SALINA – Commissioners  on Monday unanimously approved the financing of an $11.7 million downtown Salina field house project, according to media release.

Commissioners agreed to issue no more than $11.5 million in industrial revenue bonds. The $11.5 million figure represents $7 million in temporary notes, which were also authorized at the Monday’s meeting, and $4.5 million from private donations.

Although commissioners approved issuing up to $11.5 million in bonds, City Manager Jason Gage said the city is expected to issue no more than $4.5 million in bonds for the field house.

The industrial revenue bonds would be exempt from sales and property taxes, according to Deputy City Manager Mike Schrage.

The field house, which will be located at the southeast corner of Fifth and Ash streets, is ultimately expected to be funded by $4.5 million from the city of Salina, $4.5 million in private donations and $2.7 million in New Markets Tax Credits, bringing the total to $11.7 million.

Commissioners voted 5-0 to issue temporary notes not to exceed $7 million in order to begin construction of the field house, an amount authorized in city charter ordinance No. 39.

The New Markets funding of $2.7 million is expected to be available the third week of July, according to Schrage. He said it will be necessary to plan on a deposit of $9 million at that time.

Upon closing, the city will have $11.7 million on deposit for the field house.

The field house is the first step in a revitalization of Salina’s downtown that also would include a high-end hotel, a car museum and a bowling alley and entertainment center at a cost of more than $150 million.

The use of New Markets Tax Credit funding requires the formation and use of two affiliate corporations in order to structure the ownership and financing of the field house, according to Schrage.

Commissioners voted 4-0 to appoint the five city commissioners to the board of the Salina Fieldhouse Qualified Action Low-Income Community Business Corporation, which will construct and temporarily own the facility. They will serve two-year terms, or until successors are elected and qualified. Commissioner Hardy was not present for this vote. He arrived later in the meeting and commissioners then voted 5-0 to appoint Mayor Kaye Crawford and Commissioner Karl Ryan to serve on the board of the Salina Fieldhouse Leverage Lender Corporation, which will oversee financing of the project. They will serve four-year terms.

The Greater Salina Community Foundation will select the other three members of that corporation board.

Also at Monday’s meeting, commissioners voted 4-0, again with Hardy absent, to approve $1.7 million in funding for 2016 to begin the South Well Field and Water Treatment Plant.

This project will include either $31.7 million for a lime-softening option or $36.9 million for a membrane treatment plant, depending on which option is finally chosen, and will include the redrilling of two wells and the rehabilitating of three wells. It will also include 9,400 linear feet of raw water piping, and a 3.4-million-gallon per day treatment facility, according to Utilities Director Martha Tasker.

Commissioner Jon Blanchard asked city staff on Monday to consider bringing Dana Crawford to Salina to review the cleanup of the Smoky Hill River within the city.

Crawford was heavily involved in the redevelopment of Denver’s Larimer Square in the 1960s. She also assisted in creating a festival shopping area from neglected and abandoned buildings of Denver’s main street area.