Professional Documents
Culture Documents
February 2010
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction 3
Facility Description 5
Rental Spaces 5
Photographs 8
User Profiles 10
Customer Reviews 18
Comparison Profiles 20
Fee Comparison 27
Development Scenarios 30
Forecasted Economic Impacts, Scenarios 1-3 31
Scenario Timing 35
CHAPTER 3: RECOMMENDATIONS
Marketing Recommendations 37
In June 2009, the City of Victoria, Texas, engaged Avalanche Consulting, Inc. to conduct a
market analysis and feasibility study of Victoria’s Community Center. The study was sparked by
the City’s desire to increase the Center’s economic impact on the area and better serve
residents’ needs. Doing so will require facility upgrades and more targeted marketing activities.
It is our goal to help the City identify what specific future investments will maximize the
Center’s value to the area.
As illustrated below, several steps are required to conduct the Study. The consulting team’s
first step was to assess the current state of the Community Center. We toured the Center and
discussed the facility’s strengths and challenges with Parks and Recreation Staff and the Parks
Commission. Following the tour, we studied facility usage, revenue, and expenditures.
Avalanche conducted an economic impact analysis of the Center based on current utilization
rates. The results of this baseline assessment are presented in this Study, which comprises
Chapter 1 of the Market Analysis and Feasibility Study.
The team’s next step was to assess opportunities for improving the Center (Chapter 2) .
Avalanche interviewed prior customers about their experiences. We also examined five
benchmark community centers in Texas and contrasted their space, location, bookings, and fee
structure against Victoria’s.
Through discussions with the City and a meeting with BRW+ Architects, three future
development scenarios were presented. In Scenario 1, the City would make necessary repairs
to the Center, but would not change the function or facilities within the Center. In Scenario 2,
the Arena would be demolished and, in its place, the City would construct 23,162 square feet of
additional meeting space, including a large exhibit hall and six meeting rooms. In Scenario 3,
the Arena would be demolished and replaced with an exhibit hall (Scenario 2) and the City
constructs a standalone covered pavilion elsewhere on the property. Avalanche forecasted the
estimated economic impact of each scenario and presented them in Chapter 2 of this Study.
Chapter 3 presents recommendations related to marketing, rental rates, and improvements to the
existing facilities. The chapter contains cost estimates for currently needed repairs as well as price
per square foot for new construction. To conclude this Study, Chapter 4 provides an impact analysis
on a fourth scenario that maintains the current Community Center and adds a new Exhibit Hall and a
new Covered Pavilion on the Center’s grounds.
Assessment Recommendations
FACILITY DESCRIPTION
The Victoria Community Center is a multi-faceted facility, with a variety of spaces capable of serving
the diverse needs of the City of Victoria, Victoria County, and surrounding communities in the region.
Located in Victoria, the Community Center is situated at the intersection of North Street and Ben
Wilson Street, near Highway 87.
Rental Spaces
The Dome
The 12,305 square foot, 1,200 standing capacity Dome is the Center’s largest and most updated
indoor space. On an annual basis, the Dome hosts numerous events, including: trade shows,
wrestling matches, festivals, dances, weddings, and car shows. The Dome is enclosed on all sides and
offers adjustable lighting, a stage, commercial kitchen, green room, and full sound system. (See page
6, Figure 1 for a photo of the Dome’s interior.)
The Annex
The Annex offers an additional 7,279 square feet and a 500 average seating capacity. Smaller than
the Dome, the Annex is equipped with four track-mounted dividers that allow the space to be
divided into a maximum of four, 75-person average seating capacity rooms. Amenities in the Annex
include adjustable lighting, a sound system, stage, and an attached loading dock and kitchen (Figures
The Annex appears outdated. It is not equipped to easily accommodate technologies such as LCD
projectors for PowerPoint presentations, making hosting business meetings a challenge. Several
customers commented on the aged color palette and surface appearance. Track-based room
dividers appear bulky (Figure 1). Parks and Recreation Staff note that the Annex’s roof needs to be
replaced.
The Arena
The 46,641 square foot, 1,625-seat Arena hosts 25-30 days of outdoor events each year, including
the Victoria Livestock Show, Camper Clinic RV Show, the South Texas Farm and Ranch Show, and
portions of other community events.
Nonetheless, the facility lacks appropriate dirt surfacing to host most rodeo events. Other attributes
limit the Arena’s use for non-livestock events. The long, narrow configuration and seating on only
one side has been cited as a problem for spectators. Ventilation issues impact the Arena’s
marketability during warm months of the year. Sound from the Arena can be heard from within the
Dome, and the Arena lacks a separate entrance. The City’s ability to schedule simultaneous events is
severely hindered, so the Arena is largely underutilized.
Alongside its facilities, the Center has a large and open grounds space capable of hosting carnivals,
circuses, exhibits, and other outdoor needs. Approximately 500 grass area and 1,000 paved parking
spaces are available for visitors (Figure 9). The lot has a limited number of RV spaces with the
electrical hookups attached to the Arena’s outside wall.
Based on the site tour and discussions with personnel, storage space is a major issue. The Center
lacks ample space to stow the hundreds of tables and chairs when they are not being used for an
event. Figure 10 is an example of the server and electrical room, which is also used for storage.
Around 30 percent of events require use of the Center’s kitchens. Both the Dome and Annex are
accompanied by large kitchens.
Garbage disposal has been problematic on event days. Due to the facility layout, rubbish from a
Dome event must be carried around the perimeter of the building and through the Arena when there
is an event taking place in the Annex.
While the Dome and the Annex offer sound systems the equipment is dated (Figure 6). The current
systems are not iPod accessible, which is a common request from event organizers.
Rental Fees
The Victoria Community Center has a variable rental structure, with weekday and weekend events
having different rates. Weekday rentals of the 12,305 square foot Dome are $750, while weekends
are $900. The 7,279 square foot Annex rents for $550 on weekdays and $675 on weekends.
Meanwhile the 46,641 square foot Arena rents for $450 regardless of the day and the Grounds for
$450 as well.
It is important to note, that unlike many other civic centers, Victoria does not charge additional fees
for services such as set up and tear down of tables and chairs, use of audio and visual equipment,
wireless internet access. Customers may engage the caterer of their choice, and the City does not
charge a catering surcharge.
