Ellensburg Community Fieldhouse

Background

The fire incident(External link) on December 2, 2022, which resulted in the loss of the Ellensburg Racquet & Recreation Center created an emergent public health concern for the City of Ellensburg and Kittitas County. The 32,000 sq ft indoor recreation facility provided year-round critical health and wellness activities that supported individuals and groups across this economically distressed rural county. Over the past couple of years, the City of Ellensburg has been collaborating with Kittitas County and community partners to identify funding to replace the lost recreation facility with the construction of a Fieldhouse—a multi-use, multi-generational community indoor fitness complex—at Rotary Park, a city-owned 100-acre outdoor regional sports complex.

The City is moving forward with the Public-Private Partnership option authorized in RCW 35.42 that allows for the construction of public facilities to be leased back to a city. When awarding the project resulting from the best qualified respondent to the RFQ, the City will negotiate a fixed price for the Fieldhouse facility, inclusive of all development costs for design, development, permitting, financing, and construction of the facility. The anticipated fixed price of approximately $13 million to $16 million, depending on negotiated design, specifications, and lease payment schedule. The City does not anticipate that the fixed price for the facility will exceed $16 million.

The City has secured approximately $7.2 million in replacement funds for the facility. Additional revenue would be required for the full cost of lease payments, operations and maintenance (O&M), and potential refinancing of the future facility. Staff will continue to refine financing and O&M costs and further identify and secure funding sources to ensure certainty for project success.

City Council Actions

The City Council has taken multiple actions approving work associated with the Ellensburg Fieldhouse Project moving it forward. The actions and associated project work have included:

• In late 2023, authorizing an agreement with the Helix Design Group to verify project scope, budget and schedule, followed by: work to: reconcile scope, budget and schedule based on the functional program and funding; seek jurisdictional project approvals through permitting; establish a realistic project schedule; research and evaluate/select Alternative Delivery Method; and prepare 30% design documents for the building and site. As a result of the work the Helix Design group performed, the City determined that an Alternative Delivery Method was the preferred approach to building the Fieldhouse, specifically the progressive design-build (PDB) approach. Thus, the preliminary design work was suspended. Relevant engineering and site studies are available for use in future development of this project.
• With progressive design-build there were requirements the City to follow. In early 2024, authorizing an agreement with Thaxton Parkinson PLLC to provide specialized legal counsel to assist with PDB option.
• At the meeting on April 1, 2024, Council authorized an agreement with the Weneha Group to serve as the City's Owner Advisor on the project, which is a required component when developing a project using the progressive design build method (RCW 39.10.220).
• In October 2024, authorizing an agreement with Absher/Helix for design-build Services through the Validation phase.
• At the February 3, 2025, study session, Council reviewed options for a new fieldhouse facility developed through the Validation phase of the Progressive Design Build process. The resulting facility construction cost exceeded $60,000,000 for each of three options for full build-out. Costs for operating scenarios for each of three facility design options were explored through a Market and Operation Plan conducted by Ballard |King & Associates LTD. Subsequently, the City Council directed staff to look at a potential for public private partnerships (lease options) for a facility.
• On July 7, 2025, Council approved a conceptual plan to pursue construction of a fieldhouse facility through a private/public partnership as allowed by RCW 35.42.
• On September 15, 2025, Council approved the publication of a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for developer of Ellensburg Fieldhouse.

Update on Ellensburg Community Fieldhouse Project

The City published an RFQ for a developer to finance, design, and construct a new, recreational facility, Ellensburg Community Fieldhouse, to be located on Rotary Park, a City-owned property located at 1200 West 5th Avenue, Ellensburg, WA 98926 (“Site”). An RFQ was published, pursuant to the authority provided by Chapter 35.42 RCW, on October 9, 2025, with responses due November 14, 2025. This process, called a "lease-leaseback," is new to the City and this community. Council reviewed this process, which was reviewed by outside legal counsel, at their meeting on July 7, 2025, and approved publication of the RFQ on September 15, 2025. Next steps include a review of proposals and selection of developer. A check-in with Council is scheduled for the second meeting in December. If approved to proceed at that time, then the process would continue with: 1) negotiation and execute a ground lease for the Site with the selected Developer; 2) the Developer will design and construct the Facility at its sole cost and expense; and 3) the City will lease back the Facility from the Developer, with an option to purchase the completed Facility at any point during the term of the ground lease. Ownership of the Facility would convert to the City at the end of the ground lease term unless the City has earlier exercised its purchase option. Please contact the City Manager’s Office with questions.

Ellensburg Fieldhouse RFQ Submitted Questions & Answers (PDF)