The Hengst Foundation has pulled the plug on its proposal to build and operate a 5,000-seat, $12 million amphitheater on a portion of vacant farmland owned by the city of Washington.
City Attorney Mark Walton, speaking Monday at a Washington City Council committee of the whole meeting, said he received a letter June 2 from foundation attorney Bob Brown saying the foundation was withdrawing its April 28 letter of intent to work with the city on the amphitheater project.
Walton said he received a follow-up email Monday from Brown saying the foundation did not intend to discuss, negotiate or meet with city officials about the project even though the letter of intent gave the city until June 30 to respond to the foundation's requests.
One request was for the city to install infrastructure and a road at the project site, the city's "223" property off U.S. Route 24 and Nofsinger Road. The estimated cost of that work was $3.5 million.
After Warner spoke, Alderperson Bobby Martin III thanked the foundation for bringing the idea to the city, and lamented the loss of what he called potentially tens of millions of dollars that could have come to the city from the amphitheater's development and other businesses that would have located near it.
Martin also said arts in the community will suffer without the amphitheater.
The council and city staff decided last month that it was best to delay making a decision on the amphitheater until the city did feasibility and sound studies on the project, and the council held a goal-setting and strategic planning session involving the entire city.
As some council members called it, due diligence.
Alderperson Mike McIntyre said he was disheartened that the foundation pulled out of the project before unanswered questions were answered.
"We couldn't move forward without those answers. We needed more time," he said.
Alderperson Brandon Moss echoed McIntyre's remarks.
"We owe it to residents to do our due diligence even when the city gets a generous gift," he said.
Moss also said the timing of the project was unfortunate.
"The foundation's letter of intent was received just after an election that resulted in the biggest turnover on the council in many years," he said.
Moss is one of four new members of the eight-member council. Also, former Alderperson Lilija Stevens was elected mayor. Former Mayor Gary Manier served in that position for 24 years.
Manier's wife Lada is on the board of the not-for-profit foundation.
The amphitheater was a dream of former Washington resident Jim Hengst. He created the foundation and pledged to donate $12 million to build the amphitheater, which he wanted to name after his late wife Dee.
Washington residents at council meetings and on social media expressed concerns about the city's financial commitment to the project, potential sound and traffic issues in the amphitheater area, the credibility of feasibility and sound studies done by the foundation, the lack of a town hall about the project requested by the council, and a possible conflict of interest involving Mayor Manier and his wife.
A legal opinion about the conflict of interest done by the city's legal counsel was never released to the public, but it was assumed there were no legal issues because no action was taken.
