Alerus Shows a Profit

[The Whistler]

I'm actually curious who is "The Whistler"?? Sounds like a higher up somewhere.

Only in my own mind.

I'd like you to explain your From: RALPH ENGELSTAD ARENA sig line....at first blush - it would SEEM like a slight conflict of interest! OH - and please enlighten us as to what we should do with the Alerus? (BITCHING is really easy and Terry "nutjob" Bjerke references do NOT help your arguement! - SERIOUSLY! )

Let's see, I'm a hockey fan and putting the Ralph as my home town (not as a signature line. The Toni Lucia false quote is my signature line) was a humorous way of saying I was from Grand Forks. I don't work at the Ralph.

Regarding what needs to be done. The Alerus Gang made all kinds of promises when they were campaigning to get the sales tax passed. They've pretty much broken everyone of those promises. We need to hold them to that.

Pay off the bonds with the 3/4 sales tax. They've been raiding that fund over and over, most recently last night when the accepted over a million dollars of bids to rebuild the convention center entrance. We've already paid for one.

No subsidies outside of the hospitality tax.

Open their books. Let us know where they've lost money in the past.

Fire Venuworks, they haven't done anything but lose money for us and insult us. Sue them for the money they owe us from 2008.

Eliminate the Alerus commission. That was formed to make mismanagement of the center unaccountable to the voters. The Alerus commission broke the law to have secret meetings to benefit Venuworks when they should be looking out for the taxpayers.

[Local Boy]

For the individuals who don't pay real close attention to The Alerus, there were major breakthroughs recently in regards to reporting on the center...

-"Secret subsidies" totalling approximately $850,000. These transfers were hid from the public while commission members and The Herald hyped "profits".

-Details of how The Concert Fund is structured and transfers from another city fund.

-And the fact that Alerus concert events simply don't exist without a 100% incentive guarantee to the promoter. With these incentives, taxapayers lose 100K to upwards of 400K PER SHOW.

All these stories were broke even though The Alerus Commission and Grand Forks Herald did everything they could do to hide them.

Alerus supporters should be furious to know that they've been supporting the center all this time but were not made aware of these facts. And I'm sure many are.

It's my opinion that the disclosure of these facts have lead to the recent formation of the new task force.

Alerus Commissioners lied to the public and their supporters and now we're all witnessing the repercussions of their actions.

Also, in the wake of all the above disclosures, The Exucutive Director of The Alerus, an employee of VenuWorks, and an Alerus Commission member called citizens "morons".

You all form your own opinions.

[The Whistler]

For the individuals who don't pay real close attention to The Alerus, there were major breakthroughs recently in regards to reporting on the center...

-"Secret subsidies" totalling approximately $850,000. These transfers were hid from the public while commission members and The Herald hyped "profits".

-Details of how The Concert Fund is structured and transfers from another city fund.

-And the fact that Alerus concert events simply don't exist without a 100% incentive guarantee to the promoter. With these incentives, taxapayers lose 100K to upwards of 400K PER SHOW.

All these stories were broke even though The Alerus Commission and Grand Forks Herald did everything they could do to hide them.

Alerus supporters should be furious to know that they've been supporting the center all this time but were not made aware of these facts. And I'm sure many are.

It's my opinion that the disclosure of these facts have lead to the recent formation of the new task force.

Alerus Commissioners lied to the public and their supporters and now we're all witnessing the repercussions of their actions.

Also, in the wake of all the above disclosures, The Exucutive Director of The Alerus, an employee of VenuWorks, and an Alerus Commission member called citizens "morons".

You all form your own opinions.

Those are good points, but what really angers me is the fact that the Alerus Commission had a secret meeting to waive portions of Venuwork's contract with the city. They took concert losses out of the calculation of their guarantee that they wouldn't get paid their management fee if they lost money.

So all year I've been asking why Venuworks got paid. The contract said they shouldn't. Finally Terry Bjerke forced the issue and made the city attorney review the situation. Turns out that Venuworks owes us over $100,000 from 2008. The Alerus commission rather than look out for the public was looking out for a city contractor.

