By Howard Packowitz
BLOOMINGTON – Bloomington aldermen unanimously oppose hiring the company managing the downtown sports arena to also manage the Bloomington Center for the Performing Arts.
VenuWorks offered to run the the BCPA for three-thousand dollars a month, and claimed the city could make 20-thousand dollars or more for food and beverage sales and save at least 200-thousand dollars a year with minimal impact on existing BCPA staff.
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VenuWorks has been criticized for not booking enough events at what’s now called Grossinger Motors Arena. VenuWorks’ director noted the company has booked seven non-sports events at the arena so far this fiscal year, and are about to announce a couple more.
Mayor Tari Renner and other council members praised VenuWorks even as they rejected its offer, remembering the firm took over from arena managers who are now charged with felonies for allegedly defrauding city taxpayers.
“We do recognize you inherited a hell of a mess,” the Mayor said.
Alderman David Sage thanked VenuWorks staff for proposing ways to cut the city government’s structural deficit. Council member Karen Schmidt noted the BCPA needs to hire a fundraiser, and make better use of technology.
Howard Packowitz can be reached at howard.packowitz@cumulus.com
