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Gallivan Center overview draws board questions on capacity, governance and future uses
Summary
CRA staff and Gallivan Center managers briefed the board on Block 57 operations, funding, programming and a consultant assessment; board members raised concerns about governance, event capacity and whether the plaza can support larger civic priorities.
CRA staff and Gallivan Center management presented an informational update Jan. 21 on the Gallivan Center plaza (Block 57) and its operations, funding and ongoing assessment work.
Lucas Goodrich, Gallivan Center manager, said the CRA owns the 3.5-acre plaza and the three-story underground parking structure. The plaza was developed beginning in the 1980s and officially completed in 1993; the ice rink was expanded and relocated in 2010 and Gallivan Hall was constructed in February 2012, according to staff. Goodrich said the Gallivan Center is activated more than 250 days a year and produces or partners on about 50 free annual events; staff also facilitate nearly 100 private rentals annually.
The Block 57 owners group, a nonprofit owners association of adjacent property owners, provides assessments to maintain and program the plaza; the association assessments, on-site revenue and CRA funding together finance operations. Goodrich said the CRA has historically earmarked $250,000 for enhanced programming and that staff are repositioning some programming funds to broaden partnerships.
Board members raised multiple operational and governance questions. Several members, including Board member Pietro and Board member Lopez Chavez, said the city’s goals for a more activated downtown and larger cultural events appear at times to exceed Gallivan’s design and operational capacity. Staff said the plaza was designed as an urban plaza—not a full-scale event park—and cited safety and service constraints when crowds exceed capacity. For the Twilight concert series, staff estimated a safe capacity of about 5,600 people; recent Twilight events have reached 7,000–8,000 attendees, staff said, creating management and safety concerns.
Members asked for more detail on rental rates (board member Lopez Chavez), the split between association dues and on-site revenue (board member Lopez Chavez), and whether the current governance structure limits municipal priorities. Staff and the Gallivan manager said the CRA functions as an owner and operator under maintenance and administrative contracts; Gallivan staff are city employees dedicated to plaza operations, and staff noted two current vacancies affecting capacity. Staff said the plaza does not draw from the city general fund in regular operations and that association assessments and on-site revenue are key to sustaining programming, though CRA tax increment has been used to support Gallivan assessments.
Board members urged staff to return with a clarified governance and programming strategy, to identify capacity-based event criteria, and to coordinate Galivan planning with other city assets and future venues so applicants and event organizers face a consistent, navigable permitting and programming process. Staff said they are finalizing an assessments and recommendations study with consultants (GSBS Architects, Civitas, Phil Merrick) and plan to return to the board with study findings and recommended next steps.
No board votes were taken on Gallivan Center policy at the Jan. 21 meeting.
