Tangipahoa Council tables proposed fee schedule for Florida Parishes Arena after members request more data

The Tangipahoa Parish Council on Aug. 25 debated Ordinance 25-26, a proposal to amend operating fees for the Florida Parishes Arena and Event Center, and voted unanimously to table the ordinance for further review.

Lane Tallon, director of the Florida Parishes Arena, told the council that many major fees had not been adjusted since the venue opened in 2004 and that upgrades to the facility since 2018 total roughly $2.5 million to $3 million. He said those upgrades and rising operating costs have strained a small full-time staff; the arena handled about 155 events and more than 208 rental days last year, Tallon said, and the facility relies in part on general-fund support.

Tallon said the draft contract would keep revenue with event producers where possible, reduce certain charges (for example, some tractor rental and stall fees) and add fees for services and spaces that had not been charged consistently in the past. Council members raised concerns about specific increases and asked for a comparative analysis with similar venues and a clearer breakdown of which events would see fee changes. A council member said she had received roughly 50 emails from constituents concerned about large rate increases for small users.

Councilmember Hyde made a motion to table Ordinance 25-26 and seek more information; the motion, seconded by Councilmember Havers, passed on a unanimous roll call. The council requested a written comparison of rates at similar event centers and a clearer explanation of units (hourly vs. daily) and which fees would apply to small nonprofit or local events.

Separately, the council approved a change order (Change Order No. 1) for the Florida Parishes Arena multipurpose building that extends the contract schedule by 84 days; the change order was a time-only extension and did not increase contract dollars.