Chevy Centre tickets just got a little cheaper

The change would reduce the cost for a
number of center events.

By DAVID SKOLNICK

CITY HALL REPORTER

YOUNGSTOWN — In an effort to make some Chevrolet Centre events less expensive, the city plans to eliminate $3 in parking and facility fees tacked on to most tickets and replace them with a flat 9.5-percent admission tax.

City officials say they’ve received complaints from residents about the ticket prices for some events at the city-owned facility.

“We’re trying to come up with a formula that allows more people to use the facility at a lower cost,” Finance Director David Bozanich said at Monday‘s council finance committee meeting.

City council could adopt the new fee structure as early as its June 20 meeting. The policy would take effect Oct. 1, the beginning of the center’s next fiscal year, Bozanich said.

The new policy

If the policy is adopted, a $15 ticket would include a $1.43 admission tax instead of the two $1.50 fees. For four tickets, that would result in a $6.28 savings.

Tickets for events costing $5 and less, rare at the center, wouldn’t have the admission tax.

On the other end of the spectrum, a $50 ticket would incur a $4.75 admission tax. Most tickets for music concerts are in the $50-plus range.

Also, Mayor Jay Williams said the city is close to a deal with the Boston Culinary Group, which provides food and beverages at the center, to reduce the cost of some items.

City council members complained earlier this year about the cost of food and drinks at the center. Boston Culinary officials said at the time that the cost for most items at the center was less than at other surrounding centers, arenas and stadiums.

“This is all part of our effort to tweak the center and find that right formula,” Williams said. “We’re adjusting the dials on this. We’ll see if it needs further tweaking.”

The city expects to make close to $100,000 annually in profit through the tax, and use the money for improvements and projects on and near the center site, said Kyle L. Miasek, its deputy finance director.

USA Parking, a Cleveland company, is paid $210,000 annually to provide parking at its parking decks and surface lots near the center for those attending events at the facility.

Not meeting estimates

Also, the center includes the $1.50 facility fee as a way to generate money through ticket sales.

Global Entertainment Corp., the Phoenix-based company that manages the center, had estimated the two fees would generate about $800,000 between October 2005 and September 2006, the facility’s inaugural fiscal year. The fees generated less than $300,000 in that time frame.

That’s because:

UGlobal failed to tack on the fees to some events at the beginning of the fiscal year.

UIts SteelHounds contract didn’t include the parking fee on any tickets and facility fees on only some.

UOverall poor attendance and lack of events.

During the first six months of this fiscal year, October 2006 to March 2007, parking and facility fees generated about $320,000 for the center. Global had estimated the fees at about $685,000 during that time frame.

The center has underperformed compared with Global’s projections. But Global guarantees that the city receives at least $600,000 annually regardless of the facility’s bottom line. Global projected an $815,009 profit for the first half of this fiscal year. The facility actually made a $171,764 profit during those six months.