City, Restaurant Clash Over Site At Spokane Falls

SPOKANE - The city wants to pay $2.78 million to buy and demolish the former Salty's at the Falls restaurant along the Spokane River.

The restaurant has a spectacular view of Spokane Falls, but it must be removed to make way for a new Lincoln Street bridge.

City officials have reached a tentative agreement to pay Happy Guest International $2.78 million. The City Council is to vote on the purchase March 3, said Phil Williams, planning-services director.

The deal is a blow to efforts by another restaurant to buy the former Salty's site. Clinkerdagger Restaurant, owned by Seattle-based Restaurants Unlimited Inc. (RUI), had announced in December that it planned to move into the Salty's building. But Clinkerdagger discovered that the companies had not signed a lease, and last month learned of the city's plan to buy and level the property.

"We definitely feel burned," said Jim Welch, executive vice president of RUI. He said his company might consider suing the city.