The Casper Civic Auditorium could find a new home closer to downtown if organizers and the Casper City Council are able to agree on the move.

Longtime auditorium critic and city Councilman Paul Bertoglio suggested Thursday the facility be located in the corridor area, possibly along the riverbank.

"This would be one heck of an anchor, from the corridor standpoint," he said.

Community Development Director April Getchius said plans to revitalize the industrial West Central Corridor are nearing completion. In order to be successful, she said the area still needs a few major anchor projects, such as a large business, public library or other significant attraction.

"At this point, a major public investment could spur the private investment we need," Getchius said.

Bertoglio noted that the group Citizens for a Civic Auditorium has struggled to raise enough money to qualify for a $7.5 million match from the Amoco Reuse Agreement Joint Powers Board.

"They have one more hurdle to clear, but the last hurdle probably won't come without some assistance," he said.

A move to the corridor could benefit both the city and the auditorium group, but would also come with some drawbacks, Bertoglio said. Some of the pledges might not come through, the city may have to try to pass a capital facilities tax and the city would probably have to build and own the building and rent it to the group.

"We always feared it would come back to us eventually," Bertoglio said. "At least this way we'd have some control from the get-go."

Citizens for a Civic Auditorium president Ken Barbe said he has heard of a possible West Central Corridor relocation and is pleased that people are thinking of other ideas for the auditorium, but his group hasn't decided to change its plans yet.

"Our response has always been, 'We've got a project, we've got a site, we've got a goal,'" Barbe said.

Mark Pepper, chairman of the joint powers board, said he isn't surprised at the suggestion the civic auditorium could relocate to the nearby corridor area between Poplar and David streets.

The move would cause the group to forfeit the idea of earning a $7.5 million match from the joint powers board, which it would qualify for by raising $17 million - $11 million in construction and $6 million for an endowment - by Sept. 30.

The group has raised about $8.4 million so far, with all but between $600,000 and $700,000 of that in pledges and less about $200,000 in expenses.

That leaves the group to raise about $8.6 million in six and a half months, or about $45,000 a day.

Joint powers board director Alice Kraft said the board set aside $5 million of the $20 million of the Amoco settlement for a reserve account, which could be allocated to development in the corridor.

However, the board also has stipulated the $5 million cannot be spent on one project.

Councilwoman Stefanie Boster said the joint powers board is not optimistic the auditorium is going to happen on the Amoco property. The group is working on a new memorandum of understanding with the board and would be expected to enter into a similar agreement with the city if it decides to relocate.

"They would have to start over from the beginning, but it might actually work," Boster said.

Natrona County resident Dick Sadler has been a vocal opponent of large projects built with tax funds and said he would oppose using public funds to build the auditorium.

"I don't think there will be enough support from the community to go for a capital facilities tax," Sadler said. "I certainly won't support a sixth-cent tax, no matter where they build it. I've had people tell me that if any surplus money goes to the civic auditorium, they'll kill the 1-cent tax next time."

Reporter John Morgan can be reached at (307) 266-0614 or john.morgan@casperstartribune.net.

Reporter Tom Morton can be reached at (307) 266-0592 or Tom.Morton@casperstartribune.net.