Subsidized Miracles

Did you know the digital sign at the Arvada Center cost you 1.3 million dollars and sits in violation of multiple city sign codes?

Well we at the Arvada Report have a special gift for you this holiday season! The Miracle on 34th Street the musical will be subsidized by your tax dollars at the Arvada Center November 27th-December 13th 2012. Everyone should go and see this magical production, because you paid for it already with your tax dollars.

In other news did you know that the Arvada Center which is one of the states largest employer of actors is exclusively a union house? That means only union actors and union productions. That also means more of your tax money. Did you know that each year the City of Arvada further subsidizes the Arvada center to the tune of millions because it can't turn a profit? Did you know you can attend the Denver Center of Performing Arts and receive better performances cheaper?

                                                                 Merry early Christmas!

Arvada Center - New Management

 The Arvada Center loses approximately $4 million a year in tax dollars. The majority of their production contracts are "unionized" which explains the exorbitant ticket prices. Perhaps Mr. Johnson can fix this bleeding animal. 

Clark Johnson will take over temporarily as interim executive director of the Arvada Center for the Arts and Humanities    , City Manager Mark Deven announced Thursday.

Johnson fills the role being vacated by the resignation last week of Gene Sobczak, who leaves Jan. 6 to become president and CEO of the Colorado Symphony Orchestra. 

Johnson joined the Arvada Center in August 2010 as chief operating officer. He’ll retain those duties while filling the larger interim role. Before joining the Arvada Center, Johnson was the city’s assistant manager.

The Arvada Center will conduct a national search for Sobczak’s replacement.

Arvada Center - Economic Drain on Taxpayers

The Arvada Center for the arts and humanities was opened in 1976 and it is allegedly the eighth largest cultural attraction in the Denver metro area. The Center offers all types of classes for all ages. From 2004-2006, $69 million dollars was spent on expansions to the Arvada Center. That is interesting to know. Something else that is interesting to know, the prices are artificially high at the Arvada Center because the Center only contracts union shows. Why is that? Why is it that only union productions can come to the Arvada Center, why is it the ticket prices are so high?

Something else to know about the Arvada Center is that on average it loses $3 million a year. The Arvada Center is bleeding money, and cannot sustain itself. Now here is something else, if you drive by the Arvada Center today, you will see an orange cone out in the field along Wadsworth. That is to be the location of an $800,000 sign. An illegal sign; the sign the City of Arvada plans on building at this sight does not conform to the code that all businesses in Arvada must conform to. Which means exactly this, while businesses across the street close their doors because they can't advertise their businesses the City of Arvada can do whatever it wants. Including violating its' own laws! This is tyranny, not to mention the $3.8 million loss this year.
While the Arvada Center is clearly an asset to our community perhaps it costs us more than the value it adds. I would be very interested to know what percentage of Arvada residents actually utilize the Center at all.