Income up, expenses down at convention center, auditorium
Published 11:38 am Thursday, April 28, 2011
Income is up and expenses are down at Vicksburg Convention Center and Vicksburg Auditorium, the facilities’ management company said.
Larry Gawronski, executive director of VenuWorks, the company that manages the city-owned facilities, reported to the advisory board Wednesday.
The convention center’s revenue was $197,247, 4 percent ahead of the $367,579 budget projections. Operating expenses of $484,154 were 3 percent less than the $1,039,634 budgeted for the six months.
The money received from a 2 percent lodging tax was down 5 percent, but Gawronski said he is comfortable heading into May and June, busy months.
“We feel recovery is there and we continue to monitor that,” he said. “Lodging tax seems to be making a recovery as travelers seem to be back on the road. This is a positive indicator that we may be past the worst of economic times.”
At the auditorium, revenues of $51,281 were 15 percent ahead of the $78,302 budget, and operating expenses of $141,810 was 1 percent over the $277,521 budgeted.