TITLE
Recommendation to request City Manager to create a Kroc Center Red Team utilizing all departments necessary for the purpose of:
· Creating a public awareness campaign on the value of having the
Kroc Center in our City;
· Expedite the resolution of all remaining issues regarding the land
transfer and lease property. Successful completion of the land
transfer and developer agreement needs to be in place no later
than September of 2010; and
· Help find solutions and support to reach the fundraising threshold
of the $18 million needed to trigger the funding of the Center.
DISCUSSION
The Salvation Army entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the City of Long Beach on January 1, 2006 for the development of a community center known as the Kroc Center. The site is located one block north of PCH at Walnut Avenue on approximately 19 acres at what is currently referred to as Hamilton Bowl. This is a storm water retention basin for the County of Los Angeles Flood Control District. The City of Long Beach currently maintains a lease with the County to operate the property as a park.
In order to construct the Kroc Center there will be considerable investment in the storm water system. The cost of reconfiguring the storm water system is estimated at $5 million ($750,000 to import, relocate and compact the new building pads). This reconfiguration of the storm water system is being done for two reasons. The first reason is that in order for a Kroc Center to be built, according to the terms of the foundation, the Salvation Army must have a Fee Simple title to the underlying land. The second, and more practical matter, is to prevent flooding on the center of the property. The remaining 11.8 acres of land will be used for athletic fields and parking and will be leased by the Salvation Army from the City/County.
Beyond the social benefits the proposed Kroc Center will provide much needed economic benefits. They include, but ...
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