Faculty and staff involved in the Spanos Sports Complex Project held a Town Hall Meeting in the Hinde Auditorium on Thursday where a 20-minute Power Point presentation was given about the components, estimated costs, costs of construction, timeline, site location and illustrations of the project.

Members of the University Union, Facilities, Administration and Business Affairs, Student Affairs, Associated Students Inc. President Angela Arriola and President Alexander Gonzalez gave the presentation to a crowd of 30 to 40 people.

The intent of the meeting was to brief students on the history of the project, where it currently stands and future projects associated with it. Following the presentation, students were allotted a question-and-answer session with the parties involved.

According to the County of Sacramento, Engineering News Record and the Turner Construction National Costs Index, copper has seen a 170 percent increase while steel and aluminum have seen a 100 percent increase in price in the last three years in comparison to the previous 10 years.

The entire project has an estimated price tag of $202.8 million, according to the presentation.

“The sooner we can get it designed and out to bid, the better,” Associate Vice President of Facilities Services Ron Richardson said. “Our intent is to not take programs out of the building.”

The university plans to have a bid ready to present to the CSU Board of Trustees by January, Richardson said.

“We are a public entity and everything has to be approved, but the market is softening and the housing market is dropping,” Gonzalez said.

The building committee, composed of members of the Union, Facilities Services, faculty and staff are being updated with the site design of the recreation and wellness center every three to four weeks, Richardson said.

During the question-and-answer session, students focused on matters such as the bowling alley, indoor/outdoor water center and arena.

One student asked if the indoor/outdoor water center, which has been placed into projects for “future consideration,” will be used for competitive water sports.

“It will include a recreational pool, and it will not be used for competitive sports,” Union Director Leslie Davis said.

Davis and Gonzalez made it clear that building a competitive water facility could be involved in another project “down the road.”

When asked about the bowling alley, also included in the projects for “future consideration,” Davis said the main problem they are having is the cost of running a six-lane alley.

Over the summer, the program validation committee assigned to present recommendations to Gonzalez on what should go into the recreation and wellness center decided to hold off on the bowling alley until the second phase of the project.

“The students told us that if we don’t have alcohol (vendors), we don’t want a bowling alley,” Davis said.

The arena, which will be built just south of Parking Structure III, will be funded by a public-private partnership. Gonzalez said the request for a proposal will be sent out in the next few weeks.

“We will see who will be interested in doing it,” Gonzalez said.

Students expressed concerns over how many events they would be able to hold in the center.

The arena would be used by the university for basketball events and commencement. Because it would be built with public and private money, the events and dates available for the university to use “would be worked out in a contract,” Richardson said.

Gonzalez said having the facility would lure many concerts and other entertainment events.

“If Measures Q and R go down, where will you (Sacramento) have events?” Gonzalez said. “We will be renting it out to get the money to pay for it.”

“I thought the presentation was very informative, I’m just disappointed about not having competitive water sports,” junior kinesiology major Meredith Dinnie said. “I am happy the project will be completed though, and it will help me stay in shape.”

“I thought the presentation was effective and positive,” Arriola said. “Students are interested in where their money is going.”

When Gonzalez was asked by a student how everything will get done, he replied, “There is a plan and it’s Destination 2010.”

Blake Ellington can be reached at [email protected]