It won't just be a melange of wooden and translucent glass blocks this time.

In early August, the public will get a better idea of Frank Gehry's vision for an ambitious 80-acre project in Lehi that's funded by Utah Flash owner Brandt Andersen when the famed American architect's artistic renderings are unveiled for the first time.

Public interest in the multi-billion-dollar mixed-use project -- which showcases a 450-foot hotel, potentially Utah's tallest building -- has been strong because of Gehry's involvement. He is the creative genius behind architectural icons like the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao, Spain. The project will sit on 85 acres east of Interstate 15, just south of the Point of the Mountain.

"The new designs will show what the hotel looks like, what the (10,000-seat) arena will look like, how retail plays in, and what some of the homes will look like," Andersen told the Daily Herald on Tuesday.

The initial model, unveiled last January when the project was first announced, had wooden and translucent glass blocks representing homes, retail stores and the hotel, but that didn't represent the final artistic product. Inspired by the natural architecture found in Utah's slot canyons such as The Narrows at Zion National Park, the project will include a 250-room hotel; a signature 500,000-square-foot, 10,000-seat arena; an amphitheater; 3.6 million square feet of residential space including 2,500 condo and multi-floor residential units; and 1.12 million square feet of retail space. The project also includes a boating lake, a wakeboard cable water park and 61 acres of open space.

Some critics questioned whether the project -- gargantuan in both size and costs -- will actually get off the ground in light of the ongoing credit crunch and tighter lending standards, which has made it more expensive and difficult for many commercial projects to obtain refinancing. In Utah County, construction on projects such as Midtown Village has stalled because of financing difficulties as the housing slump and credit crisis took a toll on luxury condo sales, and the project owner has stopped paying its general contractor and subcontractors.

But Andersen, a 30-year-old Provo entrepreneur, remains upbeat, saying his project is mostly funded with proceeds from the sale of his company, USight, in 2004, and from his other businesses.

"The housing and financial markets are in difficult times. Now would not be the best time to finance or build a new project. But I think I'm in a better position to make this happen. Some of the other projects have gone into substantial debt to acquire land, develop and build the property. But there's no substantial debt on my project, and it's not over-leveraged like Midtown Village," he said.

Once the final approvals are given by Lehi city this summer, construction will begin on the hotel, the arena and the two lakes, Andersen said. Both concept and site plans were approved by the city last August and the property has been rezoned for sports and entertainment.

"Pending final approvals by the city, we will also disclose some letters of intent from national and local tenants for the project by the end of summer. Retail interest is strong because they know of Frank's involvement, the specialized nature of the project and its proximity to the ski resorts," Andersen said. The project hopes to attract action sports-type tenants, high-end restaurants and upscale retail stores.

Environmentally friendly design

Meanwhile, an unexpected discovery in recent months of thermal water beneath the 80-acre site, in addition to ample wind and solar energy sources, provided the inspiration for an architectural design with a new "green" emphasis, Andersen said. About 30 percent of the project could now be fueled by green energy, Andersen said.

Gehry has altered the way the buildings flowed so it could harness geothermal, solar and wind energy, he said.

"Once we got into the site and studied the soil, we realized we had the opportunity to do something far greater than what we anticipated," Andersen said. "We always knew there were solar and wind energy sources but didn't know how good they were. But the discovery of the geothermal energy source was a complete surprise. As a result we took an extra three months to explore the green potential of the project."

"Frank and I also altered the way some of the residences, offices, retail buildings and the hotel are angled to capture more solar and wind energy," Andersen said. "I've been pushing Frank to design a new wind tunnel in the buildings to harness wind energy."

The Factory

As a precursor to the Gehry-designed project, Andersen, also a majority owner of the NBA Development League for Utah, plans to remodel and convert the Open Court -- an 80,000-square-foot sports training and recreational center in Lehi -- into the new headquarters of the Utah Flash. The building, which was acquired for between $5 million and $10 million, will be renamed The Factory and will resemble what he called a "postmodern luminescent cube."

To be designed by a well-known California architect, Andersen said the remodel of The Factory, at 4425 N. Thanksgiving Way in Lehi, will start in October and is expected to be done by March 2009. The Utah Flash is currently headquartered at 5017 and 5011 Edgewood Drive near the Shops at Riverwoods in Provo. Once it relocates to Lehi, the Provo space will be leased.

"We've looked at making it a solid cube with lights coming from the inside, and using materials like specialized types of cable chain link for the exterior. Even though Frank isn't designing The Factory, it will still complement the Gehry-designed project across the freeway," he said.

The Factory will still hold five basketball courts, a cheerleading space, and a 20-yard line football field. But a snack bar and dance studio on the second story will be converted into 3,500 square feet of office space and a conference room. A 2,500 square-foot gymnastics area will also be upgraded, and a retail shop selling NBA apparel will be located near the reception area on the ground floor.

The Factory will be used as an additional practice space by the Utah Flash, which will continue to play its home games at the McKay Events Center in Orem until the Gehry-designed arena is completed. The center will also host community basketball camps and youth sports programs.