Laventhol & Horwath (now Price Waterhouse) was hired to help determine the type, size and location of a new facility to replace the Coliseum.
David Petersen of L & H conducted over 40 interviews with local area elected officials, user groups, citizens and promoters as part of this study.
The Board subsequently voted unanimously to accept the recommendations of the Laventhol & Horwath study, as follows: A ballot proposition was placed on the County general election ballot in November 1990 with two issues: (1) a property tax bond issue of $38 million to finance construction; and (2) a measure to validate the District, which would allow it to impose a two percent hotel/motel room tax on properties of 40 or more units.
Over that winter the Board again met with local elected officials and community leaders to discuss the concept of a one-tenth of one percent sales tax measure.
The one-tenth of one percent sales tax measure was placed on the primary election ballot in September 1991 and received the approval of Spokane County voters, thus completing the financing needed to construct the Arena.
Since opening its doors, the Arena has sold millions of tickets and hosted a variety of events including 5 sold-out Garth Brooks concerts, Elton John, Nickelback, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood, numerous Men's and Women's NCAA Basketball Championship events, the record-breaking 2007 and 2010 US Figure Skating Championships, Walking with Dinosaurs, and Star Wars: In Concert, amongst others.
In August 2002, the Board revised the District's Mission Statement to include other projects, as the original PFD was created for the construction of the Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena only.
Constructed for Expo '74, the First Interstate Center for the Arts is home to WestCoast Entertainment's Annual "Best of Broadway" Series and many iconic performances by legendary artists and family shows.
Immediately following completion of the CC expansion and remodel, the District began a series of project at the First Interstate Center for the Arts.
Officially named, The Podium Powered by STCU, the venue is a 135,000-square-foot (12,500 m2) indoor multi-use sports facility that opened in December 2021.
[1] In partnership with the owner, Spokane Public Schools (SPS), the 5,000 seat stadium opened in September 2023 and is directly north of The Podium.