Equestrian Center Operator Objects to City Lease

LAKE VIEW TERRACE — An attorney for the operator of the Hansen Dam Equestrian Center said Monday he has numerous objections to the terms of a lease the city is offering to settle a multimillion-dollar lawsuit.

Robert Graham, who represents operator Eddie Milligan, told the City Council’s Arts, Health and Humanities Committee that he will submit a written list of 20 objections to the terms of the offered lease. Milligan sued the city for $18 million last year, claiming that city officials for years have reneged on a promise to grant him a 30-year permit to operate the center.

Officials, however, say the permit has been delayed because the Army Corps of Engineers, which owns the property and leases it to the city, has not completed environmental studies.

Milligan, who has leased the property on a month-to-month basis for seven years, says he has spent more than $3 million on repairs and improvements at the center, where 170 horses are housed on 50 acres of land. Milligan also has offered to build a show arena and other facilities at the adjacent Orcas Park.

The city’s latest lease proposal, given to Milligan last week, provides for only a 21-year permit. Councilman Richard Alarcon, a committee member who also represents the Hansen Dam area, said the term is set by federal guidelines but city officials are negotiating to extend it.

After a 20-minute closed-door session, the three-member committee on Monday agreed to forward the proposed contract to the full City Council, with Graham’s objections attached. The council is expected to consider the issue later this month.