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Convention Center managing authority forms new committee

Group to consider policy on handling local business

The authority managing the Blair County Convention Center has formed a committee to consider what may or may not become a written policy on how it handles local business.

While the convention center has a long history of marketing the facility to attract business from outside Blair County, the center’s recent booking of a local fundraising dinner for up to 75 guests renewed debate and questions over why the center accepted that booking.

“It is and always has been my contention that as a tax-subsidized facility, the convention center should actively avoid competition with local, privately owned businesses,” Doug Simon, who operates The Casino at Lakemont Park, told the authority at its Wednesday meeting.

A year ago, Simon and Bob Baranik, manager of the Jaffa Shrine Center, accused the convention center of an unfair advantage in competing for local business because the center gets revenue from the county’s bed tax and pays no real estate taxes. In response, Simon said he recalled receiving assurance that the center focuses on bringing in new business and avoids competing for local business.

On Wednesday, Simon pointed to Fort Roberdeau’s plans to host an 18th century dinner at the convention center in September.

“How does that fit into the mission of bringing in business from outside the area?” Simon asked.

Executive Director and Chef Tom Schilling told the authority that in response to an inquiry from Fort Roberdeau, he calculated a “fair” price for the hosting of their event. Schilling also said he suggested having staff dress in 18th century period garb, one of the reasons named in the decision to have the event at the convention center.

Simon told the authority he respects a customer’s right to choose a location, but asked the authority why the convention center was a choice for an event that local tax-paying businesses are capable of hosting.

“The playing field is never level when you accept $240,000 (in bed tax revenue) and you compete in the local market,” he said.

Authority member Ron Beatty said he understood Simon’s position and recommended the authority take a look at its options.

“As a small business owner myself, I would find this situation to be totally unacceptable,” Beatty said.

Authority Chairman Dan Taddei accepted Beatty’s offer to chair a committee that could review the matter further and return to the board with input or recommendations.

“I thought we had a policy in place,” Taddei said, prompting fellow authority member Donna Gority to reference an informal policy of not soliciting local business.

Solicitor Dave Andrews confirmed that there’s nothing in the authority’s bylaws addressing the matter. But if the committee comes up with recommendations, Andrews said the authority could consider adopting a policy.

In addition to Beatty and Gority, authority members Jamie VanBuren and Matt Stuckey volunteered to serve on the four-member committee.

In responding to Simon’s remarks, Gority acknowledged her support for a customer being able to decide where to hold an event.

“I want them to be able to have a choice … and to be here (at the convention center) if this is the place they want to be,” Gority said.

In explaining his position, Beatty pointed out that the convention center was built to bring in business from outside the area, which benefits the community as well as the convention center, which receives bed tax revenue generated by overnight lodging.

Beatty suggested encouraging those wanting to book local events at the convention center to consider other local venues.

“We don’t pay property taxes,” Beatty said.

The discussion also prompted authority member Pat Miles to ask if a change in practice would shut the door on local taxpayers seeking to book the facility, prompting them to ask why they can’t.

Schilling told the authority that the convention center is booking more events from outside the county and less from inside the county. His report indicated that bookings associated with Blair County customers dropped from 150 in 2020 to 93 in 2023.

“If we’re doing these events from outside, then there’s no space for events from inside Blair County,” Schilling said.

Simon said he appreciated the appointment of a committee to take a closer look at establishing parameters that he described in his presentation as long overdue.

Taddei advised the committee members that he would like them to bring a report back to the authority board at its Sept. 17 meeting.

Mirror Staff Writer Kay Stephens is at 814-946-7456.

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