While the $350,000 projected year-end loss will almost surely put the auditorium in the black, it will likely be less than the initial projected gap of $401,000, officials said.
The City Council has also periodically expressed a desire to turn the venue around into a money-making venture for the city.
“We still have a long way to go,” Bilotti said. “But hopefully this is the start of a trend in the right direction.”
The results have been noticeable with an increase in inquiries and bookings, she said. Groups who had previously held events at other venues, such as upscale hotels, have noticed the lower prices and booked the city facility as the recession continues to pinch budgets.
The rates also attracted groups who had used the auditorium in the past, but had stopped as a result of increased rates or the desire for smaller city facilities, such as community centers, to save money.
Commissioner Rodney Khan said he has seen many groups not hold events at all because of tight finances, so he was glad to see the auditorium was actually increasing bookings and revenue.
“It certainly made a lot of sense to reduce the rates,” he said. “It’s a neat thing to see it’s actually working.”
Sixteen events were held in the month of April, three of which were city-sponsored activities.
The auditorium reported total monthly earnings of $70,986, an approximately $55,000 increase from both last month’s earnings and compared to the same period last year, according to a city report.
As economic times improve, the rates could be looked at once again, Khan said.
