PEORIA -- The Peoria Civic Center is set to wrap up fiscal year 2019 on a high note.
Civic Center General Manager Rik Edgar says the venue is slated to end this fiscal year in August with the operating budget in the black - putting it among just 15 percent of public event venues in the country not requiring subsidization to stay afloat.
Edgar said the Civic Center has only wrapped up with a surplus in the operating budget one other time since the venue expanded more than 10 years ago.
Edgar credited the Peoria Civic Center’s turnaround to a few factors. He said the events business works in cycles. Currently, he said business is on an upswing, which helps build momentum.
“When we book shows and we sell tickets, then it makes us an attractive market, and it’s been an absolute blast. It’s not just a perception, we’ve literally doubled our concerts, our revenues and Broadway shows, our comedy shows. Everything has seen a really big growth this year," he said.
The Civic Center has sold 14.5 million tickets this year, the best year since 2012.
The Civic Center has booked nine concerts in Carver Arena this year. Edgar hopes this is only the beginning.
“We’re just trying to lay the groundwork to be a good market to play year after year. And we owe a lot to Mr. Blake Shelton and Bob Seger coming to town because we did phenomenal numbers on those shows, which got the attention of the industry," he said.
Both of those shows sold out the arena.
The theater hosted an additional 21 concerts, Edgar said.
Weird Al Yankovic is scheduled to perform at the Civic Center on August 20. Comedian Larry the Cable Guy is set to play this December.
Edgar says beginning new relationships and re-invigorating old ones has led to the spike in business and additional high-profile performances.
