NAMPA — Facing a seemingly skeptical crowd at a Tuesday night town hall, Nampa Mayor Debbie Kling and College of Western Idaho president Gordon Jones focused on several key points about CWI’s possible acquisition of the Ford Idaho Center.

Jones emphasized that the no-cash transfer would not impact student tuition or CWI’s property tax rates.

Kling labored to get a point across: The city-owned Idaho Center does not make a profit. CWI foundation board president and Colliers real estate partner Mike Peña addressed questions about the center’s commercial value.

“The reality is these entertainment facilities, public facilities, are typically owned by government entities because they don’t make money,” Peña said.

Peña said Nampa lacks the population base for a large, consistent moneymaker like a professional sports team. “There is not a commercial real estate investor that is going to try and acquire this property and have the same business model, because it does not make money.”

Peña was invited to speak during Tuesday’s second round of public questions. During the first, more heavily attended round of the town hall, audience members asked about the value of the Idaho Center, and why the city chose not to try and sell the property.

A lively crowd of around 200 people gathered in the Ford Idaho Center’s Les Schwab Corral. As the college president and city mayor answered its questions, the skeptical crowd sometimes reacted audibly and visibly. Cowboy hats nodded up or down, or shook side to side, depending on how Kling answered a question.

One question specifically asked why the city hasn’t performed an appraisal of the Idaho Center property. Kling said an appraisal would only be done if the city intended to sell. The crowd immediately disagreed – replies of  “nope” and “no” echoed from the audience. An attendee raised their voice to say an appraisal is intended to assess the value.

Kling said Nampa and CWI were more concerned with the cost of deferred maintenance. When CWI paid for a facility assessment of the Idaho Center, those costs came in at about $25 million. Kling also noted that the city knows the replacement value of the property from the Idaho Counties Risk Management Program, the state insurance provider Nampa uses.

Tuesday’s town hall was solely for people to ask questions. Kling reminded the audience that she will not be the final decisionmaker — that falls to Nampa’s City Council.

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