Cities in the East Bay’s Tri-Valley region are considering an unusual proposal by a local tourism group that wants to build a privately-owned $365 million event center in Dublin, which would partially rely on taxpayer funding.

A tourism organization called Visit Tri-Valley is pitching a $365 million multiuse event center in Dublin, near the Dublin/Pleasanton BART station. The project would be privately owned but financed in part through public dollars, prompting pushback from the city of Pleasanton, one of the cities expected to help pay for it, as the Chronicle reports.

The proposed venue would include space for up to 12 basketball courts or 24 volleyball courts that could also be converted into a convention center and performing arts venue for as many as 5,000 people. Supporters say the project would attract sports tournaments, conferences, concerts, and other events that would bring new tourism spending into the region.

According to the Chronicle, Pleasanton Interim City Manager Joe Calabrigo publicly raised concerns during Monday's Alameda County Transportation and Planning Committee meeting, where the proposal was presented. With Pleasanton reportedly facing a $7 million structural budget deficit and asking voters to approve a hotel tax increase this November, Calabrigo questioned whether committing public money to a privately owned venue should be a priority.

“Given all of the other financial issues that the city of Pleasanton is dealing with, putting up public money for a facility that would be privately owned and operated would not be a very high priority for the city,” said Calabrigo.

Calabrigo also criticized the way the proposal was introduced, saying the idea of using taxpayer funds was raised before those cities were properly consulted.

Visit Tri-Valley CEO Tracy Farhad argued the project would generate long-term revenue by attracting visitors who spend money throughout the region, per the Chronicle.

“Our main mission is to bring outside visitors here … that will contribute to the general funds of all of our cities and contribute to state and local tax revenues,” said Farhad. “This is a real demand driver that once built, it will bring in money for decades to come.”

According to the proposal, the project would be governed by a new regional joint powers authority that would issue long-term revenue bonds. Those bonds would reportedly be repaid through a combination of tourism-related business assessments and future property tax growth in parts of Dublin and Pleasanton, along with venue revenue, hotel assessments, ticket surcharges, and naming rights.

The Chronicle reports that Visit Tri-Valley is also seeking an initial $350,000 from Alameda County for surveys and design review and wants to lease the county-owned 12-acre site for $1 a year over 99 years.

At Monday's meeting, Dan Fenton, a managing director at JLL, which is overseeing the project, said the venue would attract more than 318,000 visitors annually and potentially generate roughly $120 million in annual economic activity while creating about 500 permanent jobs.

Dublin Mayor Sherry Hu said the city is “cautiously optimistic” and is evaluating whether local funding is feasible while also pursuing state, federal, and county assistance. Alameda County Supervisor David Haubert directed staff to continue working with neighboring cities and address Pleasanton's concerns, while calling the proposal “an exciting project” worthy of further discussion.

Per the Chronicle, organizers hope to break ground by the end of 2027, though the proposal remains in its early stages and must clear multiple county and state approvals.

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Image: Visit Tri-Valley