So the public had an expectation of what was in the contract. The Alerus was being run on a backroom handshake deal.

Venuworks owes us the money but they say they aren't paying us. The head of Venuworks is claiming that losses in the concert fund have never ever counted that way. Um, 2008 was the first year we had the no management payment if they lost money.

This is outrageous.

[Goon]

For the individuals who don't pay real close attention to The Alerus, there were major breakthroughs recently in regards to reporting on the center...

-"Secret subsidies" totalling approximately $850,000. These transfers were hid from the public while commission members and The Herald hyped "profits".

-Details of how The Concert Fund is structured and transfers from another city fund.

-And the fact that Alerus concert events simply don't exist without a 100% incentive guarantee to the promoter. With these incentives, taxapayers lose 100K to upwards of 400K PER SHOW.

All these stories were broke even though The Alerus Commission and Grand Forks Herald did everything they could do to hide them.

Alerus supporters should be furious to know that they've been supporting the center all this time but were not made aware of these facts. And I'm sure many are.

It's my opinion that the disclosure of these facts have lead to the recent formation of the new task force.

Alerus Commissioners lied to the public and their supporters and now we're all witnessing the repercussions of their actions.

Also, in the wake of all the above disclosures, The Exucutive Director of The Alerus, an employee of VenuWorks, and an Alerus Commission member called citizens "morons".

You all form your own opinions.

If this was a private entity someone would be going to jail because of their creative accounting practices.

[The Whistler]

If this was a private entity someone would be going to jail because of their creative accounting practices.

I'm not sure about that, but I think people spending public money should be held to a much higher standard.

[Goon]

I'm not sure about that, but I think people spending public money should be held to a much higher standard.

I dunno but it sounds almost like an ENRON accounting practice.

[The Whistler]

I dunno but it sounds almost like an ENRON accounting practice.

Aside from playing games with the open records and open meetings (which don't carry jail times) I don't see that they've done anything illegal. (Of course we should do a complete forensic accounting audit after we fire Venuworks to see where the money went.)

Aside from that this is a political, not criminal issue.

[SiouxMeNow]

Okay - you don't work for the Ralph...do you still LIVE in GRAND FORKS?

Only in my own mind.

Let's see, I'm a hockey fan and putting the Ralph as my home town (not as a signature line. The Toni Lucia false quote is my signature line) was a humorous way of saying I was from Grand Forks. I don't work at the Ralph.

Regarding what needs to be done. The Alerus Gang made all kinds of promises when they were campaigning to get the sales tax passed. They've pretty much broken everyone of those promises. We need to hold them to that.

Pay off the bonds with the 3/4 sales tax. They've been raiding that fund over and over, most recently last night when the accepted over a million dollars of bids to rebuild the convention center entrance. We've already paid for one.

No subsidies outside of the hospitality tax.

Open their books. Let us know where they've lost money in the past.

Fire Venuworks, they haven't done anything but lose money for us and insult us. Sue them for the money they owe us from 2008.

Eliminate the Alerus commission. That was formed to make mismanagement of the center unaccountable to the voters. The Alerus commission broke the law to have secret meetings to benefit Venuworks when they should be looking out for the taxpayers.

[The Sicatoka]

The public hearing held by a task force charged with finding ways to improve the city-owned events center drew only supporters of the building. Though there is frequent and vocal criticism of the building, which often operates in the red, none of those critics were present, save a member or two on the City Council.

http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/147771/

[SiouxMeNow]

http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/147771/

NOTE to TerryB: (AKA "the whistler")

Stick with the teabaggers Man!!! You've got a much brighter future there! I'm FINE living in a community of 50,000 that has TWO great event centers - the Ralph and the AL - and we only have to marginally PAY for one? QUIT the relentless bitching man....and HOW MUCH is it costing you personally? (I want specific numbers!)

