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Consultants recommend city-run ballroom, new theater contract terms for Westminster’s Rose Center
Summary
A consultant study presented to the Westminster City Council recommends the city consider taking over ballroom operations at the Rose Center, require a monthly rent from the theater operator and create a small per-ticket facility fee to fund maintenance; the council heard public support but took no action and asked staff to return with an agenda item for decision.
Consultants from Theater DNA presented a comprehensive operations and market study of the Rose Center on Oct. 15, telling the Westminster City Council the theater remains a community asset but requires new management terms and targeted investment.
Benton Dellinger, a founding principal of Theater DNA, told the council the theater portion is "financially healthy" and typically uses the facility about 250 days a year, but the ballroom operator historically focused on weekend wedding business and underutilized weekdays. He said the city receives limited revenue because of older contract terms and the ballroom’s modest annual event count.
"We recommend the city take over what Jay was doing" on the ballroom if the council wants more local control of bookings and revenue, Dellinger said. Consultants proposed that the nonprofit operator of the theater (Friends of the Rose Center Theatre/RCT) pay a monthly rent (starting recommendation $5,200) and that the city implement a small maintenance facility fee on paid tickets, recommended at $2 per paid ticket, with revenues dedicated to a city-controlled maintenance fund.
Public speakers who urged the council to preserve continuity emphasized the Rose Center’s cultural and educational role. "I refer to the Rose as my happy place," said Air Force Sergeant Michelle Bae, describing the theater’s value to military and community members. Bonnie Prady Castro, a longtime Huntington Beach Union High School District trustee, urged the council to "continue the Rose Center's current management agreement" when the item returns for a vote. Tim Nelson, representing the current management, said he was "pleased to find that the recommendation is to retain our company going forward as a management company for the Rose Centre."
Consultants presented a five‑year pro forma that showed an initial investment year to upgrade ballroom AV and furniture and a projected path to breakeven by year two if the city implemented the rent, facility fee and stronger revenue-sharing and booking strategies. They also recommended clearer operator performance metrics, quarterly financial audits, and a capital improvement plan focused first on ballroom upgrades to make weekday rentals competitive.
Council members pressed details: why the ballroom’s higher rates did not translate to larger city revenue, whether the recommended tenant fees comply with federal and state advertising and pricing laws, and whether Jay's Catering would be open to weekday bookings. Consultants said much of the revenue shortfall resulted from contract structure and the operator's strategic focus on weddings, not from operator incompetence.
No formal action was taken. Mayor Wynne said the council would "study some more" and that staff would schedule the matter for a future council meeting where the recommendations, proposed contract language and any required legal and compliance review will be considered.
