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ong>$6 million makeover morphing American Can complex into Amer Corp. headquarters

OGDEN -- The American Can Co. complex will get a new name and a $6 million overhaul by July to house Amer Sports Corp.'s U.S. headquarters.

The downtown landmark will be renamed the Wasatch Mountain Center, said Jon Peddie, a developer in Steamboat Springs, Colo.

In January, Peddie and several unidentified investors purchased 205,000 square feet of space in the complex from the Ogden Community Foundation for slightly more than $3 million. The purchase includes all of the complex except for about 40,000 square feet occupied by the DaVinci Academy of Science and the Arts.

The complex opened in 1915 and closed in 1979. Riverside Technology Foundation purchased the 4.8-acre property in March 2004 for $1.8 million and entered into a development and management agreement with American Can LLC.

The Ogden Community Foundation acquired the complex late last year from American Can LLC, which is a joint partnership between Wadman Corp. and Farr Better Ice Cream.

Dave Harmer, the city's community and economic development director, said transformation of the complex into the Wasatch Mountain Center will play a key role in Ogden's downtown revitalization.

"The city has been trying for years to make sure that building is put into productive use," he said. "Getting a major tenant to go in there is fairly significant."

Amer will lease about 57,000 square feet of space off Lincoln Avenue in one of the complex's six buildings.

The building will house administrative offices for three Amer brands, including Salomon, a maker of snow-sports equipment and apparel; Atomic, a ski manufacturer; and Suunto, which makes underwater watches and other diving products.

Amer expects to eventually employ about 230 workers in Ogden.

The total cost to renovate the entire complex in phases will be $15 million to $20 million, Peddie said.

Renovations to the building will include a new roof and windows, a heating and cooling system, interior furnishings and seismic upgrades.

Peddie said he is also working with the city to relocate its Business Information Center from a location on Washington Boulevard to a 7,000-square-foot building at the complex. He also hopes to lease space to high-tech and outdoor recreation companies.

"Ogden has tremendous potential and is on the verge of greatness for business redevelopment," Peddie said. "It has great recreational opportunities and an affordable cost of living."

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