Let’s talk about the proposed renovation of the Dane County Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
OK. I’ll talk.
You listen.
An entertainment production company has entered into a ‘formal agreement’ with Dane County to spend $100 million on the Coliseum, transforming the 59 year old venue into a ‘state of the art’ location for concerts and public events.
Well and good.
The number of concerts or other events then anticipated at the Coliseum would go from two (2) per year to sixty (60). So it is reported.
Fantastic.
The 10,000 seat Coliseum, built in 1967, needs work. No one argues the point. The Coliseum got used 44 times last year, therefore remaining idle 321 days with all the attendant costs of maintaining a huge expensive and, alas, vacant building.
Contract negotiations are underway and remain confidential. The only people who know precisely what that/those contract(s) contain are incumbent county officials, executives of the production company involved and lawyers on either side. Candidates for the Dane County Board of Supervisors such as myself in District 7 are not privy to the details.
Well and good.
There is this observation, however, which does belong to any candidate or incumbent:
If you renovate the Veterans Memorial Coliseum, no matter who pays for it, and you attract 2900% more concerts or events per year (2 unto 60), then you better be sure you can appropriately increase county services that have nothing to do with who stands on stage, but have everything to do with safety, security and control of 10,000 people out for a good time, time after time after time.
If, for example, you inform the Dane County Sheriff’s Department approval will not be given to hiring more deputies to serve an already growing population as has been done in recent county budget deliberations, you are automatically informing the Dane County Sheriff’s Department and currently sworn officers they will be called upon to monitor and control a Coliseum that has dramatically been transformed from a Sleeping Giant into a Roaring Dragon.
Ironically, some of the rock bands who perform at the new tricked out Coliseum may go by those same names.
Ramifications of a renovated Coliseum go far beyond the building itself or the far reaches of the parking lot. They extend all the way into the already hard working elements of Dane County services, facilities and personnel.
Contract negotiations and final agreement must take into consideration the full effect of what everyone hopes will be a good time had by all.