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City Council members will decide today if a previous contract with
the owners of the River City Star should be amended. The amendment
would give the city ownership of a new consolidated concession
ticket and restroom facility that is being planned next to the
city's new 28-acre park on the riverfront.
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River City Star moored at the current Miller's Landing location. Plans are to move the excursion boat and dock a
few hundred feet to the south (ORF 11/01) |
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A previous contract with Rolling River LLC, owners of the excursion boat, stated that
the city would front the cost of moving and improving the dockage facility
for the boat if the owners would agree to repay $250,000 of the
cost. Rolling River LLC and the city would also split the
estimated $200,000 it would cost to build a new parking lot that
would serve both boat and park patrons. The city also planned to
build a new separate public restroom facility near the dock area.Architects
and engineers hired by the city for the project are now saying the
new restroom facility would not mesh with the old white building
currently being used by the River City Star for concessions and
tickets. The proposed amendment would increase the city's cost by
about $456,000. Under the new agreement, the River City Star
would lease the combined facility from the city for $250,000 and
agree to maintain it through 2013. They would also still pay their
half or $100,000 for the new parking lot. The building would be
made of block masonry and should weather well and coordinate with
the rest of the structures currently under construction on the
riverfront. Funds for the project will come from the $94.5
million in redevelopment bonds issued last year by the city for
riverfront, downtown and South Omaha projects. Since the 28-acre
park project is under budget, the city has the money. The
engineer's original estimate was $5.2 million. The lowest bid on
the second round of bidding on the project came in at around $4.3
million which includes the consolidated building. 
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