Bloomington council parts ways with Grossinger management firm

Posted on June 9, 2020
The contract was set to expire a year from now, but the arena has stood idle since mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo courtesy: HOI)

 

By Heart of Illinois – ABC

The management firm that has run Grossinger Motors Arena for the past four years is no longer in charge of the city-owned venue.

Without discussion, the Bloomington City Council voted to terminate the contract with VenuWorks, which received $114,000 a year from the city to run the downtown facility.

The contract was set to expire a year from now, but the arena has stood idle since mid-March due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The city government now plans to run the arena in-house, but if another management firm is hired, it will have to pay VenuWorks $5,000 a month until June of 2021.

The city also agreed to pay VenuWorks five percent of net food and beverage commissions if the arena is able to host events with at least 3,000 people during the next year. Such a scenario is not likely because the state would have to reach Phase 5 of Gov. JB Pritzker’s Restore Illinois plan in order for large events to be held at the arena again.

VenuWorks was the second management firm to operate the arena, which has been a money-losing proposition for the city government.

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