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TheaterDNA report proposes in‑house overhaul or third‑party management to boost Mansfield Theater utilization
Summary
Consultants told the commission the Mansfield Theater and convention center could increase utilization toward 50–55% over five years under either a restructured in‑house model or with third‑party management; commissioners and public commenters asked for more detail and staff will schedule a follow‑up presentation and legal/financial review.
Interim Deputy City Manager Bryan Lockerby told the City Commission on April 21 that TheaterDNA was contracted to study operations and long‑term strategy for the Mansfield Theater and the convention center. Consultant Benton Delinger presented findings from stakeholder interviews, facility and financial analyses, and benchmarking of comparable venues.
The study outlined a SWOT analysis that credited the Mansfield Theater with strong acoustics and regional draw, while noting limited operational agility, underdeveloped marketing and insufficient performance metrics. Delinger recommended improving branding, simplifying the customer experience, revising rental pricing tiers (separating nonprofit and commercial rates), strengthening partnerships with cultural and tourism organizations, and implementing targeted capital and operational upgrades (mechanical systems, lighting, audio, concessions, projection).
On management models, Delinger said the study considered two primary approaches: a fully restructured in‑house model (city run, but with staffing and programming changes) and engagement of a third‑party operator (local, regional or national). He cited examples in the region — Nampa, Idaho (where third‑party management helped reduce operating deficits) and Helena (a hybrid approach) — and said either model could, with active marketing and community engagement, move utilization toward roughly 50–55% over five years.
Public commenters and local managers raised caution. Great Falls resident Hillary Shepard and local manager April Wendt urged preserving local control and questioned how responsibilities, liability and internal cost allocation would be managed under third‑party arrangements. Lockerby and the consultant acknowledged those concerns and said further analysis of contract terms, cost allocation and governance would be needed.
Funding implications discussed included using facility fees to create a phased capital improvement plan; Delinger described precedent where projected facility fee revenue supported a five‑year CIP and helped leverage additional funding. Commissioner Shannon Wilson asked about the INTERCAP program and enterprise fund options as alternatives to TIF for financing capital upgrades.
What’s next: because of time constraints, the consultant will continue the presentation at a later date; no decisions were made and staff will return with additional detail on management options, financing scenarios, and implementation considerations.
