Michigan City Park Board approves summer events, concession lease and budget transfer
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Summary
At its Feb. 4 meeting the Michigan City Parks and Recreation Board approved a major-event license for the annual amphitheater festival, awarded a concession lease to JVP Hospitality, and passed a budget-transfer resolution and routine financial items; multiple public commenters praised events and raised parking concerns.
The Michigan City Parks and Recreation Board on Feb. 4 approved several routine and programmatic items, including a 2026 major-event license for the amphitheater festival, an award of the Northpointe Pavilion concession lease to JVP Hospitality of Indiana LLC and an intra-departmental budget transfer to cover unanticipated year-end 2025 expenses.
Board members voted, by voice, to accept minutes from the Jan. 21 meeting after two corrections were noted about recorded movers on that earlier meeting. The board also approved the park department’s fourth-quarter 2025 report; staff clarified an apparent 400% increase on one line came from insurance proceeds received in 2024 for roof replacements at the golf course and zoo while the work was completed in 2025.
The board approved a major-event license for the recurring amphitheater festival after vendor and public representatives described the event as a strong draw. Julie Geier, a festival representative, said, “We typically have 6,000 plus people at the event,” and urged the board to continue support. Public commenters Tommy Kolovic and Scott Mullen also praised the festival.
On concessions, staff said the parks department solicited proposals for the Northpointe Pavilion concession lease (RFP posted Nov. 6, 2025; proposals due Dec. 17, 2025) and received one bid from Jan John Van Pruen of JVP Hospitality of Indiana LLC. Staff recommended awarding the lease on terms of 10% of gross sales with a guaranteed minimum payment of $5,000 for each of June, July and August; staff said that fee aligns with two appraisals obtained in 2025. The board approved both the recommendation to award the lease and a written offer; staff said remaining contract terms, inspections and final signatures are pending.
The board also adopted Resolution No. 1086 to move funds between department accounts to cover unanticipated 2025 expenses; the resolution text was read into the record and approved. The meeting included approval of the claims docket (municipal funds $56,432.81), two payroll runs (payroll #26: $71,622.35; payroll #2 for 2026: $68,975.02), gifts and donations (a $150 miscellaneous donation and a $400 sponsorship), and credit card charges totaling $2,240.58.
Superintendent and staff reports noted completion of annual employee evaluations, public-art projects completed or approved through 2024, and zoo work under way on a Wings of Wonder exhibit. Assistant staff reviewed upcoming programs and outreach (youth baseball early-bird sign-ups, quilting and chess clubs, a February pour-and-paint event) and said event calendars and a newsletter are being kept up to date.
The meeting ended after a public comment period that included praise for parks staff and appeals to remove tire-flattening “tiger teeth” devices; several speakers also asked about the new parking app and enforcement (discussed in detail by staff during the meeting).
