“A proposed additional charge on tickets for events at city-owned venues is seen by city officials as a way to increase spending on infrastructure of those facilities,” writes David Chapman in Tuesday’s (12/6) Daily Record (Jacksonville, FL). “The Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra is voicing concern over the issue, saying the proposed fees for its users would end up hurting attendance or the symphony’s bottom line. The bill being heard by City Council committees this week proposes bumping fees to $2.50 per ticket for events at The Times-Union Center for Performing Arts, Veterans Memorial Arena and the Baseball Grounds of Jacksonville. It currently is $1 for those at the performing arts center and arena and 50 cents at the baseball facility.… Robert Massey, president and CEO of the Jacksonville Symphony Association, appeared before the first committee Monday to relay concerns…. Mike Weinstein, Mayor Lenny Curry’s chief financial officer, said the renegotiated lease already provided several favorable terms to help the symphony and the ticket surcharge … adjustment … was long overdue.… Council member Bill Gulliford … convinced his colleagues to defer the bill a cycle, which would push possible approval back to mid-January as opposed to next week.”
Posted December 8, 2016
