Council approves multi‑venue security contract for convention and performing arts centers

The City Council approved a contract authorizing event security services for the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex, with staff telling the council the venues bill customers for the service and generally recover the full cost. Kerry Painter, who identified herself as representing the Raleigh Convention and Performing Arts Complex, told councilors the contract covers security for three venues and that customers are billed for the approved security company’s services as part of their event settlement. "Each customer gets billed according to usage," Painter said. "If somebody doesn't book, then we wouldn't use all the money, but we can't always predict how many events there are either. And so it has increased over time." A councilor asked whether the city is made whole on the contract amount and whether the contract represents net expenditure. Painter said, "We're made whole. We capture it all. Unless something happened to go wrong and we ask for extra, we might pay for that because we felt more comfortable with an extra person or something." She also clarified the contract covers client‑paid event security only and is separate from the building's own security staff and contracts, which the city bears as an operating cost. A councilor moved to approve the contract services for the convention center and performing arts center event and security services, the motion was seconded, and the council voted to approve it. The contract backup described an authorization for a multi‑year amount and an opportunity to extend; the council discussion noted differing references in the packet to contract duration (the packet referenced three years in a question raised by council, while staff described the arrangement as covering multiple venues and an extended term). The approved motion did not modify those contract terms; staff remains the source for final contract language and duration.