FAQ's
What is Proposition 400?
What is the multi-purpose events center?
Where will it be located?
What types of events and activities will be held there?
Who are the anticipated tenants for the Yuma multi-purpose events center?
Will people or companies be able to rent the Events Center for business or to hold their own events in?
What happens if the expected revenues from the facility are not as strong as anticipated and/or the Entertainment District development does not yield enough tax revenue to pay down the expected bond payments?
Is it true that if I don’t use the Events Center and don’t shop or dine in the new Entertainment District, my tax dollars will not be used?
What are the benefits of the multi-purpose Events Center?
Why is a multi-purpose Events Center and surrounding Entertainment District needed in Yuma?
Are there really enough people in Yuma and surrounding areas to support an Events Center?
Why are there differences in the success of some multi-purpose Events Centers similar in the size and design proposed for Yuma?
Why is Yuma a good city to locate a facility such as this?
How much will the multi-purpose events center cost?
How will the bonds be paid back?
Will my taxes be raised to pay for the construction or maintenance of the Multi-Purpose Events Center?
If it is such a good deal for the city, why don’t private developers pay for it?
We’re in a recession. Why are we thinking of building this now?
Should a city be involved in providing entertainment to the community?
Is this the answer to all of our problems in Yuma?
Who will build and operate the multi-purpose Events Center?
What kind of contracts will be negotiated with the successful bidder?
Is there any similar venue in Arizona?
This is a city of Yuma project. Why can’t the City promote Proposition 400?
Who supports Proposition 400?
How can I show my support for proposition 400?
What happens if Proposition 400 fails?
Who is eligible to vote on Proposition 400?
When is the election?
When is the last day to register to vote?
When will early ballots go out?
What is Proposition 400?
On January 16, 2008 the Yuma City Council approved resolution
R2008-06. It allows the city to develop, build and manage a multi-purpose events center. Proposition 400 is a referendum that refers Resolution R2008-06 to the ballot.
What is the multi-purpose events center?
The proposed multi-purpose events center will have:
- 6,000 Seats
- 26 Luxury Suites
- 2 Club Suites
- VIP Restaurant/Lounge
Capacity for concerts is increased to 8,000 due to added floor seating.
It is not simply an “arena” as it is extremely flexible and designed to accommodate the widest variety of events. It can be quickly “flipped” for different seating arrangements and floor styles. For example, you might have a community ice skating in the morning, a concert with floor seating in the evening, a rodeo complete with dirt floor a day or two later and back to ice again in time for the next home hockey game!
- Community events such as festivals and cultural events
- School graduation ceremonies
- School sporting events and regional tournaments
- Family entertainment such as Disney on Ice and Sesame Street Live
- Family skating, youth hockey, adult leagues
- Religious events
- Concerts
- Professional sports including hockey, soccer and arena football
- Boxing, wrestling, motocross, monster trucks
- Equine and Rodeo events
- Tradeshows (boat, auto and home improvement shows), conferences and conventions.
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First Floor
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Where will it be located?
The events center will be located just north of the Yuma Palms shopping area and east of the new Allstate Insurance call center.
View Location on Map
What types of events and activities will be held there?
There will be two key types of events and activities. Ticketed events and non-ticketed (community use or private rental of facility).
Ticketed events
These include family shows, concerts, sports, and “other” events to include equestrian shows, rodeos and comedians.
To give people an idea of what we might expect, here are a sample of actual events that were booked last year in several similar-sized event centers.
Prescott Valley: Sesame Street Live, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Stevie Nicks, George Jones, Broadway on Ice, Blue Man Group, Alan Jackson, Motorcycles on Ice racing, AMP Tour Monster trucks and Disney on Ice. Also, sports tenants, the Adrenalin indoor football team and the Arizona Sundogs, a CHL hockey team, played out their season home games to an average crowd of 4300 people.
Hidalgo, Texas: (a border town like ours) Dora the Explorer, George Lopez, Def Leppard, Playhouse Disney Live, High School Musical Ice Tour. Also, Hidalgo has three sports tenants: a CHL hockey league team The Killer Bees, an indoor football team Dorados and an NBA development league basketball team, the Vipers.
Broomfield, CO: Cirque du Soleil, The Wiggles, Matchbox Twenty, Alanis Morissette, Lipizzaner Stallions, Professional Bull Riders Colorado Republican Convention, Extreme Cage Fighting. Home to CHL hockey league team Rocky Mountain Rage and NBA development basketball team the Colorado 14ers.
