THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1997, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, January 31, 1997 TAG: 9701310548
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY IDA KAY JORDAN, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: PORTSMOUTH LENGTH: 97 lines
Revenues from Willett Hall increased 327 percent in 1996, but the auditorium still has not reached the break-even point for the city.
``I'm pleased with the progress, even though the bottom line is that it's not yet generating a profit,'' Deputy City Manager Johnna Whitaker said.
The 2,000-seat center had revenues of $278,000 in fiscal year 1996 compared with $85,000 in fiscal year 1995.
``That's a substantial change,'' said Whitaker, City Hall's liaison with Ports Events, the nonprofit agency that has a management contract to run Willett Hall.
That increase of $193,000 was enough to make Willett a factor in the city's improving financial situation. The city closed fiscal year 1996 with a $6 million surplus in its operating budget.
The city pays Ports Events a management fee of $50,000 a year, plus 3 percent of the gross receipts, to run Willett Hall. In addition, the City Council budgeted $496,000 for Willett in the current fiscal year.
In previous years, the hall was operated by the Parks and Recreation Department with a number of city employees assigned full-time to Willett. Because Willett Hall was not budgeted as a separate entity, there is no way to calculate the actual cost.
``Before we signed the contract with Ports Events, we were spending the money there anyway,'' Whitaker said. ``Now we spend the money and are beginning to see some benefits.''
The benefits are more than money, Whitaker said.
``Willett Hall is important to the city's image and to attracting people here from other cities,'' she said. ``I think it is doing that more and more. The appearance of the hall has improved, and they're working hard to bring in top acts. They're projecting the right image for Portsmouth.''
Whitaker said she believes Ports Events has been successful with Willett ``because they're in the business of promotion, and the city isn't. Willett Hall was a sideline with the city.''
Attendance at Willett events has increased gradually over the past year, Ports Events director Linda Lamm said.
``We check the vehicle decals in the parking lot, and we know people are coming from all over the region to our events,'' Lamm said. ``More people know where Willett Hall is, and they know it's safe and clean and has great free parking.''
Substantial renovations at the auditorium have been funded from the money allocated by the city.
Lamm said the backstage area, which had not been improved extensively when other parts of the hall were remodeled a decade ago, has been refurbished with new carpet and furniture. Air conditioning for the backstage dressing room will be installed this spring.
``We are hoping to attract more promoters to hire the hall, and making the backstage area comfortable for star performers is important to the promoters,'' Lamm said. ``We really want to focus on getting promoters to use Willett and take the risk of bringing in acts. Now we take the risk of a loss.''
Also scheduled for spring is new carpet for the auditorium, she said, and more work on the second-floor lounge.
``The lounge is useful because we can offer sponsors a place to hold receptions before and after performances,'' Lamm said.
Lamm said the hall will add a jazz series to the big-name speakers and big bands that have been popular.
In addition, a summer series of daytime programs for children will be repeated, with the first event scheduled in June.
Series tickets were offered this year at reduced rates, but single tickets have been available for each event, Lamm said. A comedy series will be dropped, she said, because it is hard to package comedians.
``They are so different that most people don't want to see them all,'' she said. ``We'll make comedians an occasional thing rather than a series.''
Lamm said special Christmas programs will be booked and that Willett will continue to be part of the Virginia Waterfront Festival in the spring. This year a jazz program by Ramsey Lewis and Billy Taylor on May 7 will be Portsmouth's leg of the festival.
Comedienne Paula Poundstone is booked for March 8, and Marcia Clark, the prosecuting attorney in the O.J. Simpson criminal trial, will speak on April 17. ILLUSTRATION: VP Map
Willett Hall
[For complete copy, see microfilm]
The Hall
The 2,000-seat center is owned by the city and managed by Ports
Events. In the past, the hall was operated by the Parks and
Recreation.
Its Revenue
The center made $278,000 in fiscal year 1996, up $193,000 from 1995.
That wasn't enough to break even, but the change did influence the
city's financial situation.
Photos
Comedienne Paula Pounstone will perform March 8.
Lawyer Marcia Clark will speak April 17.
KEYWORDS: WILLETT HALL