Abandon all hope for a profitable Civic Center
Well knock me over with a feather. The Peoria Civic Center continues to hemorrhage money. The PCC Authority lost $345,000 this year and will end next year with a $241,386 deficit. Meanwhile, the stuffed shirts and chamber of commerce types who continue to promote this stupid white elephant still insist is all a matter of getting in a few more big conventions (won’t happen, because the damn thing STILL won’t be big enough) and build a few more hotels (with taxpayers footing the bill) and then WHAM we’ll be rolling in dough — which is exactly what they predicted 30 years ago.
Meanwhile, Peoria’s streets and sidewalks are rotting away, people are afraid to leave their homes because of crime and we’re closing fire stations.At what point do these people finally swallow their pride and admit that hitting yourself in the head with a hammer doesn’t make the headaches go away.
Blogged with Flock
Tags: PeoriaCivic Center
Billy Dennis is a former reporter and editor at small daily and weekly newspapers in Illinois and Missouri. He comments on media, news and politics. He also owns and operates 
So would we be better off without it? If so, let’s just close it down next year and save all that money. We can return it to the citizens to spend on other entertainment……oh yeah, there won’t be any in town. The average family can take the money they saved from the HRA tax and go to a movie at the Shoppes. Woo hoo… aint’ that fun.
Come on – while everyone would love to see the civic center break even or even making money, you have to admit it’s a tremendous asset to the community.
By the way, what was the last event you went to see there?
the poor sidewalks are frustrating. We even explored getting free mulch from the city to put down on areas of sidewalks that were either completely deteriorated or were so full of deep holes that someone would be hurt stepping into them. Our sidewalks would resemble bike trails, but that would at least look better than they are now and would be safer.
After some serious thought, which I did give them credit for, we were told no, that it has to be a hardened surface. Our arguement was that it wasn’t that way now, so since it was not up to code, perhaps the city should replace them. Didn’t win that one either. Side walks still dangerous three years later.
[...] whining about the Civic Center [...]
All the HRA $$ that get funneled into the PCC and they still lose a third of a million dollars. Seriously, what business would still be in business if they lost as much money every year as the PCC?
“By the way, what was the last event you went to see there?”
.38 Special\Skynyrd\Hank. Before that I couldn’t say. For all the eating out I do, the $$ I spend on the HRA tax is support enough.
So what’s the answer, Bill. Close it down. Fine. Downtown dies. No one comes here. And we still don’t have your sidewalks.
Downtown is pretty much dead now except for the strip clubs, there are no movie theaters, shopping stores, nothing. So if it closed, which it is most of the time, who would notice?
Maybe if some of the top heavy management of the Civic Center was let go and some of those fancy offices were abated, Peoria would save some money. As it stands now, we have to live with it but we all shouldn’t have to pay for it for the rest of our lives.
The answer? They would have been out of business a long time ago if they were privately held. Name one publicly traded company whose stockholders would not have the board of directors, the CEO, CFO and other managerial types heads on a platter for these type of losses every year for this size of business. Start by structuring PCC management salaries heavily based on black ink. Make them responsible to the taxpayers of Peoria.
Check out BJ’s blog (already has a trackback). 430,000 people from Bradley basketball, Rivermen hockey, and March Madness alone.
That doesn’t include the conventions, concerts, and car/home/boat shows.
Basically, the city of Peoria is subsidizing the PCC to the tune of less (probably far less) than fifty cents per attendee.
EASILY those dimes turn into dollars in the form of money spent at the hotels, restaurants, and gas stations in the area. That means tax revenue and that means jobs.
Bill doesn’t use the PCC and so it must be useless, in his book.
Chef Kevin sez: “They would have been out of business a long time ago if they were privately held.”
I sez: No kidding. That is why governments do these things and not private entities. Why aren’t the libraries and schools turning a profit?
Mouse says: “Why aren’t the libraries and schools turning a profit?”
When since are public schools suppose to turn a profit? I, for one, wouldn’t expect them to do so. I do expect better stewardship of my tax dollars from D 150, but that is another subject.
So, Mouse, you think it is OK to subsidize each PCC participant to the tune of over $300K instead of holding the PCC management fiscally responsible for their year after year of financial loses? IF 50 cent per person is the answer, raise prices 75 cents. Call it a use tax.
I bet if you ask residents of certain areas of the East Bluff and South Side if they would rather have their tax dollars supporting the yearly fiscal irresponsibility of the PCC (and the RiverPlex for that matter) without reprecussion or accountability or $300,000+ and all that HRA money to hire more police, I think you know the answer.
Chef Kevin sez: “When since are public schools suppose to turn a profit? I, for one, wouldn’t expect them to do so.”
I sez: Since when was the PCC supposed to turn a profit?
I do agree that a slight bump in rent prices might be enough to turn a profit. A decent year by an additional attraction (like football) might be enough, as well. Again, if either of these were profitable, a private entity would do it.
You might want to ask those same E.B. and S.S residents the same questions about Arbors and fancy streetlights and garbage cans. I think the difference is that you will find some of those residents benefit from the PCC in the form of their jobs, whether it be working directly at the PCC or in a job that gets tourism dollar (like hotel and restaurants.)
