by:  Diane Benjamin

Look at the schedules events on the Coliseum website:  http://www.uscellularcoliseum.com/calendar-of-events/

Nothing is scheduled that will make money in October.  Go back to January 2014.  There have been few if any big money events all year.  Thunder Hockey has started with a dismal number of paying fans.  There is no football, the new basketball league has yet to prove itself successful.

November has SIX days of Cirque Du Soleil.  Why 6?  Are they going to fill the arena for 6 performances?

Look at December and January.  No big concerts that make money.

Compare the Coliseum events to the Peoria Civic Center:  http://www.peoriaciviccenter.com/events/upcoming-events

The difference between events scheduled at the Coliseum and the Peoria Civic Center is the Management!   Bloomington hired Central Illinois Arena Management – 2 guys with little experience, and gave them a 10 year contract.  Peoria hired a professional management company.

From the Civic Center website:  http://www.peoriaciviccenter.com/guest-services/faq

The Peoria Civic Center is owned by the Peoria Civic Center Authority, a seven member board appointed by the mayor. It is privately managed by SMG, a Philadelphia-based private management company and the world leader in the management of public assembly facilities including stadiums, arenas, theaters and exhibition/convention centers. 

SMG is the “gold standard” in public facility management. No municipality or outside management company can match the breadth and range of our capabilities. Since SMG was founded in 1977, we have brought more than 230 facilities under management worldwide. SMG is known as a tireless advocate for the municipalities we represent. We have the programs, systems and talent in place to ensure that all SMG-managed facilities run smoothly and every event we host feels like a celebration to patrons, fans and guests.

The City of Bloomington Annual Operating and Capital Investment Fund report has glowing projections for the Coliseum this year:  http://www.cityblm.org/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=7076

The Coliseum starts on page 205.  The revenues can not be achieved when very few events are booked.  But it gets worse.  The City plans to spend another $2,000,000 of your money to replace video equipment:

The Bloomington contract with Central Illinois Arena Management (CIAM) expires in 2016.  The citizens never wanted the Coliseum, but that’s history.  Now the Coliseum management MUST be replaced if the City of Bloomington is going to quit letting CIAM draw blood from taxpayers.

What Mayor Renner and David Hales do will make it clear how much they care about you.  If the CIAM contract is extended, they don’t care.

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