Youngstown council members want a lot more information than they received today before deciding to change the food-and-beverage vendor at the city-owned Covelli Centre.
Eric Ryan, the center’s executive director, said his company, JAC Management, wants to replace Centerplate under a new deal that could begin as early as May 1.
But council members said a decision that large shouldn’t be rushed, particularly because there isn’t a proposed contract to review and few specifics on a deal are in place.
Under the proposal, the city would pay $467,762.32 to Centerplate to buyout the remainder of its 10-year contract, which expires September 2015.
Council members said other companies should be considered for the job because JAC has no experience as a food-and-drink vendor at a facility the size of the Covelli Centre.
Also proposed today was the construction of an amphitheater behind the center at a cost of about $600,000 to $1 million.
Council members question how the city could afford such a facility.
For the complete story, read Thursday’s Vindicator and Vindy.com
Comments
This is not sounding very good - at least Council is asking questions.
Let's see...Covelli's executive director wants his own company to be the food vendor. Sounds a little too cosy for me. Maybe Mr. Ryan should either be the exec director or run his food company. One or the other, but not both.
covelli is owned by Panera people, so obviously they want to keep all the cash coming into the centre under one umbrella....they have been in the food business for years, so they'll know what to do, but hopefully they understand to keep costs down....
NO, no. Stay the course. Do not buy out the Centerplate contract and do not build an amphitheater behind the center.
Where are we at with finances?
How far have people come to see acts at our center?
Too many questons to get involved without enough upfront answers.