Non-ticketed community events
Something you do NOT see when you go to the websites for these Event Centers are all the community events and activities that are scheduled. In Prescott Valley, for instance, last year there were over 400 (see chart below) community events in the Events Center including the Prescott Valley Parks and Recreation Department running their community skating and hockey programs. The CHL Sundogs hockey team gets involved with their Youth hockey programs and mentors their young fans. For a list of actual dates and times of community skating programs for last season, click here: PV Community skating and hockey. For a list of all Prescott Valley events booked in the 2007-2008 fiscal year, click here.
Another example of community usage of a similar facility can be found at the Santa Ana Star Center, where the Desert Ice Figure Skating club meets. Jennifer Moore, a member of our committee, says that she hopes to help establish a similar club here in Yuma. See a recent article regarding the Desert Ice skating club.
Community usage goes beyond just hockey and skating, however. Event centers are regularly used for graduation ceremonies, meetings, conferences, festivals, and trade shows.
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Open skating in Prescott Valley, AZ |
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High School graduation |
Who are the anticipated tenants for the Yuma multi-purpose events center?
It is expected the Events Center will have multiple sports tenants. In fact, 3 minor professional leagues (soccer, football and hockey) have already expressed a sincere interest in the Yuma Events Center and believe that Yuma’s demographics work well. The hockey ownership group has previously visited Yuma, conducted media interviews and will do so again prior to Nov. 4. The indoor soccer league will visit September 24 and 25. Both groups feel we have just the right demographics that will ensure successful teams in Yuma. Arena football has been successful in other event centers in the West and we will very likely have an arena football tenant as well should we build our event center.
Stay tuned to this website for updates as the leagues conduct media interviews and meet with Yuma residents explaining their belief that Yuma is a very positive sports market.
Will individuals or companies be able to rent the Events Center for business or to hold their own events?
Yes. Since it will be city owned, it will be available for private booking providing that the date is available. If a business or organization wanted to put on a production, book an entertainer on their own or organize a trade show, they would be able to rent the center. The cost would vary depending on needs. This is not uncommon with events centers of this type.
What happens if the expected revenues from the facility are not as strong as anticipated and/or the Entertainment District development does not yield enough tax revenue to pay down the expected bond payments?
This is a valid question. Even if only 50% of the development occurs or the development takes twice as along as anticipated, there will still be more than enough funds created by the new city sales tax collections available for the project to support the bonds for the Events Center.
For visual proof of rapid development, all we have to do is recall what the Yuma Palms Regional Mall area looked like just four years ago!
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But, just in case you’re wondering, here’s the absolute worst case scenario: we build the facility, it opens and not one event is ever booked, not one ticket is sold, and not even one business opens adjacent to the Events Center to produce even one dollar of sales tax. In this worst case scenario, the impact is only 1+% of the City’s 2009 budgeted expenses.
Although our committee has done their homework and feel strongly that we have reason to believe that both the expected Events Center revenues will be realized as well as the anticipated development, we cannot predict the future and there could be an “unknown” that could cause a shortfall in either one of these areas. The honest answer is that the city’s general fund would have to pay the difference. As mentioned, the absolute worst case scenario of only 1+% of the City’s 2009 budgeted expenses.
Is it true that if I don’t use the Events Center and don’t shop or dine in the new Entertainment District, my tax dollars will not be used?
This is correct. Only taxes collected from the Events Center or in the Entertainment District will be used to pay down the debt service for the Events Center.
What are the benefits of the multi-purpose Events Center?
They are many:
- This facility will enhance Yuma’s quality of life.
- It will provide a wide array of convenient, high-caliber entertainment options at family oriented prices for our residents.
- It will enhance pride in our community. See Sundogs Establishes Local Identity.
- Yuma residents will benefit from the availability of the Events Center for community purposes such as meetings, banquets, ceremonies, health expos, and public ice skating. See PV Community skating and hockey.
- Bringing more entertainment options to Yuma will reduce the need to travel somewhere else, saving on wear and tear on vehicles and saving us money in a time of rising fuel costs. Yumans will also be spending more of their leisure dollars in our own city instead of benefiting the economy of another
- It will help improve Yuma’s image and help put it on the map to compete with other major Arizona cities.
