City Advertising and Promotion Commissioner James DeVito reported at last week’s CAPC meeting that city alderman David Mitchell raised a point of voters’ contention about the Auditorium and its inclusion in the proposed one percent tax in the Nov. 8 election. If passed, 75 percent of the tax revenue would go toward repairing and maintaining the city’s aging infrastructure, and 25 percent would be dedicated to maintenance and operation of the Auditorium. DeVito said Mitchell was concerned enough that voters would not support a tax to fund the Auditorium, thereby causing the tax increase to fund water and sewer repairs to fail.
He said Mitchell asked the CAPC to develop a five-to-ten year plan detailing its participation in the operation of the historic facility.
DeVito commented the calls he gets are more about the need for more shows and events at the Auditorium. Since the CAPC already spends $110,000 annually on the Auditorium, he suggested if the tax passes that the CAPC use those funds for promoting shows.
Commissioner Susan Harman suggested they would need long-range plans for both, if the tax passes and if it does not. DeVito contended they must prepare for if the tax passes first. “We can do the doomsday scenario later,” he commented.
Commissioner Charles Ragsdell suggested they stage a special workshop to hash out the plan, and invite Jeff Danos who chaired the recent Auditorium Committee. Commissioner Terry McClung added they should include Auditorium staff Ron Sumner and Sarai Aleshire because there is so much about the auditorium to repair, plus facets of regular operation that need clarity. “It goes on and on,” he remarked. “I don’t know how we can put those numbers together, but we can ballpark it.”
Ragsdell said he was concerned with diverting funds from advertising the city for promoting big shows. He cited figures from when that strategy had been tried previously and claimed there had been negative results in succeeding years. He said the big shows failed to generate what they could have because there was less money to promote them.
Commissioner Damon Henke did not disagree with Ragsdell’s numbers, but said it was time to try again. He acknowledged the risk, but asserted, “We owe it to everyone to try.”
Harman agreed the CAPC might not hit a home run every time, but there is the chance of making money, also. Concessions usually do well which would offset overhead expenses,
Commissioners agreed to hold a special workshop, time and date to be announced, just for working on the long-range plan for the Auditorium. In addition, Henke suggested they convene at 5 p.m. before their next two meetings for workshops on the plan, and commissioners agreed.