Peoria Civic Center could close without local of federal help

Posted on September 1, 2020
The Peoria Civic Center could close within 60 days without local or federal help. (Photo courtesy: Heart of Illinois ABC)

By Blake Haas and Heart of Illinois ABC

PEORIA – The Peoria Civic Center could close for good in 60 days if they don’t receive local or federal funding.

The Civic Center, which has been closed down since March, is seeking $3.8 million that will allow them to remain open another year.

“We’re now down to less than 16 employees that are all taking pay cuts to get us through this, it’s not sustainable, so with us not being able to open, we’re going to need an infusion of cash, or we’re going out of business,” Peoria Civic Center General Manager Rik Edgar told our news partner Heart of Illinois ABC.

Due to state guidelines of 50 or fewer people, the Civic Center has not been able to open their doors. Edgar says for every dollar spent at the Civic Center, $11 is spent in the community.

“We’re already seeing some restaurants, hotels close because we’re not open… it’s a very challenging time to be a downtown business without us being able to help supply business opportunity.”

To raise awareness that the Live Events Industry is on Red Alert for its survival, the Peoria Civic Center will be lit up on Tuesday, September 1, to create congressional pressure to act on the Restart and Saves our Stages Act.

Blake Haas can be reached at [email protected].

Heart of Illinois ABC can be reached at [email protected].

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