How It Works is a recurring feature of the Erie Times-News explaining how governments, organizations, processes, regulations and more work. Email your questions to [email protected]
To describe what the Erie County Convention Center Authority does, they chose “Erie Events.”
“Erie Events is a brand name for the Erie County Convention Center Authority,” said Casey Wells, executive director of Erie Events. “They are the same entity.”
This is how it works:
The authority, which meets monthly, has 11 members. Seven are appointed by Erie County Council. The mayor of Erie and the governor of Pennsylvania each get two board picks. The members of the Authority Board are unpaid and serve four-year terms with no limit on the number of terms.
“We directly manage four public meeting places in our community,” Wells said. These are Warner Theatre, Erie Insurance Arena, Bayfront Convention Center and UPMC Park, all in Erie.
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“We also own the Courtyard Erie Bayfront Hotel and the Sheraton Erie Bayfront Hotel, but we have hired a private management company to operate them for us,” Wells said. The agency also owns two parking levels adjacent to the Erie hotels.
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Erie Events has just over 50 full-time employees and nearly 800 part-time employees, not including hotel staff, Wells said.
The agency has an annual budget of approximately $35 million, including income from rent and food and beverage sales.
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Erie Events wants to ensure that professional baseball and hockey, the Erie Philharmonic and Broadway thrive in Erie, so the agency offers “friendly rental rates” for use of UPMC Park, Erie Insurance Arena and Warner, Wells said. He said it also leases space to several private restaurants on its parking decks.
“These facilities are meaningless without activities within them,” he said.
The agency receives a portion of Erie County’s hotel room tax. Wells said the total varies from year to year but is usually around $2.5 million or more. The company is also applying for government grants.
“Erie (county) residents are not providing local taxpayer money to support Erie Events,” he said.
Wells said the agency typically ends each year with excess funds that are placed in its reserves to be spent on projects, such as $8 million that was set aside for the recent renovations at the Warner Theater.
For subscribers:Get a closer look at the legendary Warner Theater’s renovations
With these renovations and improvements made to the Erie Insurance Arena a few years ago, the facilities are able to accommodate national touring acts. But while Erie can host the big shows, it can’t necessarily sell enough tickets to attract the big acts.
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“It’s not the facilities that limit our ability to host big shows, it’s the strength of our market,” Wells said. “In order for us to get big shows, we have to sell shows.”
On stage:Country singer Trace Adkins on her way to Erie for a concert at the Warner Theatre
He said Erie Events plays a role in making the area a great place to live and work by improving the quality of life here.
Dana Massing can be reached at [email protected] Follow her on Twitter @ETNmassing.