As of the writing of this Study, the Victoria Community Center has booked 79 events in 2009, with
many events running for numerous days. The largest categories of events have been private
banquets and parties, public events and festivals, and conferences. Other common events include
trade shows and livestock events. The vast majority of facility users are local groups and have hosted
at the Center for many years. Although the Center has hosted sporting events such as wrestling
matches in the past, in 2009 to date the only sporting event was automotive-related.
The following two tables illustrate utilization of the Community Center by event type. The first table
shows percentages for 2009, and the second table shows how utilization has varied over the past
four years.
20.0% 17.9%
11.5%
10.0% 9.0%
6.4%
3.8% 3.8%
0.0%
Private parties include banquets, weddings, private dances, and fundraisers. These types of events
make up 24 percent of events hosted at the Center, the largest category and a significant source of
repeat business. These events generally make use of the Dome, sometimes incorporating the Annex
for additional space. Customers in this category are almost entirely local businesses and
organizations, requiring enough space to accommodate their members, invitees, and the public in
some circumstances.
The Victoria Community Center hosts festivals and public events, roughly 23 percent of all events
each year. The most common of these events are church festivals, but also include Czech Fest and
the July 4th Concert and Fireworks Show. Public events and festivals are good opportunities to bring
the community together, and Center offers the largest space in the region to host a diversity of
activities, booths, eating areas, and visitors, with both outdoor and indoor options.
Professional events loosely include business meetings, educational sessions, seminars, and
conferences, and make up 18 percent of events hosted at the in 2009. Examples of professional
events include a Parenting Legal Clinic, the MidCoast Hurricane Conference hosted by the American
Red Cross, and Parent Conferences. These events generally use the Dome for large speaking sessions
and the Annex for breakaway smaller group meetings.
Agricultural / Livestock
Agricultural and livestock events in Victoria consist of a variety of horse, livestock, and dog shows,
throughout the year. This category made up only 9 percent of events hosted at the Victoria
Community Center in 2009. The largest event in this category in 2009 was the Victoria Livestock
Show and Carnival, which ran from February 19 until March 1. The livestock show is hosted in the
Arena. As mentioned earlier, design and dirt surface issues prohibit the use of the Arena by most
rodeo events.
Trade Show
Trade shows make up roughly 12 percent of customers and generally occurring annually for many
years. Frequent events include the Bridal Fair, Home Product Show, and Victoria Gem and Mineral
Show. These trade shows and exhibits are almost all organized by local groups and cater to a local
and regional audience.
Youth
Youth events are a relatively small category at the Victoria Community Center, including a broad
range of events geared towards children and young people, including the New Wine Ministries Youth
Camp, the Public Library’s Summer Reading Program Party, Head Start’s Family Celebration and a
Career Fair. Alongside professional and sporting events, youth programming offers and opportunity
to work with children on education, healthy living, and safety. This category also has a high potential
for growth in Victoria.
Entertainment
Events in this category include concerts, comedy shows, and circuses. This category makes up the
smallest percentage of hosted events at the Center in 2009 and has been in a steady decline over the
past three years. The annual Shriner’s Circus has been a consistent event for many years. The
Sports / Automotive
Although they have hosted sporting events such as wrestling matches in the past, in 2009 the
Victoria Community Center hosted no sporting events besides the equipment distribution for the
Crossroads Youth Football League, and only two Automotive events, a Monster Truck Show and a
Custom Car and Motorcycle show. Because of the infrequency of these events and increasing
national interest in new sporting activities and continued interest in automotive, this category
represents an area of high potential growth for the VCC.
This economic impact analysis examines spending patterns and tax revenues brought into Victoria
County by the Victoria Community Center (“the Center”).
Out of county visitors generate the highest level of economic impact for community centers.
Travel is considered an export industry because spending by tourists is a new injection of money into
the local economy, generating revenue and jobs at other local venues. Visitors support the local
economy with their shopping dollars, yet use virtually no city or county services, such as schools and
local government.
The key inputs into this analysis were based on a review of the Center’s current expenditures,
revenues, and recent bookings. Avalanche met with City of Victoria officials and stakeholders to gain
additional insight on the Center’s impact.
The following is a basic conceptual formula for the Center’s impact as applied in this study:
As shown in the above equation, the economic impact of the Center derives from two major sources:
(1) annual expenditures by the Center on supplies, salaries, and services, and (2) annual-out-of-
county visitor spending on lodging, food, beverages, local transportation, entertainment and other
activities. The spending by both sources ripple through the local economy, boosting incomes and
spending for many firms and households not directly associated with Center events.
To estimate the effect the Center has on Victoria County, an input-output model was built using data
on Victoria County. Input-output models are used to estimate multipliers that, when applied to
direct spending, reveal the indirect impacts. A multiplier of 1.5, for example, indicates that for every
$1 spent by the Center or its visitors, an additional $0.50 is generated in the local economy.
In this analysis, direct effects are the sales, employment, and wages generated by operational and
visitor dollars. Indirect impacts are generated by local businesses companies selling to the Center
and its visitors (such as concession vendors) and the household spending resulting from an increase
in wages (and jobs) at these local companies. Together, the direct and indirect effects capture a
broad range of services in the local economy.
Indirect impacts are attributable to the additional demand for local goods and services
generated by Center employees and out-of-county visitors to the Center due to their “ripple”
effect in the economy.
The impact assessment includes overnight and day visitors traveling to Victoria County to attend
Center events. Excluded from the study are expenditures outside the Center from permanent
residents of Victoria County. This off-site spending by locals does not represent new dollars into the
local economy.
Inputs
For the purposes of this study, estimates were made based on current bookings and standard
expenditures of tourists (as experienced at similar facilities elsewhere in Texas). Avalanche
Consulting used conservative estimates of growth to formulate the following assumptions, and based
the impact analysis on 2008 calendar year activity (most recent complete year of activity):
The Center’s total revenue (rental income plus hotel/motel tax) and operating budget for the
2008 calendar year were $470,591.
During the 2008 calendar year, the Center hosted 216 total events, including 84 public events
and 132 private events.
Of the 216 events hosted between January 1 and December 31, 2008, 171 attracted out-of-
county visitors which spent new money in the county.
