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AN ORDINANCE authorizing the King County executive to enter into a ten-year concession agreement with two five-year extensions between King County and Go Ape Cougar-Squak LLC for construction and operation of a treetop adventure course by Go Ape Cougar-Squak LLC.
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STATEMENT OF FACTS:
1. The Parks Business Plan directs the parks and recreation division of the department of natural resources and parks to work in partnership with organizations to provide new recreational amenities that generate revenue for parks.
2. Go Ape Cougar-Squak LLC ("Go Ape") is an experienced, world-wide provider of treetop adventure courses, and since 2009, has successfully developed and operated facilities on publicly owned land in twelve states.
3. King County supports Go Ape's desire to construct and operate a new outdoor recreation facility in King County to provide a regional venue for King County residents to participate in outdoor recreational activities, and engage in environmental education and personal development programming.
4. Go Ape is committed to supporting underserved and special needs communities, particularly for youth, to experience nontraditional outdoor recreation activities, improve leadership efficacy and provide forest ecology and environmental stewardship education.
5. King County and Go Ape desire to enter into a ten-year concession agreement with two five-year extensions that will authorize Go Ape to construct and operate the treetop adventure course described in Attachment A to this ordinance at Cougar-Squak Corridor park, located in Issaquah, which will provide the parks and recreation division with long-term revenue.
6. Go Ape will bear the full cost and expense of developing and operating the new recreational facility, with an estimated capital investment of approximately nine hundred thousand dollars, in accordance with the terms of Attachment A to this ordinance.
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. The King County executive is hereby authorized to enter into a concession agreement between the King County parks and recreation division and Go Ape Cougar-Squak LLC, substantially in the form of Attachment A to this ordinance, for
Go Ape Cougar-Squak LLC to construct and operate a treetop adventure course on property at Cougar-Squak Corridor park.