WREX.com – Rockford’s News LeaderReport calls for overhaul of entertainment venue operations

Report calls for overhaul of entertainment venue operations

By Katie Nilsson

ROCKFORD (WREX) -   The Downtown Venues Committee releases ways it thinks the city can save money. The committee says it creates a vision and a spark for the heart of Rockford.

The downtown venues group was put together by Rockford Mayor Larry Morrissey last June.  Its mission: Create a list of goals for the city's downtown venues and prioritize their use of public funds. 

The report looks at the MetroCentre, Davis Park and Coronado Theatre all of which get some funding from the city.  It suggests combining the oversight of all three venues into one board, the Rockford Area Venues and Entertainment Authority, with one chief executive officer.  Venues Committee Chair Mike Dunn says the city would appoint five members to it, the county three, Loves Park one. "All we ask is that collaboratively, together these board members all accept what the mission is and move in one direction towards that mission."

Mayor Larry Morrissey says he likes the idea of having one board run all three venues. "I think it's very critical that the board be reflective of all those different stake holder needs interests and that there the right talent and the right backgrounds to support that mission."

The new "Authority" would centralize administrative functions like accounting and I. T.  The Rockford Area Convention and Visitors Bureau would handle marketing efforts for the venues.  On the Waterfront would be in charge of all the city's festivals, not just the Labor Day one.  Plus the authority would establish accountability standards which it would have to share with the city council.  Mayor Morrissey thinks running a leaner operation will help create jobs in the long run.  "If we become more efficient, more mission focused, vision focused and we're more effective than the net result should be a lot of new jobs in the community."

The venues committee says the changes will make the venues more self sufficient and less reliant on taxpayer money.  It would like to see the city start implementing its recommendations within 90 days.