Bloomington’s Gleason: Selling arena, management change among options to reduce the ‘bleeding’

Posted on September 18, 2018

 

arena
Bloomington City Manager Tim Gleason is open to the idea of selling Grossinger Motors Arena to a private buyer, or perhaps opting out of the management contract with VenuWorks. (Grossinger Motors Arena photo)

 

By Howard Packowitz

BLOOMINGTON – The executive director of the firm running the taxpayer-funded Grossinger Motors Arena told the Bloomington City Council Monday night the best the city can hope for is that the downtown Bloomington venue will lose about a $500,000 a year.

Bloomington’s new city manager, Tim Gleason, said neither the aldermen who inherited the arena or the community should be satisfied with those results.

“I don’t think that this community would be satisfied with that response of continuing to lose a half-million dollars just to keep it in operation,” said Gleason.

The city manager, appointed to the position this summer, thinks all options are on the table, including selling the building to a private suitor.

“I’m sure that if we had a viable buyer out there, that’s something that the council would consider,” Gleason said.

Gleason said it’s too early to say anyone is dissatisfied with arena manager VenuWorks, but he noted the city and the company could part ways as soon as next spring.

“I don’t know if there’s a level of dissatisfaction with VenuWorks. That’s too soon for me to say that, but I do know that in the existing contract, as early as next April, we could end the relationship, or VenuWorks could end the relationship with the city,” he said.

In the meantime, Gleason said he’s directed city staffers to become more involved in facility management and maintenance.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]

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