Vision

  

A collaborative partnership between the City of Anacortes and the Port of Anacortes to provide a permanent event space for large tourist-oriented and community-based events that can host events long into the future and takes advantage of Anacortes’s distinct characteristics.


The permanent event space is envisioned to be suitable for:


  •  Large-scale events (e.g., Bier on the Pier, Uncorked, Boat & Yacht Show) that bring in tourists;


  • Community events hosted by other local non-profits which are critical to the vitality of our community; and


  • Weddings and other private events, which have continuing demand and bring in rental revenue and overnight tourists and support local vendors and merchants.  


Initial Design Concept Interlocal Agreement

  

In March 2024, the Port and City signed an Interlocal Cooperative Agreement to determine the rough magnitude of cost analysis to deliver a space within the Port of Anacortes West Basin Master Site Plan that would meet the established event center criteria. Within this process, both entities are working collaboratively through a committee process to determine the conceptual design of the event center and the arrangements required to bring this event center to a reality for our community.


The purpose of this conceptual design phase agreement is to analyze building programming, propose floor plan solutions that integrate provided criteria, generate overall site plans and diagrams for the use of the adjacent park that will support outdoor event “spill out.” 


All of this work will be done with consideration for integrating the proposed event center facility into the Port’s existing West Basin Plan. The concept will bring in precedent images to help define the character of the building and adjacent park area, as well as civil work required for utility connections and other elements of the building and park. 


Rough order of magnitude (ROM) costs for the selected building concept, adjacent park area, and civil elements will be produced as part of this conceptual phase of work.


The goal for the event center design is to meet the following criteria: 

  • Oriented to take advantage of the distinct attributes of Anacortes (e.g., its waterfront) by incorporating the history and culture of Anacortes throughout the planning and design of this project. The overall West Basin redevelopment project will not modify the WT Preston, the former train depot/historic museum, or the Altair-Americus memorial. Our development plan would protect these and provide enhancements around them to make them more accessible and attractive public amenities. 


  • The Event Center will be centrally located to support our downtown core.


  • The building will be capable of banquet-style seating for 400 people, plus room for dance floor, buffet tables, and stage; green room with separate bathroom; warming kitchen for outside caterers (sink, worktables, refrigeration, exterior access); enclosed storage for event tables, chairs, stage, and dance floor; and patron restrooms.


  • The design will also incorporate capacity for overflow/outside seating around the building.

Proposed Event Center Location

Possible Design Elements - Regional Event Spaces

Frequently Asked Questions

  

Plans for redevelopment of the North and West Cap Sante Basin uplands were developed with community involvement in the 2008 Port Comprehensive Plan.


The original redevelopment plan was refined in the North and West Basin Concept Plan that was developed through a series of community workshops in 2013 and 2014 that included City staff, Port staff and community members: 


Event Center Advisory Group


  • Joe Verdoes, Port of Anacortes Commissioner 
  • Jon Petrich, Port of Anacortes Commissioner 
  • Christine Cleland-McGrath, Anacortes Arts Festival
  • Sylvia Cooper, City of Anacortes 
  • Stacy Doyle, Anacortes Vintage Market 
  • Phil Gere, Gere-a-Deli
  • Stephanie Hamilton, Anacortes Chamber of Commerce
  • Marta McClintock, Anacortes Schools Foundation 
  • Meredith McIlmoyle, Anacortes Arts Festival 
  • Jeanette Papadakis, Island Hospital Foundation 
  • Andy Stewart, Friends of the Forest 
  • Chris Terrell, How It Works


North and West Basin Redevelopment Advisory Group


  • John Pope, Port of Anacortes Commissioner 
  • Ken Goodwin, Port of Anacortes Commissioner 
  • Jean Andrich, Friends of the Forest
  • Bonnie Bowers, Anacortes Former Chief of Police
  • Fred Buckenmeyer, City of Anacortes Public Works 
  • Brian Clark, Anacortes Housing Authority 
  • Stephanie Hamilton, Anacortes Chamber of Commerce 
  • Rita James, Anacortes Arts Commission
  • Mark Lione, Cap Sante Inn 
  • Bret Lunsford, City of Anacortes Museum Director
  • Jonn Lunsford, City of Anacortes Park & Recreation 
  • Lori Maul, Fidalgo Artisan Yarn & Clothing
  • Meredith McIlmoyle, Anacortes Arts Festival 
  • Don Measamer, City of Anacortes Planning, Community, and Economic Development 
  • Greg Mustari, Marina Constituent 
  • Eric Shjarback, City of Anacortes Public Works
  • Rick Star, Rockfish Grill and Anacortes Brewery 


Yes, the project is envisioned as a joint City-Port project, and the current thinking is that the Port will provide waterfront property, and the City will fund construction. Representatives from the Port and City are meeting frequently to keep the project moving in its current phase, which is conceptual design.


 Initial cost estimates for building the event center are what we are working on together now. As the land is already owned by the Port, the costs will be planning, design and construction of the building and associated property. 


The current plan is to fund design and construction of the building through City Lodging Tax funding. The City of Anacortes collects a 4% tax on the furnishing of lodging—by hotels, motels, short-term rentals, and other transient lodging. The City’s goals for the use of lodging tax funds is to attract visitors to Anacortes, both for overnight stays and day trips. Tourist visits to our shopping, restaurants, art galleries and other activities help ensure the economic vitality of these enterprises and the liveliness of Anacortes. The event center meets these goals.


 We’ve heard concerns from marina users and other Anacortes residents about the lack of parking around Cap Sante Marina and downtown.


As part of the design phase of the project, the port is developing strategies to manage parking around Cap Sante Marina, which will help make parking more efficient and predictable, and better serve marina users and others visiting downtown. Although still in development, parking management will likely include time restrictions and require passes for those wanting to use spaces for long-term parking. 


The final design for the redevelopment project will provide sufficient parking to meet the needs of marina boaters, commercial businesses and other waterfront users.


  The overall West Basin project includes improvements to the waterfront esplanade and extension of the Tommy Thompson trail.


  No. The Port already owns the land and the preliminary funding strategy for the building design and construction is to use Lodging Tax and grant funds.


Copyright © 2025 anacorteseventfacility.com - All Rights Reserved.


This website uses cookies.

We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.

Accept