Matt Santangelo, the sixth-leading scorer in Gonzaga University basketball history and the executive director of Spokane Hoopfest, says he’s elated Portland-based Nike Inc., is bringing a retail store to the M Building in downtown Spokane.

Santangelo says Spokane Hoopfest wasn’t part of this most recent effort to bring a Nike outlet to Spokane, but it’s his understanding the athletic apparel company hopes to be established in the former Macy’s building this spring.

“I’m a Portland boy,” says Santangelo, who was born and raised there, in the same metropolitan area where Nike is headquartered. “So I’m swoosh through and through. What will make Nike an excellent fit for Spokane and a revitalized downtown isn’t just the cool stuff in the form of products, but it’s the experience that Nike has a way of bringing to a community.”

The city of Spokane is reviewing a plan submitted last month for tenant improvements to a space on the ground floor of the old Macy’s building, at 618 W. Riverside, for what was listed as a Nike store. Calls to Nike weren’t immediately returned. 

Centennial Properties Inc., the Spokane-based property developer that’s part owner of the River Park Square downtown retail center, last year purchased the former Macy’s building, located on the north side of Main between Wall and Howard streets.

Doug Yost, director of Centennial Real Estate Investments, which manages the Centennial Properties holdings, couldn’t be reached for comment. Previously, Yost has declined comment when asked about Nike placing a retail store in the M.

Centennial Properties and Centennial Real Estate Investments, are subsidiaries of Cowles Co., which also owns the Journal of Business.

Kristen Becker, development services director with the city of Spokane, says the permit number assigned to the Nike application shows the plan is currently under review. The application lists Merriam, Kan.-based BRR Architecture, Inc., as the project architect. BRR Architecture representative Cindy Jones referred all media inquiries to Nike. 

Santangelo says that increasingly over time, Spokane Hoopfest has partnered with Nike during Hoopfest weekend, held in downtown Spokane during the last weekend of June and billed as the largest three-on-three basketball tournament in the world.

“We’ve worked with Nike through the years to bring and enhance the cool factor to Hoopfest,” Santangelo says.

A few years ago, Spokane Hoopfest gave an assist to Spokane-based Hieber Properties Inc., as it made the pitch to Nike to establish a retail store in Spokane. Dru Hieber—whose family owns the Bennett Block—solicited Spokane Hoopfest in an attempt to lure the Oregon retailer, Santangelo says.

Hieber represents the third generation of her family to own the Bennett Block downtown. Three years ago, Hieber Properties Inc. renovated the historic property at the northeast corner of Main Avenue and Howard Street with the goal of restoring its vitality for the next generation.

A part of the pitch to Nike, a letter from Spokane Hoopfest addressed the longstanding relationship Spokane has with Nike via Hoopfest, he says.

“We wrote the letter focusing on the health and wellness that the Spokane community embraces,” he says. “Unfortunately, the logistics didn’t work because Nike concluded they couldn’t retrofit the space they needed in the Bennett Block.”

Last summer, Spokane Hoopfest and Nike brought Kevin Durant from the National Basketball Association’s Golden State Warriors to Nike Center Court on the final day of competition, in large part to unveil a new basketball shoe endorsed by the all-star forward.

“It’s still early in the process for us, but we want to use this opportunity for us to continue to build on the Spokane Hoopfest brand,” Santangelo says.