By: Diane Benjamin The Live Stream of the Council meeting had no sound last night. Today a video is posted with no sound until around 12:00. When there is sound it wasn’t recorded from the microphones, people whispering, shuffling papers, and footsteps can be heard in numerous places. At 8:10 a lady spoke during public […]
By: Diane Benjamin Here’s my take on today’s hockey announcement: Hockey can show a profit for VenuWorks if they are smarter than in the past. ISU is only charged $2000 to play at the Coliseum, the ticket sales are dismal so they might not break even. At least they aren’t bleeding for the privilege of […]
By: Diane Benjamin After NOT posting the Agenda for today’s meeting 48 hours in advance as required by the Open Meetings Act (LAW!), yesterday Connect moved the meeting and thought people would magically know: https://www.connect-transit.com/about/trustees/cttf_working_group/agendas.asp No surprise, they didn’t have enough people for a quorum, some members of the public went to the wrong […]
By: Diane Benjamin Remember the celebrations when VenuWorks announced they ONLY lost $276,367? They budgeted a loss of $495,514, so everybody happily reported they lost less than expected. See PDF page 27: https://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=23151 Long time readers won’t be surprised to learn the auditors didn’t agree with the VenuWorks accounting. The audited financial report has appeared […]
By: Diane Benjamin Update to this story from yesterday: https://blnnews.com/2019/10/16/tari-on-wjbc-3/ Usually when there is good news people like to report it quickly. The Luke Combs concert profit is good news, why it wasn’t posted as required by the arena contract is a mystery. https://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=23305 Country music concerts always do well. If VenuWorks had self-promoted this […]
By: Diane Benjamin The only hockey that still exist at the Coliseum is ISU. VenuWorks is charging them $2,000 a game – the event report for ISU vrs Bradley shows 120 tickets were sold, 181 people who attended got in free. https://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=22627 The Flying Aces were charged $5,000 per game. Since attendance was dismal, they […]
By: Diane Benjamin No one showed up for Public Comment last night at the Bloomington meeting! There is A LOT more to cover about Normal, I will get back to that meeting eventually. First on the Agenda was a presentation from VenuWorks. I have no idea why this presentation is allowed instead of the AUDITED […]
By: Diane Benjamin WJBC has reported Tari Renner wants to end the moratorium on new video gaming machines: http://www.wjbc.com/2019/07/29/renner-sides-with-businesses-seeking-to-end-bloomingtons-video-gaming-freeze/ I remember when the moratorium was put in place, Tari was outraged that $50 million a year went into the machines. It sounds like he changed his mind. Back in 2016 Tari was on WJBC talking […]
By: Diane Benjamin http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=22163 Does the message of MLK matter anymore? Is anybody judged on the content of the their character? Empire TIF payouts: Coliseum continues to bleed taxpayers, is the 3rd one to cover operation losses? Legal fees sent to Springfield is at least down a little: Nothing is on the calendar for 6/20, […]
By: Diane Benjamin For May 2019 the BCPA has only posted one report: http://www.cityblm.org/government/advanced-components/documents/-folder-1702 More proof government isn’t capable of “entertainment”. The poor are forced to subsidize losers at both the BCPA and the Coliseum. When is the Council going to figure it out?
