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April 8, 2003
Moving River City Star may be more costly to city
By NANCY NEUROHROmaha City Council members will decide today if a previous contract with the owners of the River City Star should be amended. The amendment would give the city ownership of a new consolidated concession ticket and restroom facility that is being planned next to the city's new 28-acre park on the riverfront.
A previous contract with Rolling River LLC, owners of the excursion boat, stated that the city would front the cost of moving and improving the dockage facility for the boat if the owners would agree to repay $250,000 of the cost. Rolling River LLC and the city would also split the estimated $200,000 it would cost to build a new parking lot that would serve both boat and park patrons. The city also planned to build a new separate public restroom facility near the dock area.
Architects and engineers hired by the city for the project are now saying the new restroom facility would not mesh with the old white building currently being used by the River City Star for concessions and tickets. The proposed amendment would increase the city's cost by about $456,000.
Under the new agreement, the River City Star would lease the combined facility from the city for $250,000 and agree to maintain it through 2013. They would also still pay their half or $100,000 for the new parking lot.
The building would be made of block masonry and should weather well and coordinate with the rest of the structures currently under construction on the riverfront.
Funds for the project will come from the $94.5 million in redevelopment bonds issued last year by the city for riverfront, downtown and South Omaha projects. Since the 28-acre park project is under budget, the city has the money. The engineer's original estimate was $5.2 million. The lowest bid on the second round of bidding on the project came in at around $4.3 million which includes the consolidated building.