Marathon County committee directs staff to continue talks with Center for Civic Engagement and reissue RFP for remaining UW–Marathon County campus

The Marathon County Human Resources, Finance and Property Committee on May 13 directed staff to continue negotiations with the team proposing to operate the campus theater as a Center for Civic Engagement and to issue a second-round request for proposals (RFP) for the remainder of the former UW–Marathon County campus, with a no-later-than response date of Sept. 1, 2026.

Administrator Leonard and staff told the committee they received two complete proposals: one from Community Ambassadors Through Music (presenting itself as the Marathon County Center for Arts and Culture) focused on the standalone theater building and a second from Cross Church proposing a faith-and-fitness community center that would also use the field house and an arts building for storage and programs. Staff described technical constraints that complicate subdividing the campus, including shared heating-plant infrastructure and an electrical substation that feeds the field house.

"When we first started looking at the RFP, we were looking at the entire campus," Tim Parker, representing Community Ambassadors Through Music and the Community Foundation, said during public comment. "But when it comes to the theater, we really have to keep that rolling. You can't take time off." Parker asked the county to allow additional time and partners to explore a broader campus approach.

Staff and committee members raised three central concerns: (1) utility and mechanical entanglements across buildings that make partial transfers more complex; (2) the timing of any new RFP in relation to limited state redevelopment grant funding; and (3) operational risk to the county if it retains ownership and becomes a long-term landlord. Chris (facilities/deputy administrator) urged proposers to consider shared-utility solutions and warned that splitting the campus raises questions about metering and cost allocation.

Committee members debated calendar options and the trade-offs between giving proposers more time to assemble robust bids and the county's budget schedule. Supervisor Gibbs moved, and Supervisor Watson seconded, a directive to continue negotiations with the Center for Civic Engagement proposer and to reissue an RFP for the remainder of the connected campus "with a due date of no later than Sept. 1, 2026." The committee amended an initial Sept. 15 deadline to Sept. 1 to provide board and budget time; the amended motion carried unanimously.

The committee chair noted that this committee cannot itself sell property — any eventual transfer will require full county board action — but said the direction gives staff authority to negotiate terms with the theater proposer while seeking more competitive interest for the remainder of the campus.

Next steps: staff will work with the current proposers and prepare an updated RFP for the remaining campus parcels, report back on mandatory walkthrough attendance and any additional interested parties, and return recommendations to the committee and county board for final decisions.