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On Tuesday evening, the city of Peoria unanimously decided to issue $ 4 million in bonds for the Peoria Civic Center. However, council members declined a bailout offer for the Peoria Fire Department.
PEORIA, Ill. (WMBD) – The City of Peoria will lend $ 4 million to bail out the ailing Peoria Civic Center. The city council voted unanimously on Tuesday to issue the bonds.
However, the council would reject a similar strategy to support the Peoria Fire Department.
Rik Edgar, CEO of the Peoria Civic Center, made an annual presentation at the board meeting on Tuesday and explained the dire situation at the place due to the pandemic. Earlier this month, Edgar said WMBD, Peoria Civic Center would run out of cash by November without any form of relief, and He campaigned to educate federal and state lawmakers on the challenges the live events industry has faced since the global spread of COVID-19.
As of March, the Peoria Civic Center has hosted only one event: the St. Jude Telethon. Edgar said the region’s largest event center was breaking attendance and gross revenue records, referring to a record-breaking KISS concert in February. But with the postponement and cancellation of concerts, Broadway shows and other live events, the Peoria Civic Center lost 11 reservations that were on the verge of selling out, Edgar said.
“Our projections were to be $ 500,000 in the dark,” he told board members Tuesday night.
Instead, the pandemic forced the venue to lay off 90 percent of the staff and those who remained received a 40 percent pay cut, according to Edgar.
“I don’t see an area of Peoria without the [Peoria] Civic Center, ”said First District Councilor Denise Moore.
The $ 4 million approved by Peoria City Council will retain at least 20 employees, handle utilities and repairs, and pay overdue bills. The city voted 11-0 and council members agreed Peoria couldn’t afford to lose the venue.
“This is not a GoFundMe,” said General Councilor Sid Ruckriegal. “We are bailing out the Civic Center so that it will survive. “
However, the unanimous decision to bail out the Peoria Civic Center drew irony from some members of the Horseshoe.
“Not that long ago, the elephant in the room cut two fire trucks,” said General Councilor Rita Ali. “And I hope we come back to it and have the same passion to solve this problem, to solve this problem.”
The city recently decided to eliminate two Peoria fire trucks in order to balance the budget decimated by COVID-19.
Immediately after the vote in favor of the Peoria Civic Center, City Councilor Chuck Grayeb asked if the council would be ready to bail out the Peorie Fire Department as well.
“We took care of [Peoria] Civic center […] because they are an integral part of the Peoria family, ”said Grayeb. “Our citizens who need protection are too. ”
Grayeb offered to issue bonds to save the two engines before they were finally shut down on October 1, eliminating 22 positions.
However, the conversation grew tense when Grayeb asked Peoria Fire Union president Ryan Brady if the union would drop the ongoing unfair practice litigation against the city if the council decided to issue bonds to save the engines. .
Brady declined to respond without consulting his union, but other board members have raised concerns about the legality of the offer.
Ruckriegal called it “Quid Pro Quo” and “Illinois Politics at Its Best”.
The city attorney only commented on the legality of the statement behind closed doors, prompting council to meet in private for about 20 minutes.
Upon their return to the council chamber, they rejected a motion to issue bonds in favor of the Peoria Fire Department. The vote fell 4-7, with Grayeb, Ali, Moore and Beth Jensen voting in favor.
