K-Rock Break Even?

Never.

Three mayoral candidates are upset at the 2nd quarter figures for the K-Rock Centre. They shouldn't be.

The K-Rock Centre will never break even. It will always be subsidized by local taxpayers.

A few predictions.......

Arcturus SMG will not renew its contract with the city to manage it, and the city will have to take over its operation. Not such a bad idea, but the city will have to spend a lot of $$$ to take over the operation. And there will be whining about that. Arcturus will take all its investments here when it goes.

A survey would tell candidates for council and the mayor's chair that there are few, if any, arenas in this country that break even, never mind make money. It just doesn't happen. It's sort of like trying to find a municipal leisure complex in Canada that makes money. That doesn't happen either. These are viewed as SERVICES for the people of a community. The sooner politicans accept that, the sooner they will rest better at night. And the sooner they will program those facilities for the people.

Support for the centre will continue to decline. Hard-core supporters of the Frontenacs and Memorial Centre are deeply opposed to the management, the cost of events, the lack of parking, the attitude of the place (e.g. the cost of refreshments).

An example of the "attitude" of the K-Rock Centre is the fact that no one can visit the Kingston & District Sports Hall of Fame, unless they buy an event ticket. Buy a ticket to a Fronts game, and discover that the shooting gallery is in the Hall of Fame? That you slather the mustard on your hot dog in the middle of the KDSHF? The K-Rock Centre management refuses to use the presence of the hall as a drawing card, a tourist attraction, a part of the city's heritage. And council is no better; they have demonstrated little interest in the KDSHF since it moved from the Memorial Centre (they didn't show a lot of interest there either!)

The city's lack of positive attitude about so much of its treasures, lifestyle and events is one of the city's real problems. No one stands up and cheers for the city! That's the job of the mayor!!! He/she should be the number one cheerleader of the city. The current one definitely isn't a positive, upbeat cheerleader. Let's hope we get one on October 25th. And a few councillors with positive attitude and common sense.