NAMPA, Idaho — Nampa voters approved the formation of an auditorium district before news broke about the potential transfer of the Ford Idaho Center from the city to the College of Western Idaho. The discussions about this possible ownership change have been ongoing for about nine months, according to city and CWI officials.
Some voters have expressed they might not have supported the auditorium district had they known the Idaho Center could soon be owned by CWI.
"The fact that it's owned by a public entity, the auditorium district dollars do not go to CWI. They go to the expansion and improvements on the Ford Idaho Center, that property," Nampa Mayor Debbie Kling said.
WATCH as Ford Idaho Center GM explains auditorium district process
Andrew Luther, general manager of the Ford Idaho Center, explained the financial control structure would remain separate from CWI.
"There's an independent auditorium district board who's in control of those dollars and they can choose to spend those dollars however they see fit at the Ford Idaho Center and Nampa Civic Center," Luther said.
The newly approved auditorium district collects taxes from Nampa hotels to support the city's two entertainment venues. If the ownership transfer happens, these venues would be owned by two different organizations, creating a more complex relationship.
"Ultimately, it's still up to the board. So I'll still be doing my due diligence and making recommendations to that board. But yes, it does add more hands in the pot. But ultimately, it's still just two facilities and the needs haven't really changed," Luther said.
Mayor Kling cited financial uncertainty as a key reason for considering the transfer.
"We also have a lot of needs within the city on the deferred maintenance side, and we don't have those funds. And so because of the change in our budget, our budget's really, really tight," Kling said.
According to Luther, when Oak View Group began managing the facility 10 years ago, the property was losing over $1 million annually. However, except for 2020, the venue has been profitable for the past four years.
The newly approved auditorium district is already collecting taxes from Nampa hotel rooms and will receive its first check at the end of this month.
