Main Street Eureka Springs Director Jacqueline Wolven spoke to commissioners about 21 & Fun, their guide to live music in town. She told them, “We’re done. The customer needs the information but we can’t afford it.” The request was for $8900 per year.
She reiterated there needs to be “one thing” that everyone in town goes to for who is playing where. She said some bar owners live out of town and are not aware of what goes on here, so don’t give much attention to advertising music in their establishments.
Commissioner David Mitchell said he didn’t want the CAPC to be the water boy for owners who don’t care. Wolven responded that nevertheless, there still needs to be the “one thing” for visitors.
Music promoter and owner of the Farm Jon Walker agreed there was a big void in the music magazine scene in Northwest Arkansas. There are efforts underway to fill in the gap, but Walker agreed local music venue owners should do better at promoting their own entertainment.
“But they’re not better,” Wolven responded, “so we stepped in to get word out.”
Maloney commented if the CAPC gave Main Street Eureka Springs funds, both newspapers would have the right to ask for funding for their entertainment guides.
Commissioner Susan Harman said she prints out the 21 & Fun for her guests. She asked if businesses could not do that for guests, why should the CAPC do it for them?
Mitchell stated they just invested in the new Eureka Springs app and wondered if it would have this information. Jack Moyer, general manager of the Crescent and Basin Park Hotels, pointed out the app would have gotten its information from their 21 and Fun. He insisted it was important to get the information into the hands of all the visitors who want it, and the greatest difficulty is getting the information. He asked if the CAPC could gather the data for the publication.
Harman noted the request included $5400 for printing alone. Commissioner Dustin Duling commented everyone has a phone, and there was no need to print the information out.
McClung said the business owners ought to do their own promoting, and the CAPC would be benefitting only one segment of their collectors.
“Then help us gather data,” Moyer replied.
Harman said she did not know how to make sense of the situation. Eureka Springs is a Tree City USA city. Duling said he can make copies for guests, but most of them want a copy on their phones.
Maloney questioned the cost of $3000 per year to collect the data. Wolven remarked there are other associated costs, but the point is to get the information to the customers. McClung said if Main Street does not do it, then maybe the owners will have to do it. “We [CAPC] can’t do a music magazine,” McClung said. Walker repeated there are magazines that can do this job.
Wolven claimed there are 300 nights per year of live music. Duling agreed getting the word out was important, but did not like the printing costs Wolven was asking for, and Harman said commissioners have all the information they need, they just need to decide, although she added her concern about the requested printing cost. She said she did not know about the finances at Main Street, but the burden cannot just fall back on the CAPC.
“We’re throwing paper away,” Harman declared.
“It’s about customers,” Wolven replied one more time.