Minutes_Five Flags Civic Center Advisory Commission 04.02.26Copyrighted
September 8, 2026
City of Dubuque CONSENT ITEMS # 1.
City Council
ITEM TITLE: Minutes and Reports Submitted
SUMMARY: City Council Proceedings of August 17, 18, 24, 25, and 27,
2026; Airport Commission of February 23, March 24, April 28
and May 26, 2026; Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory
Commission of March 24, April 28, May 26 and June 23,
2026; Arts and Cultural Affairs Advisory Commission Art on
the River Committee of March 12 and May 21, 2026; Board of
Library Trustees of March 26, April 16 and May 28, 2026;
Board of Library Trustees Updates of May 28 and June 25,
2026; Five Flags Civic Center Advisory Commission of
December 1, 2025 and April 2, 2026; Civil Service
Commission of March 11, April 14, and May 13, 2026;
Historic Preservation Commission of July 16, 2026; Human
Rights Commission of May 11, 2026; Long Range Planning
Advisory Commission of May 20, 2026; Park and Recreation
Advisory Commission of March 10, April 8, May 12, and June
9, 2026; Zoning Advisory Commision of July 1, 2026; Zoning
Board of Adjustment of July 23, 2026; Proof of Publication for
City Council Proceedings of August 3, 17, and 18, 2026 and
related Expenditure Reports.
SUGGUESTED Receive and File
DISPOSITION:
ATTACHMENTS:
1. 8 17 26 City Council Minutes
2. 8 18 26 City Council Minutes
3. Proof of Publication for City Council Proceedings of 8 3 26 and related expenditure
report
4. Airport Commission Minutes of February 23 2026
5. Airport Commission Minutes of March 24 2026
6. Airport Commission Minutes of April 28 2026
7. Airport Commission Minutes of May 26 2026
8. Arts Commission Minutes 5.26.26
9. Arts Commission Minutes 4.28.26
10. Arts Commission Minutes 3.24.26
11. Arts Commission Minutes 6.23.26
12. Five Flags Civic Center Advisory Commission Minutes of February 2026
13. Civil Service Minutes April
14. Civil Service Minutes March
15. Civil Service Minutes May
16. Historic Preservation Commission Minutes
17. Human Rights Commission Minutes
18. Library Board of Trustees Council_Update_05_28
19. Library Board of Trustees Council_Update_06_25
20. Library Board of Trustees April 16 2026 Minutes
21. Library Board of Trustees Minutes 3-10-26
22. Library Board of Trustees May 2026 Signed Minutes
23. Long Range Planning Advisory Commission Minutes
24. Parks and Recreating Advisory Commission Minutes - May
25. Parks and Recreating Advisory Commission Minutes - April
26. Parks and Recreating Advisory Commission Minutes - March
27. Parks and Recreating Advisory Commission Minutes - June
28. Five Flags Civic Center Advisory Commission Minutes of December 2025
29. 8 25 26 City Council Minutes
30. 8 27 26 City Council Minutes
31. 8 24 26 City Council Minutes
32. 8 17 26 Proceedings Proof
33. 8 18 26 Proceedings Proof
34. 8 17 26 Expenditure Report Proof
35. Zoning Advisory Commission Minutes
36. Zoning Board of Adjustment Minutes
✓lip = Five Flags Civic Center Advisory Commission Meeting
FIVE FLAGS April 2, 2026
COMMISSIONERS Bryce Parks, McKenzie Blau, Alan Schumacher
PRESENT:
COMMISSIONERS Colleen Myers, Sara Tandy
ABSENT:
STAFF PRESENT: Ryan Bonifas, Tom Robbins, Jayme Mescher, Greg Olson and Jeremy Huelsing
(regional OVG manager overseeing Dubuque account)
OTHERS PRESENT: Parks and Recreation Director Matt Kalcevich and Angie Metcalf,
Lead Administrative Support Professional for Parks and Recreation Dept.
City Manager Mike Van Milligen
CALL TO ORDER: Parks called the meeting to order at 3:30 PM.
OATH OF OFFICE: Chair Parks re -administered Oath of Office to Blau and Schumacher. December
clerk's office procedure was handled incorrectly.
MINUTES APPROVED: Commission Chair Parks motioned to approve the minutes of December 1, 2025
meeting. Seconded by Blau. Motion passed unanimously.
