City investigating new management for Genesee

[Silence Dogood]

This article appeared yesterday in the News-Sun and there is another article today http://www.suburbanchicagonews.com/newss...6.article#

While I applaud the mayor and city council for investigating the best options for the city, the reality remains that it is difficult to fill a more than two thousand seat theatre. The issue is not having more events at the theatre, the issue is having more money making events at the theatre. I suspect that there will be some people who promise to have all types of events at the theatre to make Sabonjin happy, but that will not lower the debt and in fact will increase it because the expenses will outstrip the revenues. And apparently Sabonjin is going to blame the Genesee Theatre for the lack of revitilization downtown. Please, that is a much larger issue which I do not have time to address.

[Harold]

A-h-h, one more who sees things clearly

[Westleigh]

In my opinion, and I say this with all sincerity, the Genesee Theatre is the only asset the City of Waukegan can boast about.

Although it took a lot of funds, restoring the Genesee to it's current beauty was one of the best decisions made by the city fathers.

I cannot stress this enough...SMG, the currerent managing entity, is the absolute best thing to have happened to the Genesee Theatre. It is a large company, yes, but it has INTERNATIONAL resources, global connections & the reputation to back up and maintain one of the most diverse theatre/stadium/concert hall programs in the world.

The SMG extended contract will be up in July of this year (it was extended once, 3 years ago).

The City Council, as you have read, has voted to call for a "Request For Proposals" or RFP. An RFP means that literally anyone, any company who can fulfill the basic requirements of the RFP can sit at the table & be considered a viable player for the managing of the theatre.

As taxpayers, you want your councilmen to complete their due diligence. Calling for the RFP is the right thing to do.

Choosing another company, to replace SMG, is the absolute WRONG thing to do.

I do not work for SMG. I do not have a stake in the management of the Genesee.

My interest comes in only seeing the Genesee continue to provide world-class entertainment right here in your backyard, and for a fair price.

Naturally, I am not a fortune teller, but I fear that if the Waukegan City Council votes to end the contract with SMG and persue another company, "everything" that has been built to date will be lost, and the theatre will have to start from scratch. This would be a horrible mistake.

If you've attended any recent city council meetings, you've heard that the city is intersted in providing more programming to cater/encourage participation from the latino & african american population. Go over to the theatre and inquire as to how many shows have been cancelled due to poor ticket sales. SEVERAL. Each time the Genesee attempts to program to the minority population ticket sales are generally poor and the event is cancelled.

We must demand that the Genesee Theatre maintain the quality programming that it's done over the last 5 years. Think about all of the wonderful performances you've attended there...

Bill Cosby, Jerry Seinfeld, Ringo Star (a BEATLE right here in Waukegan!), Kenny Rogers, Kenny Loggins, Journey, REO Speedwagon, Larry the Cable Guy, George Lopez, Gallagher...and that's just off the top of my head!

There are a few groups chatting it up with the alderman and mayor, offering them promises that I can almost guarantee they won't be able to fulfill.

SMG is a class-act, and they are trying hard, day after day to bring good, diverse programming to our lovely city.

If you love the City of Waukegan as much as I do, please take a moment to contact an alderman...ANY alderman, and tell them you want SMG to remain at the Genesee.

I would hate to see the hard work and successes of the last 5 years go straight down the tubes. This could be a serious reality if SMG is voted out. Please don't let this happen.

THanks, Westleigh

[Danno]

I remember warning that asshole Steve Kolber back in 2002 on the old TOWN forum that they were spending way too much on the Genesee project by expanding the seating capacity and stage depth. A 3 or 4 million dollar restoration would have been much more appropriate. We'd probaby have the original pipe organ and projector intact and there wouldn't be a "tunnel effect" seating area like there currently is.

[WT Reader]

How can anyone think that SMG is doing a good job at the Genesee Theater?

I agree with our Mayor,the theater sits empty nearly 80 percent of the time if not more,
so how is that a success?

If it were a true success, you would have the empty space across the street up and running
as an eatery. After any event at that theater, where to go for food? McDonald's?

We can do much better, I am confident that SMG will get dumped.

[Harold]

Doesn't sound like we have learned our lesson. That project should have been a private venture. Oh, that's right, no one wanted it because It would never make any money!!!

[Westleigh]

WT, please understand that I hear, and agree with you...to a point.

Yes, the theatre does sit empty a great deal of evenings; without a doubt, you are correct.

Please consider this though...the theatre has the potential to be open 365 days a year. That doesn't mean that 365 shows are going to "make money." I'd like to stress this point. Putting on a production, large or small takes money. When SMG books a performance, they are in essence, acting as stewards for the city of Waukegan. It is the city's money used to put on a performance...whenever the doors are open for a performance, the risk of it being a success or a failure financially falls on the city.

SMG must balance money making performances with those which don't make money &/or lose money.

Each year SMG has increased the number of performances held at the theatre.

Did you know, that under the direction of SMG, our little Genesee Theatre as made it into the Top 100 theatres in the WORLD for ticket sales? Congratulations!!!! It's either #84 or #87. I can't remember.

Also, many, many times that the theatre "sits empty," there are actually private events occuring inside.

Corporate parties, weddings & receptions, university orientations, school graduations...it's events like these, which are recruited & booked by SMG, that are the true money makers.

It would be a shame to reinvent the wheel after all the hard work that's gone into building the theatre.

Please, aldermen, renegitiate the contract with SMG, but keep them at the helm.

[WT Reader]

Yes, I did see where The Genesee scored 84 out of 100 major theater venues in the USA,
and found that most laudable.

Well, maybe with SMG and a new Mayor who has a fresh vision and vigor, better
days will be coming for The Genesee and downtown.

It is a tricky set of issues to overcome at Waukegan's still core, so let's make
it happen, as no doubt we can do better.