EVERETT – Everett found out Tuesday that it lost out on its bid for a state-of-the-art recreation center.
The Salvation Army is using a $1.5 billion gift from late McDonald’s founder Ray Kroc and his wife Joan to build and operate up to 30 art, education and recreation community centers nationwide.
Everett competed against 10 other cities in Snohomish and King counties, and barely lost to Seattle for the right to move to the next round, Salvation Army Maj. John Chamness said.
Mayor Ray Stephanson said Everett needs a recreation center.
“I’m disappointed we didn’t move on in the competition, but I haven’t given up hope to create a community center for Everett,” he said.
Up to eight multimillion-dollar centers will be built on the West Coast, Chamness said. Seattle now will compete against 20 other West Coast cities for one of the grants.
Chamness, who is leading the project in King and Snohomish counties and sat on the site-selection committee, said the choice between Everett and Seattle was tough. The committee had planned to make a decision Friday night, but the deliberations spilled over into the weekend and Monday because both cities had such compelling presentations, he said.
“The need demonstrated by both cities was very similar,” Chamness said. Seattle’s site is in the Rainier Valley, “one of the areas that has been undersupported for many years and overlooked,” he said.
Everett also clearly showed a great need, he said. And the 12-acre riverfront site Everett chose for the center “is a great site and a great location.”
Everett’s center would have included swimming and therapeutic pools, a gymnasium, fitness center, ball fields and community meeting rooms.
Stephanson said the city-owned land remains a good site for a community recreation center.
Reporter David Olson: 425-339-3452 or dolson@ heraldnet.com.
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