[The Whistler]

NOTE to TerryB: (AKA "the whistler")

Stick with the teabaggers Man!!! You've got a much brighter future there! I'm FINE living in a community of 50,000 that has TWO great event centers - the Ralph and the AL - and we only have to marginally PAY for one? QUIT the relentless bitching man....and HOW MUCH is it costing you personally? (I want specific numbers!)

Marginally pay for one? What are you smoking?

We're paying to build the Alerus. We're paying to subsidize their crappy management. We're paying to subsidize a hotel next door to the Alerus, we're giving breaks to business to develop the empty fields around the Alerus.

Meanwhile the Alerus Gang gives us lies and cover-ups.

[SiouxMeNow]

Marginally pay for one? What are you smoking?

We're paying to build the Alerus. We're paying to subsidize their crappy management. We're paying to subsidize a hotel next door to the Alerus, we're giving breaks to business to develop the empty fields around the Alerus.

Meanwhile the Alerus Gang gives us lies and cover-ups.

wow...you seem very close to going POSTAL!

BTW - it's really embarassing the only place you can mail a package after 12pm on ANY day in GF is the !@#!$ SuperOne Foods! REALLY???

I find it fascinating a person who makes a living OFF the US government (and it's TAXPAYERS') constantly bitches about programs having to be payed by the "TAXPAYERS?" c'mon T-DOG! You give a little...You GET a little? I'm close to pitching a "ALL WE NEED IS E-MAIL!" thing to the government meaning EVERY postal employee should be fired! BooYah

[The Whistler]

wow...you seem very close to going POSTAL!

BTW - it's really embarassing the only place you can mail a package after 12pm on ANY day in GF is the !@#!$ SuperOne Foods! REALLY???

I find it fascinating a person who makes a living OFF the US government (and it's TAXPAYERS') constantly bitches about programs having to be payed by the "TAXPAYERS?" c'mon T-DOG! You give a little...You GET a little? I'm close to pitching a "ALL WE NEED IS E-MAIL!" thing to the government meaning EVERY postal employee should be fired! BooYah

I'm not Terry Bjerke, the Post Office isn't paid for by the taxpayers and you can mail your packages late (I don't know how late) from the post office itself.

But since you brought up the post office, I think Congress should repeal the monopoly they've given the post office on first class mail.

[BringDeanBack]

This is getting ridiculous.....Simon and Garfunkel coming to Fargodome May 7....so within the next few months the dome is getting Bon Jovi, Jon Mayer, Simon and Garfunkel, Carrie Underwood, and the Alerus Center is getting.........................

And they keep asking for more and more money...for what??

[Cratter]

This is getting ridiculous.....Simon and Garfunkel coming to Fargodome May 7....so within the next few months the dome is getting Bon Jovi, Jon Mayer, Simon and Garfunkel, Carrie Underwood, and the Alerus Center is getting.........................

And they keep asking for more and more money...for what??

Isn't that what you want?

The concerts there lose money.

If you don't have concerts there the less money they will lose and won't have to ask for "more and more money."

Just an empty building for most of the year.

The naysayers are getting what they want.

[BringDeanBack]

Isn't that what you want?

The concerts there lose money.

If you don't have concerts there the less money they will lose and won't have to ask for "more and more money."

Just an empty building for most of the year.

The naysayers are getting what they want.

It's there, it's already losing money when creative accounting isn't used. Maybe I am in the minority, but the fact that this thing will lose money is a given, it might as well actually bring in some events that people care about. I really think people wouldn't be quite so upset at the place losing money if it was rocking with a quality concert every month or two. I don't care if it breaks even by just doing stupid fishing conventions and wedding receptions, those could be held at the old civic auditorium.

[UND92,96]

It's there, it's already losing money when creative accounting isn't used. Maybe I am in the minority, but the fact that this thing will lose money is a given, it might as well actually bring in some events that people care about. I really think people wouldn't be quite so upset at the place losing money if it was rocking with a quality concert every month or two. I don't care if it breaks even by just doing stupid fishing conventions and wedding receptions, those could be held at the old civic auditorium.

