City finance, parks staff report small operating surplus at North Shore Aquatic Center and mixed event finances for Cherry Days and amphitheater
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Summary
City staff reported a modest operating surplus at North Shore Aquatic Center for calendar year 2025 and presented post-event financials for Cherry Days and the Barker Park amphitheater, while flagging the need to reconcile apparent accounting anomalies in 2024 event subsidies.
Finance director Peter Brown and parks staff presented after-action financial reports for Cherry Days, the Barker Park amphitheater season and the North Shore Aquatic Center.
Cherry Days: Staff said the 5K run generated about $36,300 and that donations and other revenues were roughly $22,400. The council was shown a pro‑rata analysis of event revenues and expenses; staff recommended evaluating which events to sustain, pursue more donations and consider modest registration increases for certain events (e.g., the 5K) to reduce the city subsidy. The council asked finance staff to reconcile an apparent accounting anomaly shown for 2024 (a line in the packet indicated a $96,300 subsidy in 2024 that staff agreed to re‑examine and clarify with audit and fund-balance details).
Amphitheater: Staff reported 11 primary activities (13 if Cherry Days events are included) with estimated total attendance of 3,300–3,500 across the season. Two paid shows (Newsies and Bye Bye Birdie) generated just over $21,000 in ticket sales; combined ticket, donations and rentals produced roughly $15,200 that the city retained (excluding a $5,000 donor return agreement). Staff said about $11,000 could be available for reinvestment in future events.
Aquatics: Staff reported calendar‑year operating revenue of roughly $599,000 and an estimated operating surplus near $16,000 (operating figures exclude capital depreciation and RDA funds used for capital projects). Managers highlighted operational improvements in 2025: increased rentals, steady admissions revenue, larger staff training and 1,500 swim‑lesson participants. Staff and council discussed approaches to improve concessions, rentals and program mix to strengthen operating margins and asked for follow‑up reporting that reconciles 2024 final figures and documents the effect of recent fee changes and weather on attendance.
Council asked staff for more granular reconciliation on 2024 figures and to return with recommendations for revenue-raising or cost-control measures for events and aquatics programming.