Falls City Council authorizes contract for Centennial Park feasibility study

Rick Pfeiffer -, Niagara Gazette, Niagara Falls, N.Y.
·4 min read
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Apr. 25—The Niagara Falls City Council approved a request from Mayor Robert Restaino to enter into a contract with a Florida-based sports facilities consulting company to conduct a feasibility study of the city's proposed Centennial Park Project.

The contract will call for Sports Facilities Advisory LLC to be paid up to $140,000, plus a projected $5,000 to $6,000 in expenses to provide a "market analysis and feasibility study" of the Centennial Park plans which calls for the construction of a "multi-faceted, year-round event campus" that would include a 6,000 to 7,000-seat arena for sporting and entertainment events, a smaller arena for sporting and entertainment events and a splash pad that could be converted into an ice-skating rink during winter months.

The project also calls for the construction of a parking ramp with exterior walls that could be used for rock climbing and a roof that could be used as a location for concerts or movie screenings.

The park would be constructed on 12 acres of South End property described as 907 Falls St. and an adjacent portion of property along John Daly Memorial Parkway. That property is currently owned by Niagara Falls Redevelopment (NFR), and an affiliated company, Blue Apple Properties.

NFR has opposed the project and the city is in the process of taking the land through the use of eminent domain. As part of that process, the council has already adopted a "Determination and Findings" that the proposed $150 million campus, would be "a public benefit."

The cost of the Sports Facilities contract will be reimbursed by grants from Empire State Development (ESD) and the National Grid Strategic Economic Development Program. The projected expenses associated with the contract, described as travel and travel-related costs would be covered by American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds, city officials said.

Deputy Corporation Counsel Thomas DeBoy told the council members Wednesday night that both ESD and National Grid do not allow for the payment of expenses from their grant funding. He said that in contract negotiations with Sports Facilities, the company estimates that the cost of its consulting work will be "far less" than $140,000.

DeBoy also said company representatives indicated that they expected their expenses to be "no more than $7,500 and closer to $5,000 to $6,000."

Council Member Donta Myles (D) said he supported conducting the feasibility study but would not agree to pay for expenses tied to the study using ARP money.

"I have an issue with using ARP funds," Myles said. "It's money for poor people and we haven't spent really any of it (on poor people)."

Myles attempted to remove the authorization for using ARP funds from the resolution directing the mayor to enter into the Sports Facilities contract, but the move failed when no other council member would support it. DeBoy said Myles would have needed to designate an alternate source of money in the city budget to cover the contract expenses.

The approval of the contract was adopted on a 4-1 vote with Myles voting against it.

Council Members Brian Archie (D) and Members Traci Bax (R) and David Zajac (R) all said they supported the contract because it was not "being funded with taxpayer dollars."

"I received calls from some residents who supported this because it's fully funded at no cost to the taxpayers," Bax said.

Myles asked why private businesses in the Falls would "not step up" and fund the expenses in the contract if "Centennial Park was this great project for the Falls."

"If it was something valuable, if it's something great for our city, (private businesses) would weigh in with their pocketbooks. That's what business would do," Myles said.

Sports Facilities was one of three companies that responded to a request for proposals from the city's Purchasing Division. It was recommended by the Purchasing Division and Restaino.

"It's going to help determine what the facility should be," Restaino said in describing the expected parameters of the study. "What does the market need? What size should (elements like the events center) be? It will help crystalize the idea of what Centennial Park should be."

The mayor noted that Sports Facilities has a lengthy track record of investigating and developing projects like Centennial Park in communities around the United States, including areas comparable to the Falls. The company also manages "sports, recreation and events destinations" in more than 45 municipalities across the country.