The College of Western Idaho could acquire Nampa’s Ford Idaho Center.

Acquiring the city-owned arena, outdoor amphitheater and surrounding property could help CWI expand hands-on instruction in programs from agriculture to event management, college President Gordon Jones told Idaho Education News Wednesday. It would also give the college 100 acres that now separate CWI’s existing campus from its Micron Education Center.

“It’s a once in a long time, if not lifetime opportunity,” Jones said in an interview.

The city of Nampa would hand over the center and the land around it, in what Jones called a “no-cash transfer.” The transfer would have no impact on tuition and fees or local property taxes, he said. But the move is not without risk; while CWI would collect revenue off of profitable events, it would also be responsible for maintenance and would be on the hook for events that lose money.

The city of Nampa has initiated the possible transfer, and will make the first move. The City Council could vote as early as Aug. 11. If the council signs off, CWI’s board of trustees would also need to approve the transfer.

But as city and college officials announced the potential transfer Wednesday, both Jones and Nampa Mayor Debbie Kling touted the benefits.

“If approved, transferring this public asset to the College of Western Idaho would maximize the facility’s potential, enable it to continue hosting events, transform the surrounding area, and expand workforce training opportunities to meet the needs of employers,” Kling said in a news release.

The Idaho Center property includes several components.

The main arena, built in 1997, has a seating capacity of about 12,200, and hosts concerts, rodeos, graduation ceremonies and state high school basketball tournaments. It also hosts a variety of trade shows.

An adjacent outdoor amphitheater, with a seating capacity of 10,500, is a summer concert venue.

The Ford Idaho Horse Park and Sports Center hosts a variety of equine events, with 110 RV spaces for attendees.

While the city owns the center, it hires out day- to-day operations to Oak View Group, a Denver-based firm that manages stadiums and arenas across the nation. If CWI acquires the center, it would pursue a similar partnership with Oak View Group, Jones said. “We’re not providing the ticket-takers.”

Jones doesn’t see the center as a moneymaker. Instead, he said, CWI’s ownership would guarantee that Nampa has a home for popular community events, such as the Snake River Stampede rodeo. While private facilities are under year-round pressure to turn profits, CWI’s goals are more modest.

“This is meant to be self-sustaining, not draining,” he said.

But Jones said the property is extremely important for a college that already serves 30,000 students — and could be trending toward future enrollment of 50,000.

The 100 acres would give CWI a lot of expansion options, for classrooms, parking or other facilities.

Idaho Center facilities could host classes by day, and community events by night. The horse park is a natural tie-in to CWI’s existing plan for a 40-acre Agricultural Sciences Complex. Oak View Group could partner with CWI, Jones said, helping to create a degree program in event management. And while Jones has never pursued athletics programs at CWI, the center could provide a venue for basketball or rodeo teams.

“It’s one step closer,” he said.

The public will have two chances to comment on the proposal.

CWI and the city of Nampa will host a town hall, scheduled from 4 to 6 p.m. July 15, at the  Ford Idaho Center’s Les Schwab Corral, located near the horse park arena.

The Nampa City Council will hold a public hearing at 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 11, before council members are expected to vote on the transfer.