
County commissioners are not seriously considering building a second ice rink, though skating groups have asked for one. The commission had intended to keep the old rink for such uses as youth hockey leagues.
Meanwhile, an arson investigation has reached a dead end. But Ogden Fire Marshal Bob Wright holds out hope the culprit will eventually be caught.
"These high-profile cases, whoever lights the fire wants to take credit for it," he said. "They talk to their friends, then their friends talk to us."
The fire was set on the wooden stairs at the south end of the rodeo arena, and an accelerant was used, Wright said. He declined to elaborate.