By: Diane Benjamin There are no shows posted on the event calendar for Grossinger Motors Arena until September. Luke Combs is scheduled for the 27th. The only other events are two shows of Trolls Live in November. https://www.grossingermotorsarena.com/events-and-tickets/calendar Tonight’s event was moved to the Castle Theatre. This event was held in May – another […]
By: Diane Benjamin Definition of capitalism: Making your life better by providing goods or services other people want at a price they will pay. It is a simple concept that has improved the lives of millions around the globe. It is color blind and doesn’t care who you sleep with. It is what made America […]
By: Diane Benjamin I heard a copy of days ago that tickets to the May 4th Stars on Ice show were discounted by 50%. Even that didn’t help. Instead of posting this report under “Arena” on the City website, it is under BCPA: http://www.cityblm.org/government/advanced-components/documents/-folder-1702 The Coliseum/Grossinger Motors Arena will never be successful. The […]
By: Diane Benjamin Below are the Quarterly losses VenuWorks has previously reported for this fiscal year: 5/1/2018 – 7/31/2018 -130,634.54 PDF page 5 http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=20022 8/1/2018 – 10/31/2018 -96,333.02 PDF page 5 http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=20795 11/1/2018 – 1/31/19 -68,108.47 PDF page 5 http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=21235 Year to date for THREE quarters shows a loss of $295,076.03. The 4th […]
By: Diane Benjamin I’ve heard numerous times about the lack of people working Coliseum events. Last night was no exception. I believe the final hockey game to ever be played at the arena took place last night. A local business sponsored suites and handed out free tickets. According to an attendee, there was only 1 […]
By: Diane Benjamin The missing event reports from Grossinger Motors Arena have finally been posted. Details here: https://blnnews.com/2019/03/11/more-venuworks-city-fail/ Last year the Bacon and Beer Fest made a profit of $ 12,230.53. 1319 people attended. http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=15976 This year the event was held earlier in the day, attendance dropped to 1166, profit dropped to $ 8,037.07. http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=21322 […]
By: Diane Benjamin Keep in mind what the VenuWorks contract says: (No Later Than) PDF page 17 – contract The Kane Brown concert, which was supposedly sold out, was held on February 28. No report is posted: http://www.cityblm.org/government/advanced-components/documents/-folder-1694 The Bacon and Beer festival was held March 2nd, tomorrow will be 10 days. People on Facebook […]
By: Diane Benjamin I’ve been writing about the Coliseum and the lies media repeats for years! CIAM and VenuWorks created their own financial statements. Every local media uses their numbers and repeats them like gospel. Both can say anything they want in those statements – they create them. Numbers reported by both are not accurate, […]
By: Diane Benjamin Just yesterday I predicted the Hot Wheels Monster Truck event recap would magically appear after I FOIA’d it: https://blnnews.com/2019/02/21/arena-event-reports-fail/ Surprise – here it is. All I need now is a FOIA denial. This was four shows, average attendance per show was 2,136. Note too this show was a rental. Many of the […]
By: Diane Benjamin According to the contract between the City of Bloomington and VenuWorks: PDF page 17 http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=10901 The good news is the Competitive Cheerleading Finals shows an estimated profit of $49,539.52. Competitive Dance Finals showed a profit of $23,655.62. One report is missing: February 10th is more than 10 days ago. “No Later” […]
By: Diane Benjamin http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=20987 More pensions spiking: (the penalties will come late) Coliseum continues to fleece: Employee partying, but called Community Relations. Were you invited? Springfield Law firm MONTHLY charges: I have no idea what this is, but Nov-Jan wasn’t paid until February? Is […]
By: Diane Benjamin The first thing that is NEVER discussed is what government should do verses what they are doing. Budgeting requires making choices, Bloomington has decided roads aren’t that important. What they want it more important. You will probably be saddled with some type of water park and a sports complex this year. Let’s […]
By: Diane Benjamin It wasn’t a smart move by the City of Bloomington to pretend to deny my FOIA request for the event recap of the Naked Magicians show because it was posted on the website. As I reported, no event reports between February 2018 and November 2018 have been posted – just the one […]
By: Diane Benjamin Some local media have reported on the grand jury testimony which laid out the case against the 5 former Coliseum Managers. The City of Bloomington continues to claim they did not know about improprieties at the Coliseum until VenuWorks took over in July of 2016. The local media continues to let them […]
By: Diane Benjamin Clearly Emig is Tari’s pick for Ward 4, he’s holding an open house at his house for her. If you aren’t a left winger and want to attend, just show up. Responding on Facebook will get you blocked. Remember about a year ago when various Council people held “priority based budgeting” townhalls? […]
By: Diane Benjamin The results of two shows, one in November and one in December, are now posted: http://www.cityblm.org/government/advanced-components/documents/-folder-1612 Both shows made money. but both reports show a problem. Who BUYS tickets to a show and doesn’t attend? Both reports show more tickets were sold than the total of people who actually attended – even […]
