by:  Diane Benjamin

I’ve written a lot of articles on the Coliseum.  Mayor Transparency doesn’t want to talk about, he claims it’s here now and we have to do whatever we can to make it a success.  David Hales promised a full review back when the Council was asked to approve changing the Hockey Team from professional to amateur.  STILL WAITING DAVID!

MAYOR:  You could make it a success if somebody, anybody at the City actually cared about what happens there.

• The payroll needs to be made public.  CIAM needs to explain why they need 2 highly paid managers when there are very few events held at the Coliseum – especially during the summer.
• Concessions must be audited for accuracy.  We deserve to know if the City is getting their cut of the sales
• The City needs an agreement that spells out exactly what CIAM is entitled to take a commission on.  Is Sales Tax Revenue?  How about Gross Merchandise Sales?  How about Reimbursements?  On what planet do these qualify as Revenue?
• Who is the General Manager?  The contract calls for a full-time manager with NO other job – who is that?
• Why does the City have Coliseum listed on their website under Documents and Forms, but it only has the CIAM statements?  Why aren’t the audited statements there too?  Are you afraid somebody might compare them and find out fiction is being sold to citizens?

The last we heard the lawyers were hashing out an agreement.  CIAM has broken the contract numerous times.  If their lawyer isn’t going to negotiate a fair agreement and allow concessions to be audited, FIRE THEM and cut the losses.  Put management of the Coliseum out to bid – a bid that doesn’t allow management to make their own rules.  I previously posted an example of a fair agreement here: http://blnnews.com/2014/02/17/coliseum-management-incentivised-to-cheat-not-do-well/

Mayor:  If you really want the Coliseum to be successful – CIAM needs to go!  There is no reason to wait until the contract expires!