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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW California man dies in I-5 rollover ... Medford man wins Megabucks jackpot ... Budget tops $339 million for 2016-17 ... California man dies in I-5 rollover ... Medford man wins Megabucks jackpot ... Budget tops $339 million for 2016-17 ... DEVELOPMENT Medford seeks conference center consultant Proprosal request draws interest from across the country Comment By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Follow @@GregMTBusiness MailTribune.com By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Follow @@GregMTBusiness Posted Mar. 28, 2016 at 6:22 PM By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Follow @@GregMTBusiness Posted Mar. 28, 2016 at 6:22 PM » Social News It's time for the consultants to show their stuff. Armed with $100,000 from the Oregon Legislature, the city of Medford has posted a request for qualifications from consultants near and far as it explores the feasibility of developing a conference center that could potentially attract larger groups than Jackson County can now host. By the end of last week, the RFQ had triggered 61 downloads from the Northwest to Florida and California to Virginia, and Minnesota to Alabama, said city purchasing agent Jennifer Huston. City Council President Dick Gordon said the request is designed to avoid a costly rabbit trail. "It's phased so you don't necessarily do a full study," Gordon said. "If the answer is yes to Step 1, you go on. If not, you just end the work at that point. That way you don't spend a lot of money." It's been 25 years since a feasibility study was commissioned to evaluate a downtown conference center. The city now seeks to assess a broader range of facilities and objectives, asking the consultants to quantify the character and magnitude of demand locally, statewide and regionally; recommend characteristics; establish location criteria; evaluate alternative ownership and management structures; and estimate capital and operational requirements. The city asks applicants to clarify expectations of potential subsidization "both during the initial construction" and "ongoing operations." Consultants will meet with a project advisory team, which has yet to be named. City Manager Pro Tem Bill Hoke said he is meeting with local builder Randy Jones, a member of a committee that crafted the original draft of the request for qualifications document, to put together a team. During the first phase, consultants would interview local businesses and organizations to assess meeting space and facility needs. It would account for conference centers in other communities competing for the same groups, as well as events that go elsewhere because of the lack of local facilities. The city is asking for seven to 10 case studies summarizing other jurisdictions' financial and operational experience. At that point, the consulting firm will meet with the project advisory team to determine whether it's worth proceeding to "redirect the effort based on market findings." A green light sending the study into a second phase would focus on the location and look of the project. Dreams and desires would get shaped into more pragmatic forms. "Size, demand for exhibition space, meeting areas, breakout spaces, ballroom, lobby space, kitchen facilities, and parking requirements" would be examined, according to the document. So, too, would surrounding hotel rooms, proximity to the airport and amenities such as entertainment venues, or outdoor recreation sites. Consultants would then identify necessary and desirable site characteristics. "For example," the document reads, "is a privately developed hotel in conjunction with a publicly developed conference center a necessary siting requirement to satisfy the targeted market opportunity?" The consultant would also identify specific locations or prototypical site types. Should the project enter into the third phase, the consultant would produce three conceptual site plans, construction cost estimates, including land acquisition, and 10-year development, operations and maintenance financial projections. The city also would see an evaluation of fee structures for community use and scheduled conferences. The consultant would identify funding resources to fully fund development and operations. A regional economic study would analyze employment, retail and service sector impacts, noting shifts from any existing venues within the region to the new center. "What we sent out hit all the stuff we needed to do," Hoke said. "The team that worked on it did an excellent job, and I don't use the word excellent very often." Reach reporter Greg Stiles at 541-776-4463 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GregMTBusiness , on Facebook at www.facebook.com/greg.stiles .31 . By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Follow @@GregMTBusiness MailTribune.com By Greg Stiles Mail Tribune Follow @@GregMTBusiness Posted Mar. 28, 2016 at 6:22 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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