February 14, 2009

Saginaw Civic Center

I read this history page on their website, maybe some day we will read about a company like AvPorts taking over ORH?:


The Saginaw Civic Center was built in 1972 by the City of Saginaw. The Civic Center was composed of three main parts: Wendler Arena, Heritage Theater, and Unity Hall. Since 1972, the Center has served Saginaw County and the surrounding region as a first-class event venue...

In 2000, the City determined that it could no longer afford to pay the $850,000 annual deficit necessary to operate the Civic Center. If the City could not find additional funding, the City would close the facility on December 31, 2000....

The Authority hired Deloitte & Touche of Chicago to conduct a Feasibility Study on the Saginaw Civic Center. Spicer Engineering of Saginaw conducted an Engineering Study of the entire facility and the cost of repairs and maintenance for updating the facility was estimated. Estimates for repairs on the facility came in at $17 million and included repairs and enhancements to lighting, seating, restroom facilities, sound systems, roofing, and loading docks. They were also asked to present the costs associated with building a similar facility somewhere else within the County. It was estimated that it would take $69 million to build such a facility elsewhere.....

Representatives from the Building Authority and Civic Center Task Force interviewed two private management groups to run the facility. SMG was chosen as the management group to run the newly-dubbed County Event Center.On June 30, 2001, the City of Saginaw closed the Saginaw Civic Center....

The voters of Saginaw County decided on May 8, 2001, to reopen the facility on July 1, 2001, as the Saginaw County Event Center. SMG has managed the facility with the oversight of the Saginaw County Building Authority and an Event Center Advisory Group. The $850,000 subsidy was reduced by almost half in the first three years of operation......


3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Bill:

As per my previous thread, NH will be closing liquor stores to close the budget gap:

http://www.seacoastonline.com/articles/20090213-NEWS-902130417

Harry T
Worcester, MA

Bill Randell said...

Harry:

I think the key here was 16 underperforming stores. The stores on the Mass border in New Hampshire are not underperforming.

Bill

Anonymous said...

Touche! Good point, Bill...

Harry T
Worcester, MA