The City Advertising and Promotion Commission convened a special meeting last Thursday, Oct. 6, to quickly draft a plan of how it would participate in promoting the Auditorium and present results to city council at the Oct. 10 meeting. Three commissioners attended, and since there was not a quorum, they conducted a lively workshop with Executive Director Mike Maloney and Finance Director Rick Bright in attendance.
Those at the table worked from a draft document prepared by commissioner Susan Harman, which stated their understanding of the Auditorium, what the CAPC would do if the one percent tax passes, and a framework for the eventual agreement with the city.
Maloney said he and Bright studied finances and were confident the CAPC could, if the one percent tax passes, set aside $150,000 annually toward promoting shows at the Auditorium for the first three years, and for the following three years commit to $75,000.
“Is the city going to spend more on the auditorium also?” Harman asked.
“No, not if the tax passes,” commissioner and alderman James DeVito replied. He also said he preferred the CAPC commit to only $110,00 for the first three years.
Harman wondered aloud if that would be enough given that the new Auditorium Commission would be operating with about $275,000 coming in from the tax, as she subtracted from that amount overhead, such as hiring a director, leaving only so much for operations. She also brought up the practicalities of how promotion funds would be disbursed.
DeVito, who chaired the meeting, maintained the CAPC would take on the role of a promoter or producer. The Aud commission would look for acts and work with the CAPC for financing. He also asserted CAPC should not renew the contract with the city for managing the Auditorium since there would be a commission overseeing the facility.
“There would be no role for the A&P if the tax passes except promotion,” DeVito claimed.
Harman brought up complaints from members of the community that the CAPC was sidestepping its responsibilities by not bringing in more acts to the Auditorium.
“We are not responsible for that,” DeVito responded. “It is not a Convention Center.”
Bright agreed there was no mandate by state law for the CAPC to manage the Auditorium.
And then DeVito turned a corner. “What I want to explore is building a parking garage for the Auditorium.” He said the town has been discussing the idea since 1972. The CAPC could put the idea in the 5-year plan. He pointed out the city owns half of the parking lot across from the New Delhi restaurant. “Lack of parking is the number one complaint among tourists,” he said, “and we’re not listening to our visitors.” He insisted a parking garage downtown must be a part of a long-range plan.
DeVito maintained a structure in that space going four stories up and one down would accommodate about 150 cars. It could be financed by a $5 million 20-year bond that would have to be approved by voters in an election. “We need to incorporate this [the downtown parking garage concept] into this document. How do we grow without addressing parking?” he asked.
Commissioner Damon Henke agreed the parking garage should be part of the long-range goal. As he saw it, their plan at that point called for spending $75,000 less on the Auditorium after year three or four of the tax, so the CAPC would have that money available.
Bright explained the CAPC would guarantee the bond by covering the difference between the bond payment and income received from parking fees. He stated developing a parking facility for tourists was an important aspect of Ordinance 936 that created the CAPC. He also speculated the possibility of a parking garage might also entice locals to vote for the tax. “The visitors want it, the merchants want it,” he asserted.
DeVito added, “And in spite of local detractors, the CAPC is outperforming pretty much the whole state.”
Regarding the proposed plan, Maloney said it stated their intentions clearly enough to give city council, and legalities would be cleared up as they went forward. “This is a step in the right direction,” he said. “Our Number One job is to bring people to Eureka Springs.”
Discussion about the Auditorium led to a conversation about having a thoughtful look at making festivals successful. DeVito recommended moving the Bluegrass Festival to the Fourth of July, for example, and Bright agreed that eating watermelon in the park, sitting in circles and pickin’ on the holiday was a good fit for families. Opinion was divided about whether festivals should necessarily invest in a big act, but commissioners agreed that with a good Auditorium director and careful oversight by a commission, a great opportunity for success at the Auditorium is within view, if the tax passes.