You Peoria folks are such wusses. Over here in Bloomington, OUR Civic Center loses that much money in a MONTH, thank you very much.
Apples and oranges, Super J. Compare the first two years of the US Cellular Coliseum to the first two years of the PCC’s existence, and you’ll see The Cell in Bloomington is doing MUCH better than the Civic Center in Peoria did when new.
So it’s an invalid comparison.
Mouse says: “I sez: Since when was the PCC supposed to turn a profit?”
So the powers who were 20+ years ago said this: We promised to lose $300K a year for the next 30 years even though we are eventually going to collect HRA tax to help support it and it will STILL lose money. I’m sure that if you look back through old PJS articles you’ll find someone, somewhere claimed the PCC would make money…like several other identities in Peoria were promised to make money.
Chef Kevin – the onus is on you. Find where it was ever promised or suggested that the PCC would turn a profit.
The Zoo, the Park District in general, and every other government run operation is run by the government because, if it were profitable, someone would have stepped up to do it already (or take it over).
I know you are pissed about having to pay an extra cent or two when you buy your $1 menu double cheeseburgers, but I’m pretty sure the shop owners and overall local economy appreciate the estimated $6 to $7million the IHSA finals bring in ever year. And that’s just one event.
But your right . . . let’s just cut our losses, leave it empty, and sit back and wait for our city to be like East St. Louis or Detroit. It really has helped their housing costs hasn’t it.
To quote Jason Bateman in Dodgeball after the main team forfeits . . .
“It’s a bold strategy Cotton, let’s see how it pays off . . . “
I don’t expect to see a profit out of the Civi Center, just not a huge loss. I guess we need to look at what is a loss down there, how much additional money was made by local businesses downtown because of the civic center. There are plenty of food and drink establishments downtown that seem to do well because of the civic center. I would say that as long as the number gets smaller each year 300 grand aint too bad. I can tell you right now there is around 300k in new restaurant construction underway. (Firkin and Hound and the Eamon Patricks expansion into the old F. Scotts and a couple others being planned) Still on the fence on this one but it does not scream foul yet.
So, Mouse you are saying that there is not one civic center, zoo, park district, etc. in the country that operates in the black? Can’t prove that, but I highly doubt it.
I look at the concerts (performers and frequency) at the Mark in Moline and it just blows Peoria away. I’ve probably been to as many concerts at the Mark than Peoria…Fleetwood Mac, Eric Clapton, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Counting Crows, Matchbox 20 are just the ones I can think of off the top of my head that PACKED the Mark. These and other bands can’t be drawn to Peoria (when they are in their prime)?
I’m not going to spend countless hours doing research to prove the Civic Center was to make money. But you are probably right: only in Peoria would they build things to lose money.
A-Dumass – Where did I say to close it? I’m not saying close it, I’m asking for fiscal responsibility to the community. My salary is bonus based on performance…maybe THAT pay structure should be initiated at some of Peoria’s money losing tax supported identities. You can’t live off the base, but the closer you get the budget to black, the better your paycheck becomes.
Lack of a Civic Center wouldn’t turn Peoria into an East St. Louis. Declining stable industry head of household jobs and rising crime will….
Performance based pay in government would in theory solve almost all of the problems in most municipalities, it will however never happen. Gubmnt is gubmnt and bidnis is bidnis the two are such polar opposites in the way they function it is virtually impossible for government employees to fathom how running a for profit entity works, as it is frustrating and impossible for people involved in running a business to fathom how a government can run at all. The biggest problem in with employees in most city/park situations is getting rid of them when they do not perform at all, you just can’t. It sucks and needs to be changed.
When I moved to Peoria to go to Bradley, everyone in my hometown had an image of Peoria as a crime capital/cesspool and had pretty much written me off as a future chalk outline. I ignored their pleas to go to the safety of pretty much anywhere else, and moved down here. And the more I explored this city, the more I loved it down here.
I love O’Brien Field, the Civic Center, and all the Riverfront Development among other things. You know why?!? Because when people from my hometown actually come down here to attend an event or go see a ballgame, they actually realize that Peoria isn’t some dank, evil place. They actually see a thriving city that is an outpost here in South Central Illinois. A place to actually stop in and have a good time, rather than to desperately bypass on the way to somewhere else.
And wouldn’t you know, the more we look all spiffy and shiny to more and more people, the more money might get spent here. And the more amenities and happy people we have here, the more businesses we might attract to get more jobs. And more jobs just make everybody happy! And then . . . maybe . . .if we’re lucky . . . we will be lucy enough to be graced with the presence of Fleetwood Mac!!!!!
So unless you personally are paying the $300,000 all by yourself, just sit back, and relax for a little bit. The city is getting better. Would you rather live in Peoria 1987 or 2007? This city was written off as being unsavable at one point, but I do believe this city is looking pretty damn good right now. And it’s only gonna get better.
And if you really want to see certain acts perform at the Civic Center, they love feedback. Seriously email them a list and they WILL take it under advisement. If your propsed event sells out, then congrats! You did it! Here comes the black ink . . . you’re a hero!