Manteca is still in the hunt for two significant amenities designed to serve people beyond the city limits:
uA major waterpark resort /hotel/conference center.
uA Veterans Center to provide services to veterans.
Mayor Steve DeBrum reports the numbers that are critical to making a decision on the waterpark are in the process of being provided to the city by McWhinney Development Co. that is negotiating with interested parties.
After Great Wolf wanted to reassess its commitment to the Manteca project, McWhinney started fielding pitches from other suitors based in Wisconsin that is the indoor waterpark/resort Mecca of the Americas. One area — Wisconsin Dells — has six major water parks and resorts.
Plans advanced in the process prompted the city — at McWhinney’s request — to increase the set aside land for a resort  from 40 to 60 acres among the 120 acres the city owns that are envisioned for a family entertainment zone. One player reportedly wanted to add amusement park style rides, an RV resort, and other amenities as well as increasing the hotel and indoor waterpark footprint. One proposal even has a 100,000 square-foot conference center that would dwarf all other conference center facilities in the 209 region in terms of space.
The city already has already secured environmental clearance for a 500 room hotel, a 75,000-square-foot indoor water park, a 15,000-square-foot outdoor water park, and a 20,000-square-foot conference center.
DeBrum stressed that while he can’t speak for the rest of the council, as mayor he wants the numbers to work for Manteca before he’ll give any resort operation his final blessing.
Meanwhile Manteca is now spending $8.7 million of the city’s remaining redevelopment agency funds to put infrastructure in place to serve the entire 120-acre FEZ site that includes a possible resort. Knife River is currently performing the work west of Costco.
City Manager Elena Reyes on Tuesday told the council the Veterans Administration on Oct. 13 indicated they wanted more details of five sites in the Manteca the city suggested for the agency to potentially relocate the Modesto Veterans Service Center that is currently in Modesto at 1219 Carpenter Road. There are 29 Vet Centers in California. The next closest Vet Centers are in Sacramento, Concord, and San Jose.
The VA needs a 4,200-square-foot building.
They’re considering Manteca as it is more centrally located in the 209 region and has access to three major regional freeways — Highway 99, Interstate 5, and the 120 Bypass.

Cushman conducting
2nd online town hall
Manteca City Council candidate David Cushman will be holding his second online town hall of the 2016 campaign. The town hall will consist of a live video stream on Facebook, which will take place on Friday, Oct. 21, at 1 p.m. Viewers can tune into Cushman’s Facebook page, Facebook.com/DavidCushman2016, at that time to ask questions and have them answered in real-time.
Cushman held the first-ever online town hall in a Manteca City Council race back in July. That town hall has since garnered nearly 600 views on Facebook. Cushman also held a meet and greet in September at Angelano’s Restaurant.
Those who are interested in asking questions of the candidate can tune into the live stream and ask in real time, or can alternatively email them in advance to davidcushman2016@gmail.com. To participate in the event, viewers can go to Facebook.com/DavidCushman2016 on their computers or mobile devices.