Minutes_Five Flags Civic Center Advisory Commission 2 22 15 J
Five Flags Civic Center Advisory Commission Meeting
Thursday January 22, 2015
Unapproved by commission
PRESENT: McKenzie Hill, Tyler Daugherty, Rod Bakke, Bryce Hands (entered late)
STAFF PRESENT: Mane Ware, Joyce White, Don Howes, Shaun Ince, Ali Levasseur
OTHERS PRESENT:
MINUTES Commissioner Bakke motioned and Commissioner Daugherty seconded to approve
APPORVED; the minutes of the October 272014meeting. The motion passed unanimously.
VOTE:
General Manager, Joyce White, delivered the following old business
OLD BUSINESS: Joyce thanked commissioners fortheir support during her absence Five
Flags staff continued business as normal while she was out, Joyce doing well
after surgery.
• Commissioner Bakke asked if there had been any Inquiries to city clerk to join
the commission. Joyce White stated that this was a time for the current
commissioners to reach out to others to join the commission.
• Commssioner Daugherty asked Mare Ware for updates on the survey vath
support from the City. Marie stated the recommendations should be public
after February 1 , 2915.
Commissioner Hill reported that Kari McCann of the Community Foundation will be
allending the April meeting to discuss and answer questions on creating a Five Flags
Fountlation. She then asked for specific questions from the commission
• Commissioner Daugherty asked if a foundation the right steps to reach the
goals
• Commissioner Hill asked forthe process orsteps of creating the foundation
be discussed
• Commissioner Bakke stated thatthe marketing person that Is hired be
included In the Foundation
• Commissioner Hill stated if there were other ideas that came up, to contact
her over email.
NEW BUSINESS: No new business brought up at this time.
FINANCIAL Director of Finance, Don Howes, delivered follovang report
REREPORT Quarter:
• We were under October's monthly budgeted net loss by$2,636.
We were under November's monthly budgeted net loss by$21 ,888.
We were over Decembers monthly budgeted net loss by$8,209.
Year-To Date:
• Actual YTD Adjusted Gross Income is more than the YTD budgeted
• Ame by$10,468.
ctual YTD Total Indirect Expenses is les than the YTD budgeted
expenses by$20,591 .
• Actual YTD net loss is less than the YTD budgeted net loss by
$31 ,059
Benchmark:
We are forecast to be les than the benchmark at ears end by
$29]22
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OPERATIONS Director of Events and Operations, Shaun Rice, delivered following report:
REPORT: Upgrades and improvements during the Second quarter of FY15 included the
following efforts:
Safety Committee
• Safety meetings have included the following topics- "Forklifts",
"Housekeeping"," Electrical Safety", and "Slips, Trips, and Falls".
• The Emergency Action Plan has been completed by Alyson Tasker and
placed on shared drive.
• Second quarter committee inspections have included the arena (main room,
seats, dressing rooms, locker rooms, and north electric room), theater scene
shop and main store room. All notes were compiled and entered into the
preventative maintenance program, Altum. Work orders were sent to
appropriate staff to correct any potential safety issues.
Routine Maintenance
• Includes the set up and tear down of events and equipment
• Maintain the Altum preventative maintenance program
• Scheduled inspections included:
• Generator
• Two Genie man lifts
• Fire suppression systems
• Kitchen hoods in concession stands
• Emergency flow test
• Boiler test
• Repairs and upgrades to Five Flags equipment and facility included:
• Bleacher seating prior to Globetrotters
• Theater EPDM roof repair (rubber lined roof)
• Replaced part of damaged roof edging above theater
• Overhead door in arena prior to Mannheim Steamroller
• Gate G "pass through" feature has been added to open the area for event
seating, ingress and egress
• Railing over North dressing rooms of the arena was installed
Technical Operations
• FY15 CIP projects for arena soft goods and theater stage lighting have been
completed. Lights arrived and are being assembled by our Technical
Manager and the soft goods will be shipped.
• Plans were reviewed and bids were let for improving the employee area in the
basement. The plan includes kitchen cabinetry and plumbing to equip the
room with a water source.
MARKETING Event Manager Ali Levasseur delivered following report
PROMTIONS & Primary marketing activities during the second quarter for FY15 included the
EVENTS REPORT following:
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Past Quarter"Initiatives":
• Five Flags finalized contract with Dubuque Soccer Association for practice
twice weekly January through April 2015.
• Washington Middle Schoolteacher approached Five Flags to hold a Spoken
Word event in the Bijou Room for students; event was held January 15, 2015.
• Five Flags finalized contract with Dubuque Big-Time Bu// Riding for Feb 6-7,
2015.
• Loras Co/lege won the bid to host the NCAA Wrestling Division ///tournament
which will be held at Five Flags February 28, 2015.
• Livingston Gymnastics Tournament, a regular client of the Grand River
Center, approached Five Flags late summer for availability as they had lost their
dates. Five Flags will host their event in early March 2015.
