HOLLAND, MI (WHTC-AM/FM) – Now that the “loose ends” have been tied, the deal with the operator for the Holland Civic Center should be finalized tonight.
City Council members are being urged to approve a three-year deal, with a two-year renewal option and a “walk away” provision, with VenuWorks to manage and market the Civic Center Place. The panel had agreed in principle to retain the Iowa-based firm a month ago, but contract terms needed to be ironed out, and a Civic Center Place Board meeting on February 16th that would have discussed the matter was cancelled, which held up the process even more.
Among the financial terms of the contract: Four thousand dollars monthly in pre-opening services, with that amount going up to 65 hundred dollars as a management fee once the renovation of the Civic Center is complete this fall; five percent of gross food and beverage sales up to 400 thousand dollars, with that take rising to eight percent after that threshold is surpassed; five percent of obligated income of gross annual revenue up to 150 thousand dollars, with that take rising to eight percent after that threshold is surpassed; 40 percent of any reduction in operating subsidy; and VenuWorks would provide a grant of up to 150 thousand dollars for the project.
Also during tonight’s meeting, Council will consider an employment agreement with Keith Van Beek, who was tabbed a week ago to succeed Ryan Cotton as City Manager, and is asked to approve assigning the city’s current solid waste collection contracts, which expire at the end of June, to Allied Waste Systems, who is buying out the current contract-holder Chef Container. Allied has also submitted a bid for a new deal with the city.
A link to the agenda and supporting documents for this evening’s 7 PM City Council meeting in Chambers at Holland City Hall is here.