Public and private events draw an estimated 6,467 out-of-county visitors to Victoria County
each year, which translates to approximately 1,070 room-nights. The number of room night
estimates includes 925 for 63 large public events plus an additional 145 associated with
guests attending private parties.
Events at the Center last from one to eleven days, with the average length being 1.4 days.
Each out-of-county visitor who stays overnight spends an average of $90 per night on hotel
accommodations and an additional $35 on retail, dining, and other miscellaneous
expenditures.
Total hotel expenditures by out-of-county visitors attending Community Center events are
approximately $96,000 per year.
The current economic impact of the Center’s operations is shown in the following table:
DIRECT IMPACTS:
Facility Operations and Suppliers
Current $471,000 9 $182,000
INDIRECT IMPACTS
Current $375,800 12 $294,839
The Center generates an economic impact on the county of $1.16 million per year.
28 jobs are attributable to direct and indirect output generated by the Center’s expenditures
and visitor spending.
The Center and its visitors generate an estimated $619,400 in direct and indirect wages
annually.
Heavy local usage and a low operating budget attributes to the Center’s relatively small
economic impact. (Avalanche Consulting, for example, conducted a similar analysis of the
Brazos County Expo Complex in 2008, which revealed that the Complex generates a $12.9
million annual impact.)
The purpose of this chapter is to explore the potential for improving or repurposing the Community
Center in the future. It begins with recent customer comments about the strengths and weaknesses
of the facility. Next, it highlights seven “competitor” convention / community centers in Texas,
comparing them against the Victoria Community Center in terms of facility capacity and rental fee
structure. The chapter concludes with an examination of two future usage scenarios, contrasting the
projected economic impact of each option to aid the City’s decisions regarding investment in the
Center.
CUSTOMER REVIEWS
Avalanche contacted over 20 customers of the Victoria Community Center and conducted interviews
with 11 individuals. All customers contacted have been hosting events at the Center for over ten
years and expressed positive reviews of their relationships with the facilities. The following section
summarizes the most common responses from customers.
Facility Trends
The Center is most frequently the chosen venue for events because it has the
greatest guest capacity in the immediate region.
Events that have vendors and booths appreciate the ample space in the
Dome for set up.
The Center is booked for well over 200 days and evenings each year.
Customers know to book early (one year in advance for many) in order to secure their
preferred dates on the calendar.
Although most events choose the Center due to its large capacity, eight of
the eleven interviewees expressed a desire for more space in both the Annex and Dome.
o Those seeking more Dome space were interested in additional dance floor
and banquet spaces.
Some customers expressed concern with the austere interiors and would
like to see ‘warmer’ aesthetic.
Although smaller events had few problems, those that hosted over 1,000
guests would like additional and more convenient parking.
Some customers expressed concern that rental fees might increase with
improvements to the facility.
A review of community and expo centers located in similar markets across Texas is helpful in
understanding Victoria’s competitive position and opportunities for improvement.
When identifying Victoria’s comparison facilities, Avalanche Consulting sought communities with
similar (1) geographic positions to Victoria, (2) comparable distances from major cities and interstate
highways, and (3) regional population base. The following facilities were identified and profiled
below: Brazos County Expo Complex in Bryan-College Station, Taylor County Expo Center in Abilene,
San Angelo Civic Events Facilities in San Angelo, Lufkin Convention Facilities in Lufkin, Longview
Convention Complex in Longview, Nacogdoches County Expo Center in Nacogdoches, and the
Wichita Falls Multipurpose Events Complex in Wichita Falls.
The BCEC primarily hosts regional and local scale events, lacking the significant draw for national
scale rodeo and other events. The facilities continue to primarily target livestock, rodeo and
equestrian events for the Arena and Pavilion. The Exhibit hall is marketed to tradeshow, fair, and
festival events. Local audience targets include Texas A&M University, residents, churches, non-profits
organizations, school districts, and FFA/4-H Clubs.
The BCEC offers a variety of rental options. For non-livestock events, the Arena’s rental rate is $1,500
for non-ticketed events and $2,500 or 10 percent of gross sales for ticketed events. The Exhibit Hall
rents for $2,500 a day. The facility charges additional fees for services and every piece of equipment
and furniture, including podiums, tables, chairs, and banners.
The TCEC is an expansive development, consisting of over nine structures, including an Indoor
Coliseum, Outdoor Arena, Entertainment Pavilion, three exhibit spaces, and two barns. The Exhibit
space totals over 57,000 square feet including special event rooms. The 30,000 square foot Coliseum
has 5,000 permanent seats, and the Outdoor Arena is roughly the same size (45,000 square feet and
2,000 permanent seats). Although the TCEC’s arena is similar in scale to Victoria’s, the ratio of arena
square footage to county population is only 0.4 in Taylor County to 0.5 in Victoria.
The TCEC facilities, particularly the barns, Coliseum, and Arena are primarily utilized for livestock,
rodeo, and equestrian events. Although there are numerous private parties and events in the exhibit
halls throughout the year, the majority of bookings are agriculture and animal-related events from
Team Roping to Rodeos to a Goat Clinic. Many of these livestock and rodeo events are on a large
scale, drawing farm and ranch shows with audiences from outside the county and even the state.
The Coliseum hosts the San Angelo Rodeo, one of the nation’s largest, and also can accommodate
concerts, ice shows, circuses, arena football, trade shows, and numerous other events. The
Convention Center has a flexible layout of space capable of hosting meetings, exhibits, trade shows,
and banquets. At over 80 years old, the Auditorium is home to the San Angelo Symphony and Civic
Ballet, as well as hosting frequent concerts and events, including past national attractions such as
Alison Kraus and a young Elvis Presley. Despite the national scale of some events, most events hosted
in the town are local users and frequently repeat users, such as the symphony with 7-8 performances
a year and the stock show and rodeo with several annual events.
The San Angelo Coliseum rents for $750 a day, while the McNease Convention Center has variable
pricing: $2,500 for conventions, $2,250 for non-commercial fundraisers, and $2,000 for non-
commercial non-fundraisers. The 12,000 square foot large meeting room in the Convention Center
rents for $1,500. Additionally, city council policy offers rental incentives for users who repeat five or
six times per year. The facility charges fees for equipment, furniture, and set-up services.