By: Diane Benjamin As of 3/31/18 Normal had total debt of $89,823,286. $88,125,000 won’t be paid off until 2041. Interest rates range from 2.00% to 6.30%. Source As of 4/30/18 Bloomington had total debt of $242,010,034. $57,095,000 won’t be paid off until 2035. The interest rates aren’t listed. $173,646,119 is liabilities for pensions and associated […]
By: Diane Benjamin The Bloomington City Council has until April 1st to fire VenuWorks: PDF page 2 http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=10901 The Coliseum (Grossinger Motors Arena) continues to fleece taxpayers. The audited loss for last year was $2,168,534. https://blnnews.com/2018/11/18/the-media-wont-report-this/ Taxpayers were deceived by the consultants before it was built – against the wishes of citizens. They predicted revenues […]
By: Diane Benjamin This event was scheduled last August for New Year’s Eve: http://www.grossingermotorsarena.com/arena-info/news/article/2018/08/grossinger-motors-arena-to-host-new-years-eve-featuring-hairball The website doesn’t say when or why it as canceled, but it is canceled: https://www1.ticketmaster.com/hairball/event/07005515D35C66E5 A concert is scheduled for January 19th – Old Dominion. Monster Trucks is coming February 8-10. See upcoming events here: http://www.grossingermotorsarena.com/events-and-tickets/calendar Hockey doesn’t generate enough money […]
By: Diane Benjamin The charges previously dismissed by a judge against John Butler for theft from the Coliseum are going to be re-filed on January 2nd. A reader asked me after he noticed an arraignment scheduled on the County website. I emailed State’s Attorney Don Knapp and asked him what was going on, this was […]
By: Diane Benjamin The reason the courts move so slow is lawyers. The attorney for Kelly Klein filed a motion to dismiss yesterday, but he didn’t sound optimistic when he filed it. The State’s Attorney has 14 days to respond, then another 14 days for rebuttal by the defense, and 7 more for another reply […]
By: Diane Benjamin I can see why the finance documents aren’t included in the packet on the Bloomington Council nights where the monthly recap is presented. I’m sure it’s much more fun to claim everything is fine than show the proof. See what was reported Monday night here: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=20321 When they talk about Sales Tax […]
By: Diane Benjamin Pepsi hasn’t paid for naming rights at the Ice Center for years. That doesn’t keep Bloomington from still giving them free advertising: PDF page 196 of the annual financial statements: http://www.cityblm.org/home/showdocument?id=20281 “Pepsi” is also on PDF pages 32 and 33. Grossinger Motors does pay for naming rights of the former US […]
By: Diane Benjamin Long time readers know the former Coliseum managers would issue their financial statements, and then the auditor would issue theirs. The media always reported the CIAM numbers but never the audited numbers. Audited losses were much higher! The media is continuing to report fake news because the audited number from VenuWorks aren’t […]
By: Diane Benjamin One of the 5 charged in connection with the Coliseum pleaded guilty yesterday. See this Pantagraph story: https://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/guilty-former-bloomington-arena-official-gets-fine-probation-after-plea/article_00b6cb16-2aeb-5558-9614-2a50e543d503.html#tracking-source=home-top-story-2 One part of the story doesn’t make any sense: ________________________ I hope these numbers aren’t what the entire case against the five is based on. The commissions don’t make any sense either. According to […]
By: Diane Benjamin The picture below is from October 20th – Flying Aces Hockey. The person who posted this to Facebook was playing a game, the beer won. The team has to pay $5,000 to the arena just to play there. Grossinger Motors Arena management makes money regardless of how many people show up. The […]
By: Diane Benjamin Bill and Payroll for 10-18-2018 http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=20190 Since the auditing bill is being approved, the financial statements are done. Of course, they aren’t being released yet. Coliseum continues to bleed taxpayers: More PCard fraud-should be easy to see where it happened: TRAVEL: ICMA (City Manager) $866.04 +685.00 and $777.61 last month = total […]
By: Diane Benjamin I been on the ICMA email list for years. ICMA is INTERNATIONAL CITY/COUNTY MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION. This is the place for managers who think government solves problems. All it takes is money, of course yours. The daily email is a summary of what government is up to, mostly around the country, but also internationally. […]
By: Diane Benjamin Of course a feasibility study was done before the Coliseum was built. It predicted Revenue of $7.1 million and expenses of $4.8 million. Operations would easily cover the cost of building it. https://blnnews.com/2016/02/11/the-tale-of-the-coliseum-tari-a-hotel/ At last night’s Committee of the Whole meeting, VenuWorks stated the arena would never lose LESS than $500,000. Any […]
By: Diane Benjamin The VenuWorks report is not the audited version, it is therefore immaterial. Time allowed for the presentation is 5 minutes, included will be the fictional economic impact of the arena. See PDF page 40: http://www.cityblm.org/Home/ShowDocument?id=19928 Financial information is on PDF page 39. The loss does not include depreciation on the building which […]
