Five Flags Improvement ProjectCopyrighted
December 19, 2022
City of Dubuque Action Items # 01.
City Council Meeting
ITEM TITLE: Five Flags Improvement Project
SUMMARY: City Manager recommending City Council adoption of the resolution to
implement an approximately $24 million Five Flags improvement project that
is to be funded by Downtown Urban Renewal debt budgeted through the city
capital improvement budget process.
RESOLUTION Authorizing initiation of Five Flags Improvement Project
through the capital improvement budget process
SUGGESTED Suggested Disposition: Receive and File; Adopt Resolution(s)
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
Description
Five Flags Improvement Project-MVM Memo
Resolution
Public Input —Uploaded 12.19.22
Type
City Manager Memo
Resolutions
Supporting Documentation
THE CITY OF
Dubuque
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All -America City
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TO: The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
FROM: Michael C. Van Milligen, City Manager
SUBJECT: Five Flags Improvement Project
DATE: December 15, 2022
After 4 years of study and public input the Mayor and City Council at the December 5,
2022, work session, consistent with a recommendation from the Five Flags Center
Advisory Commission, asked that an agenda item be created for the December 19,
2022, City Council Meeting to implement an approximately $24 million Five Flags
improvement project that is to be funded by Downtown Urban Renewal debt budgeted
through the city capital improvement budget process. It is the intent that the project shall
be done in a manner that does not preclude a future project to create an indoor/outdoor
venue on the north end of the building which will require future budgeted funds to
accomplish. After approval of the city 5-year Capital Improvement Program in March
2023 city staff will work with the Five Flags Center Advisory Commission, architects and
engineers to recommend to the Mayor and City Council specific capital projects to be
implemented. It is anticipated that these $24 million in projects will be completed in
phases over the next 5 years.
The Five Flags Civic Center Advisory Commission has been dedicated to the
improvement of Five Flags. They advocated with the City Council the importance of the
Civic Center to the community and the need for improvements of both the Historic
Theater and the Five Flags Civic Center even before it became a City Council priority
and more so after it was set as a priority. Each Commissioner took their role to listen to
residents and advise the City Council very seriously at every step of this journey. They
were heavily involved in the engagement of the residents. This engagement assisted in
every step of studies that were completed and will be important to the design of the
improvement project to be brought back to the City Council after the FY 24 budget
process is completed in March. We thank the current and past commissioners for their
tenacity, extra time, and commitment to Five Flags.
ASM Global is the city's management services firm for Five Flags Civic Center. The
staff at Five Flags as well as the corporate ASM Global staff have shared expertise that
has assisted the City during each step of this journey. Whether it was sharing data and
information with consultants or sitting at a table with draft designs, evaluating revenue
potentials of specific improvements, or marketing engagement opportunities for the
residents. They have been a true partner from day one.
Additional partners that have supported the process included Dubuque Main Street,
Dubuque Area Chamber of Commerce, Travel Dubuque, Main Street businesses,
Dubuque Symphony, Fly by Night Productions and others. Their insights and expertise
have been invaluable.
Numerous residents were involved in writing letters, making phone calls, coming to
meetings, and answering surveys. Their input shaped where we are today and will
influence the improvement project moving forward.
Budget and Finance Director Jennifer Larson provided financial information and
reviewed numerous scenarios related to debt and financing and the effect on property
taxes. Without Jennifer's expertise none of this could have been possible.
My sincere thank you to Leisure Services Manager Marie Ware who brought this project
through the many studies over the last several years coming to numerous meetings to
present information and to answer questions. Marie's work is why this is still a viable
project today and why we will now have a facility that greatly improves the customer and
performer experience.
I respectfully recommend Mayor and City Council adoption of the enclosed resolution.
Mic ael C. Van Milligen
MCVM:sv
Attachment
cc: Crenna Brumwell, City Attorney
Cori Burbach, Assistant City Manager
Jennifer Larson, Budget and Finance Director
Marie Ware, Leisure Services Manager
Rod Bakke, Five Flags Civic Center Advisory Commission Chair
Prepared by Crenna M. Brumwell 300 Main Street, Suite 330 Dubuque IA 52001 563 589-4381
Return to Prepared by Crenna M. Brumwell 300 Main Street, Suite 330 Dubuque IA 52001 563 589.4381
RESOLUTION NO. 394-22-A
RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING INITIATION OF FIVE FLAGS IMPROVEMENT
PROJECT THROUGH THE CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT BUDGET PROCESS
WHEREAS, the City of Dubuque has spent over four (4) years studying options
and gathering public input on the Five Flags Civic Center and the Historic Five Flags
Theatre; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has opted to implement a project of approximately
$24 million dollars in improvements to the Five Flags Civic Center and the Historic Five
Flags Theatre to be funded by Downtown Urban Renewal debt budgeted through the
capital improvement budget process; and
WHEREAS, the City Council intends the project to be designed and constructed in
a way that would allow for a possible future project creating an indoor/outdoor venue on
the north side of the Five Flags Civic Center arena; and
WHEREAS, the City Council understands creation of an indoor/outdoor venue
would require additional budgeted funds in the future; and
WHEREAS, the specific capital improvement projects to be implemented at the
Five Flags Civic Center and the Historic Five Flags Theatre shall be determined in
consultation with the Civic Center Advisory Commission, architects, engineers, the city's
management services firm ASM Global, and city staff following approval of the city's 5-
year Capital Improvement Program in March 2023 and presented to the City Council for
approval.
NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY
OF DUBUQUE, IOWA:
Section 1. City staff shall present a 5-year capital improvement budget including
approximately $24 million dollars towards improvements at the Five Flags Civic Center
and Historic Five Flags Theatre.
Section 2. Following adoption of the 5-year capital improvement budget city staff
shall work with the Civic Center Advisory Commission, ASM Global, architects, and
engineers to make specific recommendations to the City Council for improvements to be
included in the project.
PASSED AND APPROVED this 191h day of December, 2022
4tayor Brad M. Cavanagh
ATTEST: y
Adrienne N. Breitfelder, City Clerk
Adrienne Breitfelder
From: yfiink@aol.com <yfiink@aol.com>
Sent: Saturday, December 17, 2022 08:28
To: Ric W. Jones <rlones@cityofdubugue.org>
Subject: 5 flags
Caution! This message was sent from outside your organization. Allow sender I Block sender
Absolutely vote NO to spend a dime of tax payor money on this loser.
What happened to the people voting for or against this boondoggle?
Sell this complex to the private sector and get the City of Dubuque out of the Real-estate business.
If you support this drain on the city and it's resources please explain it to me........ by responding to this email.
Thank You
Joel Pusateri
Adrienne Breitfelder
From:
Sent:
To:
Subject:
f
' This sender is trusted.
Contact Us
Name: T Huson
Address: 1165 Bluff St
Ward:
Phone:5635882546
Email: psm@hotmail.com
City Department: City Council
Citizen Support Center <dubuqueia@mycusthelp.net>
Saturday, December 17, 2022 6:18 PM
Adrienne Breitfelder
"Contact Us" inquiry from City of Dubuque website
Message: Vote no on the overpriced improvements except for the repainting of the exterior.