• Five Flags Center has been working with the Multicultural Family Center on the
Taste of the Wor/dfundraising event. The date has been secured for April 18,
2015.
Past Quarter Event "highlights":
National touring shows this past quarter included:
• Men are from Mars Women are from Venus Live returned to playing Dubuque
for a second year. They are considering a two year rotation.
• Five Flags hosted the third consecutive Dog Docks World Championship in
November. The Dubuque Convention and Visitor's Bureau has contracted for two
additional years, 2015 and 2016.
• The Price is Right Live made its Dubuque premier November 19, 2015. It was a
wonderful event with a great crowd. Social media content on TPIRL helped
expand Five Flags' social networking reach.
• Five Flags ended its three year contract with Sesame Street Live this November
with Let's Dance. Discussion for the next three year contract will begin soon.
• The Oak Ridge Boys returned to Dubuque for a great Christmas show the
weekend after Thanksgiving.
• Our last Christmas concert, Mannheim Steamroller, was held in the Arena on
December 18. It was a great performance and provided a satisfied client. They
may return in two years.
Local and Regional Shows this past quarter included:
• Five Flags Theater was utilized for the Redman-Ray wedding
• DSO returned in November for their second Classics performance, 88 Keys to
the City
• Dubuque Colts Organizations held their first weekend audition the week before
Thanksgiving this year.
• Jim McDonough Holiday Grande 2014 performed their 10th year at Five Flags
Theater
• Dubuque Dance Studio and Almost Famous Dance and Cheer, out of Farely
and Monticello, utilized the theater for winter recitals.
Director of Events and Operations highlighted information from the event totals
report.
Commissioners also reviewed the quarterly event listing.
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STAFF General Manager, Joyce White, delivered following report:
DEVELOPMENT Staff updates and activity occurring during the second quarter of FY15
REPORT included the following.
Staff Activity
• Joyce White, has continued with commitments and served as past-chair of the
nine-member Board of Dubuque Convention and Visitor's Bureau. This
quarter, she has attended three monthly board meetings. Additional board
memberships included Dubuque Main Street Board and Executive Board. She
has attended one regular and executive board meeting this quarter. As First
Vice-Chair for the Dubuque Chamber of Commerce, Joyce has attended two
each executive and full board meetings. When available, Joyce attends
Chamber Ambassador ribbon cuttings.
• As a member of the Advisory Board for Dubuque Convention and Visitor's
Center, a twenty-member board, Don Howes has attended the bi-monthly board
meetings.
• As 2014 President for Dubuque Jaycees, Alyson Tasker holds bi-monthly board
meetings and general membership meetings. Alyson worked beer sales at
Dubuque Main Street All that Jazz events and as the Jaycees 2014 Fireworks
Chair, helped plan the July 3'' Fireworks on the River with partner Radio
Dubuque. Alyson attended the 2014 Iowa Jaycees Fall All-State Convention in
Cedar Rapids where two local Dubuque entrepreneurs, Tom Rauen and Josh
Jasper received the Outstanding Young Iowan award from the Iowa Jaycees.
• As 2014 President ofDCFAS, Ali Levasseur, lead monthly board meetings and
worked with Treasurer to update financial information. Voices Exhibit finished in
October and will resume meetings again in February.
SMG Corporate Conference Calls
• Ali Levasseur participated in monthly regional conference calls to discuss
marketing initiatives.
• Alyson Tasker, Bob Richardson, and Shaun Rice participated in monthly
regional conference calls to discuss operational initiatives.
• Joyce White and Shaun Rice participated in twice-monthly national and
regional conference calls to discuss theater and arena routings.
• Don Howes participated in SMG Corporate webinars covering Affirmative
Action and the Affordable Care Act.
New Staff Position
• Shaun Rice, new Director of Events and Operations, has met his 90 day
employment period and is a great addition to the Five Flags management
team.
• Management advertised and filled a newly created part-time Marketing
position during the second quarter. Unfortunately, the employee left the
position before the end of the calendar for a full-time position elsewhere.
Management identified additional budgetary funding and Regional
Management approved the request to reopen and advertise for a full time
marketing position in January, 2015.
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OTHER BUSINESS: Marie Ware discussed public hearing for Leisure services budget at City Council will
be on February 23, 2015 6:30PM. If support of Five Flags feasibility survey is
released as a recommendation, this hearing is a great time to speak and support.
Not all commissioners need to attend. If attend, commissioner could take the stand
and thank the council for recommendation of the survey and hope it is approved by
the council.
Marie Ware also reported the funding from SMG for marketing/programming is being
processed through the City to Five Flags account. Should be finalized soon.
ADJURN; It was moved by Daugherty, seconded by Bakke, that the meeting be adjourned. The
VOTE: motion passed unanimously.
NEXT MEETING: Next quarterly meeting held in the General Manager's Office on MondayApril 27,
2015 at 3:30PM. Five Flags staff will place an email "Thursday before"to remind
commissioners of the meeting.
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