The George H Henderson Expo Center (GHEC), formerly the Angelina County Expo Center, is located
in Lufkin (population 32,709) in Angelina County (population 82,038), making it one of the smaller
competitor communities examined in this study. Lufkin is in East Texas at the intersection of
Highways 69 and 59, northeast of Houston and southeast of Dallas-Fort Worth.
Lufkin is also home to the Pitser Garrison Civic Center, the primary location for indoor events such as
banquets and meetings. The facility includes a large main events room and numerous smaller
meeting rooms. With 16,000 square feet, the large meeting room can seat 2,000 theater style or
1,400 banquet style. Modern amenities include webcasting capability, wireless internet, an LCD
projector, and an advanced sound system.
The 16,000 square foot Civic Center Main Event Room costs $860 for private events and $795 for
non-profit events. Smaller meeting room rentals run from $100 to $470 depending on the size.
Longview Is one of the largest competitor communities examined, with an MSA population of
204,746. The city is located between Tyler, Texas, and Shreveport, Louisiana. It spans Gregg and
Harrison Counties. Unlike other competitor communities, Longview is located on an interstate
highway.
The Longview Convention Complex includes three primary facilities: Maude Cobb Convention and
Activity Center (40,000 square feet with a seating capacity of 3,000); an Exhibit Building (25,000
square feet with a seating capacity of 1,800); and a Rodeo Arena (27,000 square feet with a seating
The facilities host a wide variety of events, including rodeos, business meetings, conferences, trade
shows, dog shows, and festivals. Because of the metro size and location along the interstate, the
complex plays host to a mixture of local, regional, and national events.
The facilities have rental schedules that vary depending on use. The Convention Center costs
between $1,200 and $2,000 for commercial uses and $400 for non-commercial. The Exhibit Hall
costs between $725 and $1,100 for commercial uses and $450 for non-commercial. The largest
Activity Room, at 650 square feet, rents for $50 commercial and $25 non-commercial. Additional
equipment rental fees apply.
The Nacogdoches County Expo Center (NCEC) is located in the City of Nacogdoches in Nacogdoches
County, which has a population of 62,768. Nacogdoches is situated in East Texas near the Louisiana
border. It is not located on an interstate highway.
The NCEC consists entirely of a 78,000 square foot covered open-air arena with 4,300 permanent
seats. Although there is no explicit exhibit building, there is a small amount of office and exhibit
space attached to the arena. Despite the size of the county, NCEC has the largest outdoor arena of
any competitor communities, with a square footage to population ratio of 1.2.
Despite the relatively removed location of Nacogdoches, the NCEC hosts a wide variety of events,
primarily regional and local but with the occasional national draw. The facility is home to numerous
livestock, rodeo, and equestrian shows. Unlike many competitors, the NCEC has a very flexible space
capable of adapting to various needs, including carpeting the arena.
Recently, the NCEC has added a number of new events, including demolition derbies, motorcycle
rallies, fairs, cage fights, boxing, and circuses. Although many users include local groups such as the
Junior High, High School, Mexican Rodeo, and others, the facility sometimes can attract national
names for concerts when their tour routing will take them through the region. They also host the
National Buck and Bull Association. Because they are an open-air, non air conditioned facility, it is
The Expo Center rents at a base level of $650 for the 78,000 square foot facility, but numerous
additional fees apply for other services, including: $250 for use of the sky box, $150 for use of the
barns, $250 for set-up, $250 for use of the stage, $250 for clean-up, $1 per ticket for ticketed events,
and 10 percent of any merchandise sold. Some discounts are offered on a per case basis for non-
profits and schools.
Kay Yeager Coliseum is capable of hosting a wide variety of sporting events, including hockey,
basketball, tennis, soccer as well as motorcycle and auto events, livestock shows, rodeos, and other
equestrian and agricultural events. The facility is capable of being arranged for concerts, lectures,
and conventions as well. On the other side, the Events Center hosts numerous meetings, banquets,
seminars, trade shows, and other convention events. The Auditorium has a long tradition of hosting
concerts and theater events from Duke Ellington to Garth Brooks to performances of Cats. The
facilities primarily serve a broad regional audience from throughout North Texas and Southern
Oklahoma.
(permanent seats)
Assembly Building
Assembly Building
Convention Space
Outdoor Covered
Indoor Colliseum
Indoor Colliseum
Second Pavillion
Outdoor Arena
RV Hook Ups
Pavilion
Victoria Community Center 7,279 SF yes no no 12,305 SF no 46,641 SF 1,625 seats 0.5 no yes n/a
Lufkin Convention Facilities 16,000 SF yes no no 90,000 SF 6,950 seats 62,500 SF no 0.8 no n/a n/a
Longview Convention Complex 40,000 SF yes no no no no 27,000 SF 5,000 seats 0.2 n/a yes n/a
Wichita Falls GPEC 57,141 SF yes yes 2,700 seats 30,000 SF 6,500 seats 32,400 SF 1,200 seats 0.3 no n/a n/a
Taylor County Expo Complex 57,000 SF yes no no 30,000 SF 5,000 seats 45,000 SF 2,000 seats 0.4 yes n/a n/a
Brazos County Expo Complex 28,828 SF no no no no no 70,000 SF 3,000 seats 0.4 yes yes 32
San Angelo McNease Convention Center 19,000 SF yes yes 1,570 seats 20,000 SF 4,898 seats no no 0.2 yes no n/a
Although the Victoria Community Center has lower rental base rates than some of its competitors,
they are comparable to others on a square footage basis. However, most competitor event centers
charge numerous fees that significantly raise the costs per square foot. Because these fees and
different facility sizes cause significant variation in the actual rates, Avalanche Consulting assessed
the rate at each facility for a standard speaking event, incorporating appropriate fees for furniture,
equipment, and set-up. These rates were then divided by the utilized square footage to give a
comparable variable for Victoria and competitors. The resulting variable reveals that competitor
locations rent convention space for between roughly $0.064 and $0.132 per square foot. At $0.067
per square foot, Victoria is just above the least expensive competitor, Lufkin’s Pitser Garrison Civic
Center with $0.064 per square foot.
