Back Garco Construction submits low bid for renovating Stampede Arena By Alex Paul Omak Chronicle staff – July 30, 2008 Three bids for renovation of the Okanogan County Equestrian and Cultural Heritage Center (Stampede rodeo grounds) were opened Tuesday afternoon at the Omak City Hall. Of the three, Garco Construction of Spokane submitted the low basic bid of $3,085,000. That will include demolition of the current wooden south bleacher section and replacement with new aluminum structures that will include 5,541 total seats. Of those, 707 will be chairs, 42 will be wheelchair-accessible and 4,792 will be aluminum bleacher seats with backs. Garco submitted a bid of $1,295,000 for alternative one, which is construction of 1,600 covered aluminum bleacher seats on the north side of the arena. Other bids included: Graham Construction, Spokane, $3,549,000; alternative one, $1,127,510; and Halme Builders, Davenport, $3,320,000; alternative one, $1,351,000. Ralph Malone, Omak city administrator, said the earliest a winning bid will be announced will be after the next city council meeting on Monday, Aug. 4. Malone was visibly pleased by the bids. "It's definitely good news. We have a project. We will have to review the bid for possible technical difficulties but we don't anticipate any." Malone and others had been concerned that just the basic project on the south side of the arena might come in at much more than the city has available, about $3.75 million. Malone said it is now feasible that with community support, seating could be developed on both the north and south ends of the arena. Back