May 20--A downtown hotel and convention center is much closer than many realize, but it may become a part of the great downtown shuffle, as space is tight.

Officials have been dreaming about a new convention center space for probably 20 years, and it is an idea that is starting to become more than just a vision in some dreamer's head.

"I have a sketch from the mid-1990s," Pam Bricker, director of the Greeley Downtown Development Authority, said. "It's been on the radar for a long, long time."

The city of Greeley and the DDA have worked jointly for the last year and a half to entice a developer to take a stab at building a new hotel in Greeley. The city put out a request for proposals to build a hotel and one solid developer with a hotel chain in mind, emerged.

"But there is a long way to go from putting a shovel in ground," Bricker said. "The issue does revolve around decisions on parking, what that costs and how to finance it and what the developer can bring to the table."

Negotiations on those fronts are continuing and could make the difference in the downtown's continued momentum. Several new businesses have located in downtown in recent months, and more are expected to come with a new hotel. It could also mean the return of several convention groups that have moved on because of the lack of space.

"The new convention center now only allows us to expand that market that we're already excelling in but can't accommodate," said Sarah MacQuiddy, president of the Greeley Chamber of Commerce and Greeley Convention and Visitor's Bureau. "It would allow us to bring the square dances back to Greeley, the Germans from Russia group. There are so many organizations that have their annual and quarterly meetings and events, and it just would be a fresh new beginning for us with a new hotel."

For city and DDA officials, the past 18 months has been spent finding the right placements of all the pieces involved in building an urban hotel in Greeley's downtown.

Officials have agreed on a location in the south half of the Lincoln Park Annex next to the Lincoln Park Library, municipal courts and Greeley Fire Station No. 1.

That would put a hotel in direct proximity to the park and the civic center, both considered big pluses to complement a hotel.

"Every study that's been done over the last 15 years, when asked what do you want to see (from) a hotel room, a beautiful park and civic center wins, hands down," Bricker said.

After showing the developer every available spot in downtown -- including the empty Kia lot on 8th Avenue and 5th Street, he opted to be close to Lincoln Park, Bricker said.

The exact placement of such a hotel -- city officials are hoping it has no less than 150 rooms -- is not yet determined, but it will eventually mean some shuffling of the library and potentially the fire station.

"(We) always refer to it as the giant chess game," Bricker said. "There are so many things going on. You always want to make sure we don't get into a checkmate, which prevents things from happening. We literally have a map that has the chess pieces. If this happens here, this can go here, and so on.

"Right now, it is a giant moveable chess game that we just keep going from scenario A to B to C and see who the players are, and how to make the best use of it," she said. "I would say that block is it, that is our best-case scenario."

Eventually, Bricker said, they hope to have the entire block to redevelop, meaning Lincoln Park Library would have to move, as well as the fire station.

The library, consequently has eyed the potential of relocating to the former Kia property, but again, nothing is set in stone.

Meanwhile, questions of parking linger. Greeley officials have suggested, and the city council has tentatively agreed, to set aside $1 million of the city's $10 million carryover funds toward a parking solution for the hotel.

Bricker said a parking garage is being discussed, but underground parking also is an option.

"Then you have to go cost all that stuff out," Bricker said. "What does that cost and how much can we bring to the table?"

Bricker said a new hotel will continue the momentum felt by a rekindled economy.

"It's a prime economic development tool that we're very excited about," Bricker said. "It brings so much to this area. We're not just doing it cause it would be a nice thing to do.

"It is going to be a whole different place in 10 years. It's a whole different place than it was three years ago, and it's rapidly changing," Bricker said. "I'm feeling really good. ... It just keeps building."

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