Council hears new convention‑center manager’s pitch and presses stadium operator and staff on financing, parking revenue and deferred maintenance

City staff introduced VenueWorks, the city’s new convention‑center operator, and its local executive team. VenueWorks’ executive director, Mark Solis, outlined an “all‑inclusive” pricing model intended to simplify costs for customers and to regain business the center lost in recent years, including weddings, cultural events and mid‑sized concerts. The presentation highlighted a backlog of deferred maintenance and a shift in how parking revenue is handled: surface‑lot income remains with the convention center, while the convention‑center parking‑garage revenue will now remain in the city’s parking fund rather than pass through to the operator (estimated between $400,000 and $500,000 annually).

Councilmembers pressed staff and VenueWorks about FY27 appropriations that show large swings in appropriations year to year; staff said FY27 includes upfront operating‑loss deposits and normalizes how appropriations and debt service are reflected. The budget discussion identified near‑term repairs (fire‑panel replacement, Valdez Hall kitchen hood, HVAC and some plumbing) and noted the convention‑center exhibit‑hall debt matures in 2027 and 2029.

On the stadium, staff summarized the DBH Fresno operating agreement and recent local investments (lighting, scoreboard, turf, restrooms and clubhouse) totaling approximately $7–7.5 million over recent years. Council asked when the Major League Baseball (MLB) letter guarantees expire; staff produced a December 2020 MLB letter that commits to supporting professional development franchises through 2036 in several respects, and councilmembers signaled they may seek an independent audit of the stadium/Grizzlies finances. A formal motion to finance an independent audit of the Grizzlies agreement was introduced during the session.

Why this matters: The convention center and stadium are major civic assets with ongoing subsidies, debt service and contracts with private operators. Changes in parking revenue allocation and deferred‑maintenance schedules directly affect the general fund and capital planning; the Grizzlies audit discussion signals council interest in closer oversight of public‑private stadium agreements.

What’s next: Staff committed to providing detailed financial follow‑up on parking‑revenue flows, deferred‑maintenance schedules and debt‑service timing. Councilmembers introduced and seconded a motion to allocate funds for an independent audit of the Grizzlies agreement, to be considered when the council reconvenes.