- It will accelerate mixed-use private development of even more quality retail, restaurant, and businesses in the area surrounding the events center. There are already interested parties that are eager to build should the events center be built. See MINX Entertainment Plaza
- Creating an attraction in the proposed Entertainment District will draw visitors to our hotels, restaurants, retail outlets and local businesses, stimulating Yuma’s economy and bringing additional sales tax revenue to the city.
- A quality entertainment facility will help our major employers attract and retain employees.
Why is a multi-purpose Events Center and surrounding Entertainment District needed in Yuma?
A: We all love Yuma. Great weather (most of the time), close proximity to the West coast and Mexico, and wonderful people who welcome visitors and enjoy quality entertainment. Bringing diverse family, community and entertainment options to Yuma will make our city even better. Wouldn’t our families enjoy a local ice skating facility? In a time of rising gasoline prices, why should we travel to Phoenix or San Diego to see professional sporting events, concerts or shows when we can bring them here? Wouldn’t our local economy and tax structure benefit by a facility that brings more visitors to Yuma?
Are there really enough people in Yuma and surrounding areas to support an Events Center?
Yes. Several sports leagues and team ownership groups (soccer, hockey, arena football) have all expressed their desire to place their team in the Events Center once it is open. Entertainment promoters have already spoken positively regarding Yuma’s potential to draw first class entertainment. An independent third party feasibility and economic study confirmed that demographics of Yuma and the surrounding area are enough to support the proposed 6,000 seat Events Center.
These people are willing to invest in our Community because they know what we already know.
- Yuma’s trade area is more than 340,000 people. This DOES NOT include the more than 1,000,000 people south of the border in Mexicali, Algadones and San Luis and the 90,000 winter visitors in Yuma each year.
- Yuma is an untapped entertainment market; there are no competing facilities between Phoenix and San Diego.
- Yuma’s Military Bases have over 7,000 permanent Marines, servicemen and their families. In addition, each year over 38,000 visitors come to the bases for military training and exercises.
Why are there differences in the success of some multi-purpose Events Centers similar in the size and design proposed for Yuma?
Every community defines “success” differently, although, most of the details reported are on the finances as numbers are easy to define. However, looking past the numbers, an Events Center can considered successful if it improves quality of life, provides family entertainment options and allow communities to utilize the facility by attending an event or via private use of the facility. It is the Committees strong belief that the Yuma Events Center will accomplish these goals. Yuma residents will benefit from the availability of the Events Center for community purposes such as meetings, banquets, ceremonies, health expos, public ice skating. In Prescott Valley, for instance, last year there were over 400! (click for listing) community events in their Events Center.
There is no single reason for the financial “success” of an Events Center and many factors can influence this area. Our committee has done extensive research and compiled the list below on reasons of shortfalls in other communities.
- Competing Venues: Nearby entertainment venues may limit events and attendance. Yuma is an untapped market and there are no competing venue between San Diego and Phoenix.
- Location Does Not Fit with Promoter City Routings: Travel is a large expense for any traveling show. An Events Center that is removed from natural entertainment routings are more difficult to book.
Yuma is a logical stop as entertainment and concert promoters route their acts on the West Coast cities such as Phoenix, San Diego, Tucson, and Los Angeles. - Lack of Anchor Tenants. It is important to have at least 1 or more anchor tenants to secure the base event calendar and create ticket, concession and advertising revenues. Typically, an Events Center without an anchor tenant cannot make up the 25+ dates that the anchor tenant supplies.
Yuma is guaranteed at least 32+ games from the hockey team and in all likelihood will have additional tenants. Soccer and arena football sports leagues and team ownership groups have all expressed their desire to place their team in the Events Center once it is open. - Booking Wrong types of acts. In the first year or two, some shows booked in an Events Center may not be the right mix for the community limiting ticket sales.
The Yuma Events Center may experience some hits and misses on its entertainment events. However, similar Events Centers in the US report while there is typically a learning curve, the venues recover and qualify each potential act much more closely to ensure the best success possible. - Booking shows in off-season. One last mis-step that our committee uncovered is that in several centers, events were booked during the summer season that cost the facility money because of slow ticket sales. Mid-sized Events Centers normally do not have many events booked through summer due to the extra cost in enticing quality shows to come to the facility. In the summer season, event organizers prefer booking entertainers in either larger facilities or outdoor venues when the weather is nicer. In the past, some mid-sized Events Centers still wanted to have shows in the summer season so they promised more revenue to the acts to get them. This proved to be a mistake for these centers and they found that they actually lost money on those ventures. This was something they learned from and did not do this summer. Early in the summer, our committee researched similar-sized Events Centers nationwide with different management companies and found very few events booked anywhere.