This variable is highly flexible, however, because fees at other facilities can be greater or lower
depending on the amenities utilized and the type of event. Additionally, actual useable space does
not always match total listed facility size. Nonetheless, Victoria charges rates nearly half of its most
expensive competitor, the San Angelo McNease Convention Center. Part of the reason for higher
rates at competitor facilities such as the Brazos and Taylor County Expo Centers is more up-to-date
structures and equipment.
Convention Space
A/V Equipment
Furniture Fees
Utility Fees
Stage Fees
Base Rate
RV Fees
Rental
Victoria Community Center $825 n/a No No No No No Yes
Lufkin Convention Facilities $1020 Yes No n/a n/a Yes n/a n/a
Longview Convention Complex $1320 Yes No n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Wichita Falls MPEC $2000 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Taylor County Expo Center $2500 Yes Yes No n/a n/a n/a Yes
Brazos County Expo Complex $2500 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
San Angelo McNease Convention Center $2500 Yes Yes Yes n/a No n/a n/a
The City of Victoria is evaluating the Community Center’s long-range potential. Capacity,
functionality, age, and appearance of the facility are of concern. The following section aims to assist
the City in determining if and how to invest in the Center’s future.
To conduct this analysis, Avalanche Consulting created three development scenarios. Each scenario
represents a different direction that the City could take with regard to investing in the Center.
Scenario 1: This scenario represents the baseline situation plus an additional exhibit hall
and meeting facility. It projects that the City will sustain the space as it is currently while
adding an exhibit hall building elsewhere on the property making needed equipment and
facility repairs to keep the Center operational.
Scenario 2: This scenario responds to the question of whether the Community Center can
fill a larger role as a regional events center. It estimates the impact of removing the Arena
and constructing a large exhibit hall and meeting rooms in its place.
Scenario 3: This scenario expands the Community Center’s role as a regional events center
and provides a space for covered outdoor events. In this situation, the Arena will be
replaced with a large exhibit hall (Scenario 2) and a covered pavilion building will be
constructed elsewhere on the property.
A more detailed description of each scenario, including an economic impact and rough cost estimate,
is provided below. It concludes with a side-by-side comparison of forecasted 10-year impacts of each
scenario.
Please keep in mind that these are concepts developed to begin the exploration of future
investments in the Community Center. This is a long-term view, as some scenarios will take a decade
or longer to come to fruition. Once the City determines which of the three scenarios it wants to
pursue, a master site plan will be needed.
The first scenario represents the Center’s current configuration plus the addition of an exhibit hall
building elsewhere on the property. The Dome, Annex, and Arena floor plans remain the same, as
does event capacity. In addition, the Center would add an indoor events building, that has capacity
to be broken into multiple smaller break out meeting rooms. The events building will be constructed
in year 3 and economic benefits will be generated starting in year 4. The annual economic impact of
this scenario is estimated to be:
DIRECT IMPACTS:
Facility Operations and Suppliers
Current $ 560,692 11 $ 216,371
INDIRECT IMPACTS
Current $ 707,835 20 $ 293,317
The total annual impact of the expanded Community Center Complex would be $2.07 million per
year. Approximately 40 full time jobs and $900,000 million in annual wages would result from direct
and indirect impacts.
Rental activity and profile in the Dome, Annex, and Arena remain the same.
The new event building rents for $1200 per day. An additional $200 per day rental fee is
charged for the new building’s concession stand, and another $150 per day fee is charged for
Calculations are based on the new event building hosts 20 2-day events per year and 20 1-
day events per year. Ten of these events would also rent the Dome, Annex, and Dome
kitchen. The other events are stand-alone and allow for separate rental activity in the rest
of the Community Center complex. * Based on current requests staff feels this number is
extremely conservative and would be twice the total number of days proposed for
calculations with the possibility of additional days with the help of the newly formed CVB.
Please note that in addition to constructing a new events building on site, the City will need to
investment in maintenance, equipment upgrades, and expansion of storage space in the existing
building. These improvements will have no effect on the Center’s current economic impact, although
not making needed repairs would affect demand for the Center in future years.
The original concept of the new event building includes 23,162 square feet of additional rentable
space. A 7,528 main exhibit / banquet hall is accompanied by two 3,982 square foot meeting rooms
and four 1,925 square foot break out rooms. All walls will be movable to allow for multiple
configurations, including one single 23,162 square foot room. This configuration is based on the
footprint of the current Arena so that an impact comparison can be made with Scenario 2, in which
the new events building replaces the Arena.
Considerations
This scenario allows all current users to continue renting the Center, while providing room to
expand events or recruit larger-scale functions to Victoria.
Design of the new events building should integrate into the current layout. Ideally, the two
buildings will be connected via a covered walkway.
The specific location of the new events building is yet to be determined. The City should
consider how the new building will affect parking capacity. First, will the new events building
be located on top of existing parking spaces? Second, how much additional parking capacity
will be needed to accommodate increased visitor traffic?
As with all three scenarios, the Center’s economic impact will improve if the percentage of
Center usage by out-of-county events and visitors increases. A concerted marketing effort
will help. Increased rental fees could decrease local customers and open the calendar for
external events (which often negotiate a discounted rate anyway, knowing that their
attendees bring additional dollars into the community). The (future) opening of event space
elsewhere in the community could absorb private events, again increasing opportunity to fill
The specific size and configuration of the new events building will depend on a number of
factors, and does not necessarily have to match the square footage estimated for this Study.
The approximate cost of constructing the new Exhibit Hall and Meeting Space is presented in
Chapter 3 of this report.
Under Scenario 2, the Community Center is expanded by removing the Arena and replacing it with a
new Exhibit Hall and Meeting Space (the building described in Scenario 1). This scenario aims
address local demand for additional indoor event capacity and has potential to accommodate larger
out-of-county events that might utilize the Dome, Annex, and new events space simultaneously.
As with Scenario 1, this scenario would happen no earlier than 3-5 years from now. In addition,
Avalanche assumes Victoria adds 20 overnight and 20 one-day events per year with 30 percent or
more attendees visiting from out of the county. The economic impact of the Center’s operations
after construction is completed (likely 4 years from now) is shown in the following table:
DIRECT IMPACTS:
Facility Operations and Suppliers
Current $ 502,000 10 $ 193,722
INDIRECT IMPACTS
Current $ 650,121 11 $ 266,991
Under scenario 2, the Center would generate an economic impact on the county of $1.9
million per year.
