Minutes_Five Flags Civic Center Commission 06.27.22City of Dubuque Consent Items # 01.
City Council Meeting
ITEM TITLE: Minutes and Reports Submitted
SUMMARY:
SUGGESTED
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
Copyrighted
July 5, 2022
City Council proceedings of 6/06/22, 06/20/22, and 06/27/22; Five Flags
Civic Center Advisory Commission of 6/27/22; Proof of publication for
City Council proceedings of 6/6/22.
Suggested Disposition: Receive and File
City Council proceedings of 6/06/22
City Council proceedings of 6/20/22
City Council proceedings of 6/27/22
Five Flags Civic Center Commission Minutes of
6/27/22
Proof of Publication for City Council proceedings of
6/6/22
Type
Supporting Documentation
Supporting Documentation
Supporting Documentation
Supporting Documentation
Supporting Documentation
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FIVE FLAGS 0.1
Five Flags Civic Center Advisory Commission Meeting
June 27, 2022
COMMISSIONERS Commissioners Bakke, Blau, Christner, and Daugherty present.
PRESENT:
COMMISSIONERS Commissioner Parks was absent.
ABSENT:
STAFF PRESENT: HR Cook, Jesse Gavin, Julie Husemann, Aaron Rainey, Jacquelyn Pfohl, Nick
Farfan
OTHERS PRESENT: Leisure Services Manager Marie Ware, City Councilwoman Susan Farber and
reporters from the Telegraph -Herald and KWWL.
CALL TO ORDER: Chair Daugherty called the meeting to order.
MINUTES APPROVED: Commissioner Blau motioned to approve the minutes of April 2022 meeting.
Seconded by Bakke. Motion passed unanimously.
EXPANSION Leisure Services Manager Marie Ware reported on action from previous City
REFERENDUM Council meetings regarding Five Flags Center and its proposed expansion.
UPDATE: Ware noted that the council requested referendum language for a March 2023
vote on the $92 million dollar option during their meeting in early May. At their
first June meeting, City Manager Mike Van Milligan presented information about
the impact the proposed bond issuance and its impact on the city's debt limit.
That new information gave the Council pause, and they voted to refer the issue
to staff and to hold a work session on the other scenarios in the study. The work
session had initially been scheduled for July 11. However, it will be postponed to
a later date to accommodate for HR Cook's availability. Commissioner Bakke
noted that having some advance notice of the debt limit impact would have been
appreciated. The work session at a later date will allow time to review the pros
and cons of each scenario in addition to what is gained by specific
improvements that are in each scenario. Ware reported to the Commission that
it will continue to be involved in the process. Ware will be contacting
Convention, Sports, and Leisure International, the consulting firm that produced
the initial studies, to discuss the other scenarios and paths to moving forward.
Ware reiterated Council's appreciation for the Commission's work and noted
that they will be vital to working through the next steps of the process. HR Cook
noted that there is still time to compile new information and meet the deadlines
associated with a possible March referendum, but emphasized that progress
would need to come quickly.
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FIVE FLAGS CENTER Five Flags Center General Manager HR Cook presented the Commission with
ANNUAL REPORT: the annual report that was presented to the City Council on June 20. Due to the
scheduling of the report, it has information from the first ten months ten months
of Fiscal Year 2022, and shows that the facility's financial health is very good.
Five Flags Center is currently projected to beat the City's operating subsidy by
approximately $175,000. Food and beverage revenues have increased
dramatically with minimal price increases. Country and rock concerts and family
shows are performing well. Bookings are appealing to all demographic levels
and average ticket prices remain around $31. The months of February and
March both saw revenues outpace operating expenses, something only ever
seen in one other month since ASM Global (and predecessor SMG) took over
operation of Five Flags Center.
UPDATE ON CAPITAL Among the improvements that have happened in recent months are
IMPROVEMENT replacement of the venue's basketball goals and the purchase of new rope and
PROJECTS: stanchion systems. A new scissor lift is also in the works. New projects in the
upcoming fiscal year include HVAC improvements, repairs to the arena roof,
and upgrades to the theater's lighting and carpet. Leisure Service Manager
Ware explained that upcoming $6 million in capital improvements are being split
over the next three fiscal years, with $600,000 of work scheduled for Fiscal Year
2023.
EVENTS REVIEW AND Five Flags General Manager HR Cook spotlighted the upcoming concert by
BOOKINGS UPDATE: Christian rock band for King & Country on July 15. This is an act that Five Flags
Center has been chasing for years and has finally landed, despite the
performers now possibly being "too big" for the venue. Cook noted that a 25-
year relationship with a promoter helped make the show possible. He also
mentioned the August concert by ZZ Top and a September kids show from
Disney Junior.
STAFF REPORTS: Five Flags General Manager HR Cook had previously covered much of the
information during the portion of the meeting that included discussion of the
annual report and capital improvements.
PUBLIC INPUT:
None received.
ADJOURNMENT: Motion to adjourn was made by Commissioner Bakke, seconded by
Commissioner Blau. The motion passed unanimously.
NEXT MEETING: Tentatively scheduled for Monday, August 29, 2022.
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