UPDATE FROM - Bonifas announced his last day with OVG/Dubuque will be April 15; moving to
GENERAL MANAGER the City of Grapevine, Texas.
RYAN BONIFAS: - Introduced regional manager Jeremy Huelsing (St. Louis) who oversees
OVG's Dubuque account.
Van Milligen acknowledged Ryan's leadership and accomplishments with the
Grand River Center and Five Flags Center.
UPDATE FROM - Since management transition, 20+ events were added for FY26 (beyond prior
ASSISTANT GENERAL management's bookings).
MANAGER TOM - FY27: 25 new events already booked (excluding recurring events such as
ROBBINS ON Brewfest, Symphony, Rodeo, etc.) plus 10 additional date holds.
BOOKINGS AND - Robbins distributed spreadsheet reflecting new bookings for FY26 & FY27.
EVENTS: • Movie series update: 9 films (November —March) drew 500 total attendees
(average approx. 50 per screening), lukewarm response.
Adjustments: Shifted to free movie admission for theater's 50th anniversary;
aim to drive concessions and first-time visits/PR.
• Future Movie Plans: Baseball mini -marathon just prior to Field of Dreams MLB
games and then later holiday movie programming. Will re-evaluate future movie
programming after 2026 calendar year.
UPDATE FROM • Completed minor repairs to HVAC systems, including heat coil repairs
DIRECTOR OF and fan motor replacement.
OPERATIONS • Performed additional roof repairs as part of ongoing maintenance
JAYME MESCHER efforts.
Replaced damaged floor tiles in the Bijou Room.
• Successfully completed and passed the fire escape inspection.
Page 1 of 3
Continued phased conversion to LED lighting. Exterior lighting upgrades
were completed last fall, with recent improvements made to back -of -
house and office areas.
Collaborating with Matt and his team on the development of capital
improvement plans
Kulture City sensory friendly initiative now ready for deployment at Five
Flags with staff training completed. This includes items such as sensory
kits available at events including headphones, weighted blankets, and
fidgets for guests with sensory needs, among other tactics.
UPDATE FROM Financial statements provided through the period of December 31, 2025.
DIRECTOR OF Revenue growth remains challenging; expenses held down. Year-to-date as of
FINANCE GREG 12.31.25 slightly under budget; full -year forecast currently $20,000 to $60,000
OLSON: over budget due to underperforming or cancelled events, most of which were
booked by prior management.
FISCAL YEAR 2027 Discussion led by Van Milligen on proposed reduction of Five Flags
BUDGET
improvement budget from $23.5 million to $7 million due to state property tax
RECOMMENDATION
reform, reallocated TIF benefits, and ultimately reduced funding to support
IMPACT ON
Downtown TIF district projects. Critical needs items at Five Flags estimated at
DOWNTOWN TIF
roughly $5.5 million with funding for modest additional scope. Van Milligen
DISTRICT
provided several supporting documents to the commission.
FROM CITY MANAGER
MIKE VAN MILLIGEN:
UPDATE ON RFP FOR
Scope with recommended $7M: Primary focus with critical or essential repairs
RENOVATIONS FROM
and stabilization rather than new renovations.
PARK & RECREATION
- Priority systems and components: Roof, HVAC, Boiler, exterior marquee -
DIRECTOR MATT
signage.
KALCEVICH:
• Enhancements and operational improvements: Lighting and finishes,
painting/restoration to refresh guest experience.
Food and beverage: Evaluate new food -service equipment to expand offerings
and/or enable on -site catering.
• External coordination and access: Adjacent residential development (across
5t" street) anticipated to break ground in July creating loading dock access
constraints and restricting truck ingress. Explore solutions; development
agreement includes a cost -sharing mechanism for door relocation/changes and
will require coordination with adjacent development.
• Implementation dependencies: Engineering assessment outcomes for theatre
damage and roof replacement will inform final prioritization and interior repair
sequencing.
SET MEETING Future Meeting Dates:
DATES FOR 2026: • June 1st
• September 14th
• December 7th
ADJOURNMENT: It was moved by Schumacher, seconded by Parks, to adjourn the meeting 4:00
p.m. Unanimous.
NEXT MEETING: June 1, 2026, 3:30 p.m.
Page 2 of 3