I think what it boils down to is that the Al is very sensitive to criticism right now because of how much it's received. It will get criticized far less for not booking concerts than for booking concerts that lose money.

I don't see Simon and Garfunkel drawing very well here, just as Neil Diamond didn't. John Mayer? No thanks. That guy's a tool. Bon Jovi has a good track record already at the Fargodome. It's not surprising they're going to stick with what's worked well in the past. So that leaves Carrie Underwood. I think she would have drawn well here, but if it comes down to a bidding war situation, you have to be aggressive and willing to take a risk in order to have much of a chance to book a big concert. That's just not the political climate right now in GF.

[Cratter]

So that leaves Carrie Underwood. I think she would have drawn well here, but if it comes down to a bidding war situation, you have to be aggressive and willing to take a risk in order to have much of a chance to book a big concert. That's just not the political climate right now in GF.

And the fact she was just in Grand Forks a year and a half ago. Not sure how many would go see her twice in Grand Forks in that short time period.

[JLP157]

I think what it boils down to is that the Al is very sensitive to criticism right now because of how much it's received. It will get criticized far less for not booking concerts than for booking concerts that lose money.

I don't see Simon and Garfunkel drawing very well here, just as Neil Diamond didn't. John Mayer? No thanks. That guy's a tool. Bon Jovi has a good track record already at the Fargodome. It's not surprising they're going to stick with what's worked well in the past. So that leaves Carrie Underwood. I think she would have drawn well here, but if it comes down to a bidding war situation, you have to be aggressive and willing to take a risk in order to have much of a chance to book a big concert. That's just not the political climate right now in GF.

Simon and Garfunkel won't be a money maker in Fargo either. I'm surprised they would book that. Remember, the F-Dome took a bath on the Eagles concert too, so it's not only the Alerus that loses money on some well known acts....

[Local Boy]

For all practical purposes, The Alerus Center is now out of the major concert business. VenuWorks and The Alerus Commission no longer have the authority to provide promoters with guaranteed incentive deals without the approval of The City Council. Without these incentives, promoters and artists will not play a date in Grand Forks.

[The Whistler]

For all practical purposes, The Alerus Center is now out of the major concert business. VenuWorks and The Alerus Commission no longer have the authority to provide promoters with guaranteed incentive deals without the approval of The City Council. Without these incentives, promoters and artists will not play a date in Grand Forks.

The Alerus has a record of losing money on nearly EVERY major concert they've done. These guys have had every chance of making it a go but they can't. Why would we continue to give them a blank check?

[SiouxMeNow]

The Alerus has a record of losing money on nearly EVERY major concert they've done. These guys have had every chance of making it a go but they can't. Why would we continue to give them a blank check?

Hey Whistler! You should have Sherman actually drive you BY the Alerus latety....TONS of renovations done AND currently underway - including a new row of glass windows on Suite Level AND a build out on the Convention entrance. WHAT GIVES??? We all thought you were trying to SAVE us money on that "albatross" It seems like the more you bitch - the MORE IS BEING DONE! You need to get REALLY PISSED about it because they really DO need to replace that hideous carpet inside....IMO:silly:

[The Whistler]

Hey Whistler! You should have Sherman actually drive you BY the Alerus latety....TONS of renovations done AND currently underway - including a new row of glass windows on Suite Level AND a build out on the Convention entrance. WHAT GIVES??? We all thought you were trying to SAVE us money on that "albatross" It seems like the more you bitch - the MORE IS BEING DONE! You need to get REALLY PISSED about it because they really DO need to replace that hideous carpet inside....IMO:silly:

Well despite not making any rational point, we can fathom that it's obvious to even an Alerus Kool-Ade drinker like yourself that it's not justifiable to sink more money in the failed event center.

By the way we all know that the 1/4 cent hospitality tax was meant to pay for renovations of the place. Too bad they had to stick the taxpayers for more money because they are operating it so poorly.