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MINUTES Eugene City Council Work Session McNutt Room--City Hall May 12, 2004 Noon COUNCILORS PRESENT: Bonny Bettman, George Poling, Nancy Nathanson, Scott Meisner, David Kelly, Betty Taylor, Gary Papd, Jennifer Solomon. His Honor Mayor James D. Torrey called the meeting of the Eugene City Council to order. A. WORK SESSION: Update on Cultural Services Division City Manager Dennis Taylor introduced the item, saying that the City's cultural infrastructure was one of the things that made it unique. He said the intent of the presentation was to share the division's short- and long-term plans with the City Council. He introduced Library, Recreation, and Cultural Services (LRCS) Department Director Angel Jones, who asked the Cultural Services Advisory Committee members to indicate their presence by standing. Ms. Jones thanked the committee members for their attendance at the meeting. She then introduced Cultural Services Division Manager Robb Hankins. Ms. Solomon arrived. Mr. Hankins provided a PowerPoint presentation on the Cultural Services Division, copies of which were made available to the council. Mr. Hankins reported on the challenges faced by the division, noting that operations had been contracting for some time. He outlined some of the changes made by the division to meet its challenges, which included online ticket sales and "Wild Card Wednesdays." Mr. Hankins said that ticket sales remained constant while expenses grew, and he anticipated the gap between revenues and expenses would continue to exist and that the reserves would be drawn down. He noted the repairs needed at the Hult Center. Mr. Hankins acknowledged the challenges facing the Cuthbert Amphitheater, such as how to be competitive, were similar to those facing the Hult Center. Mr. Hankins said the division could no longer survive by cutting expenses, and planned to continue to contain costs while increasing sales, attracting new audiences, and creating new products. He anticipated the division would go beyond merely being a landlord for events. He noted the recent appearance of ~Larry the Cable Guy" at the Hult Center, a comic on the ~Blue Collar Comedy Tour," whose performance had been sold out and who had attracted new audiences to the center. Mr. Hankins said that the Hult Center needed to find out how to reach out to more diverse audiences, and it needed to be a community center for all residents as well as a performing arts center. Ms. Nathanson arrived. MINUTES--Eugene City Council May 12, 2004 Page 1 Work Session