Contact: Tara Hendershott, (202) 224-5444, Washington, D.C. 20510

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE      August 13, 2008

Bennett Says Hill AFB Enhanced Use Lease Agreement is a Win-Win Situation

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Senator Bob Bennett (R-Utah) praised Air Force officials today for signing the Hill Air Force Base West Side Development Enhanced Use Lease (EUL), the largest EUL in the Department of Defense.

“The enhanced use lease agreement is a win-win situation for the developer, the Air Force, and Utah’s communities,” said Bennett. “This public-private partnership benefits the local economies through job creation and provides Hill the opportunity to expand and modernize its infrastructure. I commend the officials at Hill for their diligent work to make this agreement a reality.”

Last August, Kathleen I. Ferguson, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Air Force for Installations at the Pentagon, announced the selection of Sunset Ridge Development Partners LLC to complete Phase I of the West Side Development EUL at Hill Air Force Base (HAFB).

Sunset Ridge will work with HAFB on the first phase of development that will cover about 100-150 acres of land on the western side of the base. The development could include office space, hotels, restaurants, and retail space. The project may ultimately encompass 550 acres adjacent to Interstate 15.

When completed, the project will result in substantial benefits for the Air Force by replacing up to 1.3 million square feet of outdated office space. It will also increase tax revenues for nearby cities and counties, expand economic development, and create jobs in northern Utah.

The West Side Development project is a part of the Air Force's EUL program, authorized by statute in the 1999 Defense Authorization Act, which allows leases of underutilized military land to private developers. While the Air Force will still own the land, the developer will own the facilities it builds. These projects allow developers to establish long-term relationships with private-sector and government entities with specific real estate needs. 

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http://bennett.senate.gov/