- Development. Cities will sometimes use an Events center as a catalyst for new mixed-use development in a targeted area. In most cases, the anticipated new development does come as planned such as Broomfield Events Center in Broomfield Colorado, with their thriving Arista development and of course, Prescott Valley’s development success.
However, sometimes it does not happen as quick as envisioned. This is especially true when the Events Center is built in an area far from any other existing development and when the necessary infrastructure is not in place to make the area “development ready”. The City of Rio Rancho built their Events Center to help create the new town center and has a well thought out master plan (PDF). However, the facility is currently removed from the core of Rio Rancho and the City did not bond the necessary infrastructure to make the area “development ready”. The City is in the process of doing that now.
Yuma’s Events Center location was specifically chosen to spur development to “fill in” currently undeveloped land on all four sides of the Events Center. With the Yuma Palms Mall nearby, there is already established traffic flow thru the area and potential developers will factor that as a large positive. With the thousands of event-goers anticipated at each show or sporting event, developers such as the MINX plaza group see this as a key ingredient to their success. The cost of infrastructure to the surrounding properties will be financed through the formation of a Community Facilities District (CFD), the properties will be “development ready”, zoned and ready for immediate building. It is expected that the development will be as rapid and successful as the Yuma Palms Mall and area surrounding it, which was due in part because of careful planning and bringing the necessary infrastructure to the properties adjoining the mall.
Why is Yuma a good city to locate a facility such as this?
Untapped Market: There are no similar facilities within a 150 mile radius of Yuma. Although our local casinos draw a number of high-profile entertainers per year and often book sold-out shows, they do not normally have “family entertainment” style shows.
Entertainment Routing: Yuma is a logical stop as entertainment and concert promoters route their acts on the West Coast cities such as Phoenix, San Diego, Tucson, and Los Angeles. Yuma provides a new exciting market, adds an extra event to the promoter’s tour to increases their ticket sales and reduce their tour and travel cost.
Hispanic entertainment: One last key ingredient of why we feel that our Events Center will be a large success is due to our large Hispanic population and close proximity to south of the border cities such as San Luis and Mexicali. This will allow our Events Center to book many Latin entertainers, much like the successful Dodge Arena in Hidalgo, TX http://dodgearena.com/ which is also a border city with an Events Center similar to the one proposed for Yuma.
How much will the multi-purpose events center cost?
By city ordinance, all construction and development costs can not exceed 60,000,000.
How will the bonds be paid back?
The sales tax revenues generated from the multi-purpose Events Center and surrounding Entertainment District will finance the project. It is also possible that a ticket surcharge will be added to generate additional revenue. This was one of mechanisms used to finance the Cardinals football stadium in Glendale.
Will my taxes be raised to pay for the construction or maintenance of the Multi-Purpose Events Center?
NO. The City of Yuma will use three sources of revenue to operate and pay back the bond costs for the Multi-Purpose Events Center. Property taxes from the proposed Entertainment District, sales tax generated from purchases within the Entertainment District and a surcharge placed on tickets purchased for events at the facility. Yearly bond payments are expected to be less than $3.5 million a year, or about 1% of the City of Yuma’s operating budget.
If it is such a good deal for the city, why don’t private developers pay for it?
This issue has been discussed in every city considering building a stadium, event center, sports complex and city-owned conference center in the nation with the same outcome. Cities fund Events Centers to provide community usage of the facility and improve the quality of life for residents; similar to libraries, parks, soccer fields, etc. Why don't private developers pay for it? The answer is simple – financial. The Events Center, through its operations, should be able to pay for its day to day expenses but will not generate enough revenue to pay the debt service for construction. Therefore, not only in Yuma but across the US, the private sector has not and will not invest in these projects; it just doesn't make financial sense for them to do so.
Private developers will be paying for development of all the other entertainment, food, lodging, and offices surrounding the Events Center which will generate incremental taxes more than sufficient to pay of the bonds required to fund the construction of the Events Center. We need to start looking at the Events Center as a as an exciting way to jumpstart the development of the 200+ acres behind Yuma Palms. This land has sat idle for years because of the high infrastructure investment needed to make it available for development. The Events Center will provide the infrastructure that will allow the additional 200 acres to be developed. It is clear that the people of Yuma spend a lot of time and dollars at Yuma Palms and the City should be eager to give people more options in the same area.
We’re in a recession. Why are we thinking of building this now?
