West Jordan rejects factory fund-raising plan

WEST JORDAN — The West Jordan City Council on Tuesday rejected the only fund-raising proposal it had received for its planned sugar factory project, saying the proposal was inadequate.

The council plans to revise its requirements and again seek proposals.

Plans are in place to convert the historic sugar factory, at 8000 South and Redwood Road, into an arts center. In April, the City Council committed about $20,000 to fund a feasibility study to determine what the project would cost. The arts complex would include performance areas for theater, dance and music groups, an art gallery, rooms for art classes, convention and multipurpose facilities and an outdoor amphitheater.

The city began seeking proposals for fund-raising for the project in May and received only one proposal, from Pathway Associates. According to a request for council action prepared by Assistant City Manager Tom Steele, the committee assigned to selecting the fund-raising proposal decided it did not meet the needs of the project and the requirements for the project should be more specifically outlined.

The site began its transition toward an arts center in spring 2004 when the east end of the factory was converted into the 230-seat Sugar Factory Playhouse. Plans call for that theater to be replaced with a larger performance area.

The sugar factory's two silos will not be renovated as part of the project because doing so would require a seismic upgrade that would cost at least $2.5 million.