By Kate Reardon

Herald Writer

WHIDBEY ISLAND — Seattle Pacific University officials hope an overhaul of its historic retreat center here will be the magic elixir to revive a place that could otherwise turn into financial drain.

Although thousands travel to the Whidbey Island Camp Casey conference center for workshops and camps each year, the center has not made enough money to pay some ongoing maintenance and needed repairs.

"We’re in the black, but we see the day coming where that wouldn’t be the case," said Darrell Hines, the university’s associate vice president for business and facility services. "Then, the university would be faced with a very difficult decision. We’re trying to be ahead of the curve."

Located about south of Coupeville near the Keystone ferry terminal, the 330-acre Camp Casey property, including the conference center, is owned and operated by the university. Educational, church and other non-profit groups use the center for camps and conferences. Many historic buildings exist on the campus, and officials say preserving those while adding new buildings would give it a boost in the market.

A proposed master plan submitted to Island County planners calls for more cabins, a multi-purpose education building and chapel, an interpretive shelter, a wetlands boardwalk and other additions.

The university could sell some land at the northern boundary to help pay for the redevelopment, officials said.

The improvements would allow the retreat center to increase its housing capacity from 670 people to 1,030 people. Hines said the improvements would also attract groups from a wider age range. About 15,000 people visit the center each year.

In its current form, the camp is great for youngsters who don’t mind sharing bathrooms and sleeping areas with 20 or 30 others. But most adults don’t enjoy that as much, Hines said.

In turn, officials said the retreat center is now at a competitive disadvantage compared to other more modern conference venues.

Conference fees pay for Casey’s operations, but the fees barely cover operational expenses, let alone pay for the maintenance and repairs of the aging buildings and infrastructure, officials said. The university budgets about $35,000 a year for capital projects, Hines said.

The county is also considering applying for 270 acres at Camp Casey to be designated as a special review district, a special county zoning class designed to protect land or structures of historical or environmental significance.

If approved, the special zoning would allow the continuation and expansion of the center. The master plan would give Whidbey Island residents a detailed plan for the future.

"The plan brings predictability," Hines said. "We’re trying to see if this idea floats on the island and has acceptance."

Hines said he’s not sure how soon development would occur or how much it would cost. The university plans to conduct a market analysis if the idea is approved by the county.

The university has a long history with the camp.

The university bought 80 acres from the U.S. government in 1956. The university received the remaining 250-plus acres as gifts and purchases over the 46 years since then.

University officials have been talking about the future of Camp Casey since the early 1990s. It was at that time that officials realized the camp could not successfully continue for long in its current condition. University officials decided they were not willing to subsidize the camp with money designated for the college campus in Seattle.

Review and approval of the plan by the county could take up to a year. Public hearings could take place as early as June or July, but hearing dates have not yet been set.

You can call Herald Writer Kate Reardon at 425-339-3455 or send e-mail to reardon@heraldnet.com.

Located on Whidbey Island and owned by Seattle Pacific University, it is used year-round for conferences, retreats, workshops and more.

Camp Casey is the original northern section of Fort Casey, which was built nearly a century ago to provide protection from battleships entering Puget Sound through Admiralty Inlet and defense of the Naval Shipyard in Bremerton. After World War I, Fort Casey was, for the most part, decommissioned. During World War II, Fort Casey was used as a training center for engineers. The fort remained a semi-active military post until 1954.

In 1956, the university bought the northern portion of Fort Casey to use as a non-profit conference center. That same year, the state of Washington bought the southern portion of Fort Casey, including Admiralty Point and the lighthouse, for development of Fort Casey Historical State Park.

Source: Seattle Pacific University