First of all, the thing to keep in mind is that once the vote is passed, the doors will not open the next day. A facility of this magnitude takes about 2 years to design and build.
Yuma could possibly ride out this recession far, far better than any other Arizona city by activity and economic impact of building the Events Center and simultaneous building of other private development within the district.
In Prescott Valley, AZ (Tim’s Toyota Center) an independent study by ASU found that the Events Center construction had an 11.8 million dollar impact on the local community. This study did not include the other multiple private development construction projects that were ongoing at the same time!
The Events Center will spur development in the 200+ acres as the Events Center infrastructure will prepare the site so that is “development ready”; zoned and ready for immediate building. Without the Events Center, this will not happen.
Local building contractors and sub-contractors benefit from the construction phase by increased business and providing much-needed temporary jobs. Out of town builders and contractors also benefit our community as they stay in area hotels, dine and drink at our restaurants and bars and shop in our retail stores to create sales tax revenue for the city.
Should a city be involved in providing entertainment to the community?
Our point of view? Absolutely. As long as it benefits the entire community in terms of elevating the quality of life and bringing prosperity to the community as a whole. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and if you are not of this mindset then nothing you read here will change your mind. But if you truly believe this then you also believe that almost every community in the entire nation that has an Events Center, an arena, a major league ballpark or football stadium has got it all wrong. Yes, there are a handful of facilities that have been built with private funds but this situation is extremely rare and there are normally extenuating circumstances or philanthropy involved.
Is this the answer to all of our problems in Yuma?
No. The Events Center is only ONE part of Building a Better Yuma. There are no easy answers. As a community, we need to work hard to attract high-wage jobs, achieve education excellence, create a safe, livable community and work to streamline our government efficiency.
However, research has shown that a successful city needs to be able to retain and attract young, in-demand, skilled workers. Our young generations X and Y, the workforce of the future, enjoy urban living, active entertainment options and are known to select the community in which they want to live even before they select a job.
Who will build and operate the multi-purpose Events Center?
The City of Yuma requested proposals to build and operate a multi-purpose Events Center. Through a public application process, Global Entertainment Corp. was selected as the successful bidder. If the City and Global Entertainment Corp. cannot reach contract agreements then another vendor will be chosen.
What kind of contracts will be negotiated with the successful bidder?
Three separate contracts will be negotiated. One for the design and construction, one for the guaranteed hockey franchise, and one for the management contract.
Is there any similar venue in Arizona?
Yes. The Town of Prescott Valley (population 39,000) 1/12 hours north of Phoenix built a hugely successful Events Center called Tim’s Toyota Center. Their hockey team, the Arizona Sundogs, just won their league championship. The facility in Prescott Valley can seat 4,800 people for hockey games, and this past season they averaged 4,310 fans per game (click here for CHL league attendance for past season). Most games are sold out. Community events and open skate time are very popular. Many additional businesses and restaurants have opened up around the facility and several hotels are now under construction to accommodate the growing need for overnight lodging.
This is a city of Yuma project. Why can’t the City promote Proposition 400?
State law bars government entities from using public funds to influence the outcome of an election. That is why Yuma residents formed the Hockey, Entertainment and Tourism Committee (HEAT) to promote passage of Proposition 400.
Who supports Proposition 400?
A wide cross section of Yuma residents who want more for their community! From students to business leaders to retirees, there are many, many supporters who understand the quality of life and community benefits that Yuma will receive and feel that Yuma has grown large enough to accommodate a truly multi-purposeful Events Center such as this.
How can I show my support for proposition 400?
Visit our Contribute page by clicking here
Vist our Take Action page by clicking here
What happens if Proposition 400 fails?
Yuma will continue to lack diverse entertainment options, and will lose out on an opportunity to enhance its status as a tourism destination. In addition, such planned projects as the MINX Entertainment Plaza will not be built, and people will still have to drive hundreds of miles to seek out high-quality entertainment opportunities for their families. Also, another nearby community may eventually develop an Events Center in their city and we will no longer have the option to build one to benefit our own city as the region will only be able to sustain one such facility.
Who is eligible to vote on Proposition 400?
This is a city ballot referendum and therefore only registered voters who live within the city limits will be able to vote on it.
When is the election?
November 4, 2008
When is the last day to register to vote?
October 6, 2008 at midnight.
If you are not a registered voter, click on the “register to vote” link at the top of the page. It will take less than 5 minutes!
When will early ballots go out?
October 2, 2008