The Center and its visitors would generate an estimated $823,000 in direct and indirect
wages annually following the construction of the new event space.
Considerations
The replacement of the Arena with additional meeting space means that 2-3 annual public
events would entirely move to another location. These include the Wild Horse Auction and
possibly the Victoria Livestock Show and the Shriners’ Circus. This loss of revenue is
considered in the above impact estimate. Several functions currently hosted in the Arena,
including the Kennel Club Dog Match, South Texas Farm and Ranch Show, the Czech Fest,
and the Outdoors Expo can be accommodated in the new convention space.
The loss of Arena events results in a lower economic impact than Scenario 1 in which the
new Exhibit Hall is located elsewhere on the Community Center property.
The Center’s location and lack of nearby hotels and restaurants is a serious constraint on
recruiting out of town conferences, even if meeting space capacity is significantly increased.
Victoria Independent School District is currently considering the construction of a 1,500 seat
performing arts center. The ISD currently rents the Center for student and faculty events,
including elementary and GED graduation ceremonies.
A private developer is currently evaluating the possibility of constructing a 5,000 square foot
capacity event center in another part of town.
As with Scenario 2, in Scenario 3 the Community Center’s Arena is replaced with a new Exhibit Hall
and Meeting Space. In addition, however, the City also constructs a Covered Pavilion elsewhere on
the property. The Pavilion can accommodate the events that would be lost without the Arena, such
as the Livestock Show, while being flexible enough to host a wide range of other activities (live music,
festivals, market days, school functions, sports tournament support, and others to name a few).
The open sided Covered Pavilion would have a concrete floor and metal roof. Concession facilities
and restrooms will need to adjoin the Pavilion to maximize utilization. It is assumed that the Pavilion
would host 40 events per year, including 10 two-day, and 30 one-day functions. The rental rate will
DIRECT IMPACTS:
Facility Operations and Suppliers
Current $ 549,942 11 $ 212,223
INDIRECT IMPACTS
Current $ 1,016,637 18 $ 427,800
Under Scenario 3, the Center has potential to generate its largest annual economic impact on
the county: $2.9 million per year, well more than double current conditions.
Approximately 58 jobs would be attributable to direct and indirect output generated by the
Center’s expenditures and visitor spending. The Center and its visitors would generate an
estimated $1.4 million in direct and indirect wages annually.
Scenario Timing
The above economic impacts reflect the year in which the new configuration is complete. Since
construction will take time, and for some years lower revenues can be expected due to part of
the center being unavailable, Avalanche provides a 10-year timeline of expected impacts for each
scenario.
For Scenarios 2 and 3, a decrease in impact is projected in year 3 as two events (the Livestock
Show and Wild Horse Auction) are lost when the Arena is demolished and the new Exhibit Hall
and Pavilion are under construction.
Scenario 3 is projected to produce the highest economic impact for the City of Victoria.
Note: All dollar estimates are in “current dollars” and are not adjusted for inflation to keep
dollars comparable from future years equal to the current year.
The purpose of this chapter is to provide recommendations related to improving and enhancing the
impact of the Victoria Community Center. Recommendations emerge from the analysis presented in
the first two chapters of this Study. It begins with a discussion about marketing the current facility to
external audiences. Travel trends, target audiences, and communication strategies are described.
Next, this chapter explores potential for increasing the Center’s rental revenue through rate
increases and changes to fee structure. The chapter concludes with an evaluation of the physical
infrastructure improvements needed to expand the Center’s meeting and event capacity.
MARKETING RECOMMENDATIONS
Before new facilities are constructed, the City can increase rental revenue and the economic impact
of the Community Center by marketing to audiences located outside of Victoria. A higher number of
out of town guests will result in a higher impact. The following section provides an overview of
tourism trends and recommendations for promoting the Center.
The tourism industry has experienced significant decline in 2008 and 2009. As of October
2009, U.S. year to date job losses in accommodations exceeded 7 percent. Recreational jobs
were down by 4 percent, and air transportation by nearly 5 percent. In addition, RevPAR
(revenue per available room) for Texas and its neighboring states was down 18 percent
between October 2008 and October 2009. (source: U.S. Travel Association)
People are taking shorter vacations and traveling by car. Auto travel is leading tourism
trends. In addition, travelers are cutting back on the number of overnight stays, and in turn
seek destinations which offer a lot to do in a short amount of time.
Weekend travel is increasing in popularity. The number of vacations lasting one week or
longer is diminishing. More than 50 percent of American adults take at least one weekend
trip each year, and 30 percent take five or more weekend trips. Many weekend trips are
planned less than two weeks before travel. Cities and small towns are top weekend
destinations (30 percent), followed by beaches (16 percent), mountains (10 percent), lakes (4
percent) and amusement parks (3 percent).
Outdoor recreation, such as visiting a state or national park, was cited by 25 percent of
American adults as a travel destination. Of these, 75 percent traveled via car to the
destination and around 20 percent camped in a tent or recreational vehicle.
Shopping is the most popular leisure travel activity for American adult travelers. Although it
may not be the primary purpose of the trip, more than 60 percent of tourists shop during a
vacation. Around 50 percent of these individuals stay in a hotel or motel, and 50 percent
stay with friends or family. Enclosed shopping centers and malls comprise about 60 percent
of tourist shopping experiences.
Sports events are a destination for around 40 percent of all travelers. Baseball and softball
top the list of tourist attended events (17 percent of all American travelers), followed by
football (15 percent), basketball (9 percent) and auto / truck racing (8 percent). Youth
sporting events are a special area of opportunity. Communities that can accommodate
regional tournaments will benefit from visitor traffic and increased brand awareness that
these functions generate.
Cultural activities are popular, with 75 percent of travelers attending a cultural activity during
their vacation.
Baby Boomers account for the largest volume of travel in the country, while individuals over
55 years old take the longest duration vacations.
According to the Travel Industry Association, relatives and friends are the top source of
recommendations about travel destinations as well as hotels, flights, and rental cars. Travel
agents, travel companies, and community tourism offices also rank highly. This includes
direct communication with these organizations as well as visits to their websites.
