Nampa held another hearing on the Ford Idaho Center. Here’s what it decided
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Nampa council voted to transfer Ford Idaho Center to College of Western Idaho.
- Decision followed tie vote; mayor broke deadlock citing future for next generation.
- CWI must still approve transfer; property has maintenance needs
Editor’s note: This story was updated on Dec. 4, 2025, to reflect that the CWI board of trustees approved the conveyance.
The Nampa City Council on Monday – for the second time – voted to transfer the Ford Idaho Center to the College of Western Idaho.
The decision comes after months of discussion and division over what to do with the 100-acre property, which includes an outdoor amphitheater and the Ford Idaho Horse Park and Sports Center. Mayor Debbie Kling broke a tie vote after dozens of people spoke out for and against the transfer. She said she trusts the direction CWI is going, but acknowledged the decision would disappoint some.
“Every decision I make is based on what is in the best interest of the next generation,” she said during the meeting. “The best interest of the next generation is that our kids have a hope in the future. CWI provides that.”
The center has ongoing maintenance and infrastructure needs that could cost upwards of $20 million over the next 15 years, according to previous Statesman reporting. CWI has said it could use the property to expand and provide more opportunities for the tens of thousands of students it serves, while continuing to host the local events that have traditionally been held at the facility.
The CWI board unanimously approved the transfer Thursday, three days after the Nampa City Council made its decision. In a statement, CWI board chair Jim Reames called the conveyance a “transformation opportunity.”
“By bringing the Ford Idaho Center into CWI’s Nampa Campus, we can preserve a beloved community venue while also creating new pathways for education, careers, and economic growth for generations to come,” he said in the statement.
Public divided in second hearing
The city had previously gone through the required steps and voted in October to convey the center to CWI.
But then it hit a snag. When the city was going through the closing review process, it identified issues with the title paperwork when the city of Nampa attained ownership of the property 20 years ago.
Because of the mistakes, the council voted last month to go through parts of the conveyance process again and held another public hearing Monday night to give the community the chance to weigh in on the center’s future.
During the roughly two-hour hearing, the public remained divided over whether to transfer the property to CWI.
Supporters of the transfer said it would help the college grow and increase its academic offerings to draw more students to its campus. They argued the city has done its due diligence in making this decision, and that improving the educational offerings would help grow the local economy.
“As the region’s population continues to expand, we must plan responsibly for how to grow alongside it. That’s why the Ford Idaho property represents such an extraordinary opportunity,” Ashley Smith, executive director of government community relations for CWI, read in a statement on behalf of CWI President Gordon Jones.
He said the transfer is a way to “activate space that serves both the community and academic needs,” and that it will ensure the center continues to thrive and evolve.
But critics argued the center wasn’t underutilized and was a valuable asset for the city. Those against the conveyance said taxpayers invested into the facility and would get nothing from the transfer, that the process the council went through was flawed and spewed distrust, and that it was irresponsible for the council to make a decision shortly before a newly elected mayor and council members assume office next month.
Council members were also divided. Some argued that what happens to the center should be the decision of the taxpayers. Others said conveying the property would ensure its future.
“This isn’t about walking away from an asset that we love,” council member Natalie Jangula said. “It’s about securing its future.”
This story was originally published December 2, 2025 at 8:49 AM.
