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Washington State University in Pullman Seeking Proposals from
 Hotel Developers for a $25 million Campus Hotel

By Yesenia Amaro, Moscow-Pullman Daily News, Moscow, IdahoMcClatchy-Tribune Regional News

January 25, 2010 --Washington State University Capital Planning and Development officials are seeking proposals from interested developers for the hotel and conference center project.

The university put the project on hold in mid-2008 due to the poor economy. Terry Baxter-Potter, project manager with Capital Planning and Development said, as far as he knows, the project still is on hold.

"We are seeking proposals from developers for this project and the university may go (or) may not go ahead with it," he said. The developer would plan, design, finance and develop and operate the hotel and conference center. Baxter-Potter said there are two options, one is that the developer would lease the land from the university and the second one is that the firm would purchase the property from the institution.

The hotel and conference center would be located on North Fairway Road.

Baxter-Potter said the deadline for in-state and out-of-state firms to turn in their proposal is Feb. 19. Thus far, he said officials have received questions from potential developers.

He said after the proposals are received they will be reviewed by the university's Real Estate Committee. The committee will then make recommendations.

In December 2007, WSU had chosen Corporate Pointe to lead the estimated $25 million project, but soon after the project was stalled.

Corporate Pointe President Duane Brelsford Jr. said his company hasn't lost interest in the project. There were a number of things that changed in the project and that is the reason why the university decided to put out a request for proposals, he said.

"We're still interested," he said. "We are evaluating our options right now. We are looking at the feasibility right now."

He said "given the current credit market for financing ... it would require us to purchase the land versus leasing it." Also, he said it would be a hotel or hotels and there would be a couple of options as to how they would treat the relationship with the conference center.

"We are very excited that this project is coming to fruition," he said. "It will clearly add a different hospitality experience than what's currently provided."

Brelsford said the location also would provide many amenities.

"The location provides ... a number of things, one is walking distance to sports venues, as well as access to the new Palouse Ridge Golf (Club), and half-a-mile to the airport," he said.

Yesenia Amaro can be reached at (208) 882-5561, ext. 237, or by e-mail at [email protected].

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To see more of the Moscow-Pullman Daily News or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.dnews.com.

Copyright (c) 2010, Moscow-Pullman Daily News, Moscow, Idaho

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