More than 50 percent of American adults rely on travel media, such as TV, travel shows,
online newsletters, and newspapers, to plan their vacations. When asked which information
source is the most helpful to them, 25 percent cited websites, followed by newspaper travel
sections and television travel shows. One-third said that something they saw or read in
travel media determined their tourism destination.
The trends described above are positive news for Victoria. They indicate that community centers are
likely vacation destinations because they host the fairs, festivals, cultural, and sporting events that
are attended by the more than 40 percent of American tourists. For the more than 50 percent of
Texans taking at least one weekend trip per year, Victoria is a good option. It is located within a
region that is underserved by events facilities, and the area offers a combination of amenities,
historic sites, and shopping that can entertain visitors for an entire weekend.
A large portion of weekend tourists book trips less than two weeks in advance, with most utilizing the
Internet to plan itineraries. In response, the Community Center’s website could be redeveloped as a
marketing tool.
Other travel media, such as television, newspaper, and newsletter segments, also influence tourist
choices. For Victoria, informing regional travel media about upcoming events will increase exposure
and further the chance that tourists will choose to visit the Community Center.
As noted in previous chapters, the biggest challenge in recruiting regional events is the lack of hotel
infrastructure in close proximity to the Center. Expanding the number of RV spaces on the grounds
is one part of the solution. The City will need to closely coordinate with the CVB and area hoteliers
to package overnight stays in a way that makes it easy for event goers to navigate between
accommodations and the Center. Long-term, the City should consider placing directional signage on
roadways between the retail/hotel section of town and the Community Center.
The Community Center’s “target audiences” are individuals and organizations that are the primary
focus of promotional activities. The more customized the marketing campaign is for specific
audiences, the greater the return on investment. ‘Targeting’ is the process of narrowly defining
audiences and tailoring the campaign to suit. This process requires in-depth understanding of
audiences, their preferences, and the trends affecting them. It impacts all aspects of a marketing
campaign, from the sales message to the methods used to reach each audience.
The audiences recommended for the Community Center were selected because they meet two
primary criteria:
#1: They have a high probability of demanding and utilizing the Center’s facilities.
The universe of potential audiences is great. On the largest scale, it includes any individual or
organization that hosts events in a covered event space and/or rodeo arena. This would include
private parties, business functions, trade shows, festivals, craft and food events, faith based
functions, concerts, sports competitions, and livestock shows and rodeos, to name a few.
The Community Center’s capacity and current infrastructure, however, is a limiting factor. Outdated
facilities and shortage of space limits the breadth of private parties, business functions, and trade
shows that can be hosted at the Center. The Arena’s configuration and flooring surface restricts
rodeo and concert activity. Rodeo and livestock centers located in nearby Gonzales, Cuero, and Bee
County are better equipped to serve larger organizations, reducing Victoria’s viability.
After taking larger scale state and national events from the pool of possible target audiences,
Avalanche Consulting recommends that the City concentrate marketing of the current facility on the
following three external targets:
The Victoria Community Center is well positioned to host regional youth sports tournaments that
utilize the surrounding sports complex as well as Center facilities. Registration, awards
ceremonies, clinics and merchandise sales may be housed in the Center. Based on a similar study
conducted by Avalanche Consulting for a sports complex in Williamson County, Avalanche
estimates that Victoria could conservatively attract six 2-day tournaments and six 1-day
tournaments each year. These tournaments would bring thousands of visiting players and family
Marketing collateral targeted at tournaments must package the Center as an added benefit of
the sports complex. Help organizers imagine potential of incorporating the Center’s indoor space
into overall event organization by providing examples of how they may utilize the Dome, Annex,
and kitchen facilities.
This audience group represented a variety of interests, from arts and crafts, to sporting goods,
job fairs, and rallies, to name a few. No matter the subject, all event planners share the same
goal: that their functions are seamlessly operated and well attended. Two main selling points
should be addressed when communicating with this
audience:
1. The Victoria Community Center is the region’s Tradeshow, Fair, and Festival Targets:
top choice for tradeshows, fairs, and festivals
because it can accommodate a variety of Arts and crafts shows
Cook-offs
audiences and facility needs. Biker rallies
County Fair
Bridal shows
2. The Victoria Community Center is the region’s Home and garden
top choice for tradeshows fairs and festivals RV, camping, and boating shows
Sporting goods
because the Center’s staff will go out of their
Classic car shows
way to ensure your event is executed without Antique shows
a hitch from beginning to end. Job fairs
Music concerts
Organizers of faith based events seek facilities that can accommodate a number of different
functions, including hands-on learning, music, large group assembly, and recreational activities
such as sports and dining. As with the other audiences, Victoria’s primary selling point will be its
venue size, flexibility, and regional hub location.
As external demand for the Center increases so will requests for additional event space. The
property surrounding the Center allows ample room for expansion. As recommended in earlier
chapters, and as agreed to by the Parks Commission, the City wishes to add new facilities to the
property within the next 10-15 years. Improvements under consideration include constructing an
events/meeting building that provides more than 20,000 square feet of additional indoor space as
well as building a 40,000 square foot (estimated) covered pavilion with a concrete floor that can
accommodate a variety of other functions. (In combination with an enhanced marketing initiative,
the new meeting building and covered pavilion would double the Center’s economic impact.)
Marketing Recommendations
The following section contains recommendations for improving how the Community Center is
marketed. Recommendations focus on what can be done now to boost the proportion of events
hosted at the Center by external target audiences and thus increase the Center’s economic impact. It
is followed by budget estimates and metrics to help the City measure its progress.
Goal: To maximize visitor spending and economic impact generated by the Victoria
Community Center
Tourism is an export-oriented business for Victoria. Visitors spend money at hotels, restaurants,
retailers, and other local businesses. Those sales result in new spending by local businesses and
their employees, generating jobs and wages. Taxes collected on visitor spending contribute funding
for community improvements, promotion, and public assets like the Community Center.
The goal of marketing the Victoria Community Center is to draw visitors into the city of Victoria,
whose expenditures not only afford the Center’s operations but also results in direct and indirect
In the next three years, building awareness of the Community Center’s name in the larger region
should be the primary objective of marketing. Recommendations offered in this Study aim to
increase name recognition among the Center’s external target audiences so that it becomes top-of-
mind when these groups consider locations for future events.
