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Performing Arts Center shows increased use; staff seeks catering, sales and staffing upgrades
Summary
PAC reported increased events and positive financial performance, and requested a kitchen supervisor and an additional rental event manager to expand corporate and catered business; signature events draw large attendance but require subsidy from PAC funds.
Performing Arts Center (PAC) leadership reported higher utilization and improved financial performance for events and city signature festivals. The PAC team said many events are self-supporting and revenue-generating, but signature events rely on PAC fund support to cover expenses such as police and event operations.
Bill (PAC lead) reported that attendance for signature events grew (estimates: 603,550 attendees in 2023 and 801,200 in 2024 across events — these are event tallies used by staff for program planning) and that facility rentals, conference business and presenting shows produced positive operating results. Bill said access to food-and-beverage operations and catering is an important profitability driver; PAC food-and-beverage and conference events generate higher net returns than some other event types.
To support growth, PAC requested a kitchen supervisor to stabilize catering operations and an additional full-time rental event manager to pursue larger corporate customers; staff said the lack of dedicated sales capacity has caused the center to decline dates despite available space. PAC leaders also asked for a modest increase in cost-of-goods to reflect rising food costs and to continue investing in audiovisual and streaming upgrades.
Council members discussed the mix of free signature events and city support; staff said signature-event costs totaled about $750,000 last year after netting event revenue of about $189,000 and that sponsorships and fundraising are a growing focus. Staff asked council to consider investing in sponsorship capacity to improve event fundraising and reduce net city support.
