COEUR d’ALENE — Concerns about potential Chinese financing, a 50-year lease and other factors caused Kootenai County commissioners to pump the brakes on a proposed revenue-sharing deal with a storage facility at the Coeur d’Alene Airport.

Commissioners met Wednesday to consider a development and ground lease agreement with Luxury International, LLC for approximately 20 acres of airport property.

In addition to the base annual rent of $43,560, Luxury International would pay the airport $50,000 per year or between 10% and 13% gross income, whichever is greater.

The proposed deal previously came under scrutiny from Rep. Doug Okuniewicz (R-Hayden), who questioned the project’s financial backing.

Walt Fraser, the lessee, told commissioners in June that he had acquired a “placement letter in the amount of $10 million” from the Bank of China.

In a July meeting of the Airport Advisory Board, Fraser suggested his comments had been taken out of context.

“I’ve heard accusations that I’m going to get the money from President Xi in China and things like that, which is clearly not the case,” he said.

Still, Commissioner Chris Fillios said Wednesday that Chinese financing is a no-go because it would be deeply unpopular in Kootenai County.

“You’ve got to remove the Bank of China from the picture,” he said. “Unless you want to face demonstrations — and it’s not going to be pretty.”

Fraser said such financing was never in the cards.

“We have no intention of financing anything through the Bank of China, now or ever,” he said.

Fillios also said he would not support a 50-year lease and preferred a 25-year lease with an option to renew. He also wants to forgo the revenue-sharing deal in favor of a straightforward lease.

Commissioner Leslie Duncan said she wants Luxury International to provide a business plan.

“I would like to see those documents in writing so I can make an informed decision,” she said.

The county hasn’t required a business plan from other entities leasing property at the airport, but Duncan said Luxury International is different in key ways.

The proposed storage facility is not aeronautical in nature, she said. The revenue-sharing deal would also be a first for the airport.

For that reason, Duncan said, additional information is a must.

Okuniewicz told commissioners he contacted Chief Deputy Attorney General Brian Kane and requested that Kane’s office examine the concerns raised by Fillios, as well as whether the county should put the project out for a request for proposal.

Commissioners agreed to wait for the opinion of the Attorney General’s Office before making a decision about the proposed lease agreement.