Oxnard Council extends Sterling Venue contract for performing arts center; orders negotiated side agreement with nonprofit

The Oxnard City Council on Feb. 18 voted to extend Sterling Venue Ventures’ management contract for the Oxnard Performing Arts & Convention Center (OPAC) for five years while directing city staff to negotiate a separate agreement with the OPAC nonprofit and report back within a year.

The council’s action came after more than 50 members of the public — including nonprofit staff, community artists, and Sterling employees — made lengthy public comments, many urging the council either to retain the professional theater operator (Sterling) or to restore management rights for the longtime OPAC nonprofit. Council members debated competing claims about community programming, financial performance and whether a nonprofit or for‑profit operator was best suited to run the center.

OPAC nonprofit leaders and longtime staff described the nonprofit’s 27‑year record producing free youth and community arts programs, murals and festivals and said the nonprofit had consistently exceeded the city’s rental revenue targets for meeting rooms. "The last five years have been very challenging, but OPAC remained resilient," OPAC executive director Carolyn Mullen told the council, summarizing the nonprofit’s…