To begin, the City must develop tools to promote the Center and proactively pursue prospects. Next,
launch a direct sales initiative to inform audiences about the Center. Reinforce name awareness
through a targeted direct mail campaign. Finally, ensure that customers coming from outside of the
City continue to have a positive perception of the Center. Word-of-mouth promotion is the strongest
form of marketing and happens when customers have a great experience at the Center. Reward
customers for choosing Victoria by providing outstanding customer service from initial contact
through the event and follow up.
Set the Community Center apart from its competition by conveying a sophisticated, highly
professional image in everything it does. The City will need to improve its Web presence and
appearance as well as produce new coordinated printed materials. Ensure that all marketing
materials share the same graphical appearance. Avalanche Consulting suggests developing the
following marketing materials in 2010 to support the campaign:
A marketing website is the primary requirement for campaign. It is a “must.” While the
City’s website contains good information about the Community Center, the link is buried
within the Parks and Recreation section of the website. The City has an opportunity to
stand out from the competition by creating a quality, standalone marketing website for
the Center and the surrounding sports complex. Take the following into consideration
when creating this site:
o Technically, the marketing website can still be housed within the architecture of
the City’s website. Purchase a separate URL that is memorable and brands the
Center (e.g., www.VictoriaTXCommunityCenter.com). The URL can either link
directly back to the Community Center section of the City’s website or to a new
marketing website created to support this campaign. Use this URL in all
marketing activities.
o Ensure that the Center’s website always contains a current calendar of events.
o Allow users to submit reservation requests online and view available calendar
dates.
One sheet “slicks” for customizing handouts in-house. These are useful for sharing
information that quickly outdates, such as press releases, lists of upcoming events, or event
agendas. The slick will have a pre-printed border that coordinates with other collateral
materials. The Center may generate its own content, and print to the slick using its own in-
house printers.
Postcards for use in a direct mail campaign. Develop postcards for mailings to each target
audience group. Postcards should share a theme, each featuring a distinct sales point.
Improved marketing brochure(s) to provide to prospects. The City may create one brochure
providing an overview o the Center and short blurbs aimed at each target audience, or the
City may opt to develop a separate brochure for each audience (sports leagues, fair/festival
organizers, and faith based event organizers). Use the direct mail postcards as a palette for
the brochure design and copywriting.
The more targeted the message, the more effective the mail campaign will be. Sports
tournaments have a different audience demographic than faith based events, for example.
Rather than watering down a one-size-fits-all message to fit all three audiences, commit
additional resources to customizing a campaign for each.
Relationships are the key to long-term success, and direct marketing must be a significant part of
the City’s external marketing initiative. The City should become active members of regional
chapters of event planning, expo, festival, and fair associations. In addition to memberships,
subscribe to state and regional publications. Peruse newsletters and magazines for upcoming
events, and identify those that could be suitable for the Community Center in the future.
Recommendation 5: Frequently share news about the Community Center with the local
market.
Victoria-based organizations and individuals will continue to provide a steady source of revenue
for the Community Center. Keeping these groups informed and impressing them is important for
business and reminds them of Center’s value to the community.
Entitled “This Month at the Community Center” (or similar), the news release should list all
public events at the Center scheduled in the upcoming month, including the date, time, location,
and other details. Look at editorial schedules to determine the best day of the week to distribute
the news release to area newspapers, neighborhood newsletters, radio stations, and television
stations. This news release may be printed on the one-page slick (described in Recommendation
1) and faxed or emailed.
The Community Center’s name recognition will naturally increase as it is listed on customer
advertisements and other promotions. The City benefits if customers are successful promoters.
The better customers’ marketing efforts, the more attendees, and the greater the exposure for
the Community Center.
As a side note, one possible way to incentivize event organizers is to negotiate with local media
to provide discounted advertising rates for Community Center customers. Customers will find
value in any assistance the Parks and Recreation department staff can offer in navigating local
media buys and identifying ways to maximize exposure.
Provide lunch, a brief presentation, and tour of the Community Center. Host several
familiarization tours in 2010 and 2011, one for each individual audience and for regional media.
It goes without saying that exceptional customer service should be engrained in the City’s
management of the Community Center. As discussed in earlier sections of this Study, turnkey
solutions to event planning is in greater demand than ever before. Cost is often less of a deciding
factor than the comfort that event details will be carefully managed. Strong customer service
will be key to developing the Community Center’s number one promotional tool outside of city
limits: word-of-mouth marketing.
Have a professional appearance at all times. Develop attractive and informative information
about the Community Center.
Contact current customers (those with booked, upcoming events) on a regular basis prior to
their events to ensure their needs are being met.
Make sure that each event’s organizer(s) is treated very well while he/she is in Victoria. Work
with the CVB to deliver a gift basket to their hotel rooms, and ask hotel managers to upgrade
rooms or leave a personal note.
Provide customers with an attendee survey card that allows them (and the City) to gather
information about their audiences. Keep the survey brief, postcard size for example, and ask
general questions appropriate for any audience. Questions could include basic demographic
information, perceptions of the event, and perceptions of the Community Center.
Keep customer contact information in a database. Approximate the date of the customer’s
next event, and contact him/her at least 6 months before to inform them that the
Community Center wants their business.
A majority of exposition centers offer perks to customers who bring a higher than average
number of guests and overnight stays. These inducements take various forms. In interviews
with other Texas exposition centers, Avalanche discovered that incentives are typically
categorized within the marketing budget. Discounted rental fees and comped equipment rentals
or dining services are common incentives. In some communities, the community center and local
hotels work together to package proposals to larger events. These proposals may include
discounted hotel room rates as well as reduced fees / comped services at the event facility. No
exposition centers that we interviewed or researched publicly posts their incentives policies.
They are viewed as competitive tools and utilized internally by staff and board members to make
decisions.
The City should consider offering inducements to select events on a case-by-case basis.
Internally, the City should establish criteria that must be met to qualify for inducements. These
criteria do not need to be publicly shared.
We are aware that the Community Center is fully booked for most weekends each year, and local
demand for the facility is high year-round. The purpose of the marketing campaign is to encourage
the City to be proactive versus reactive. Actively marketing to its external target audiences will result
in a more balanced mix of customers, increasing the Center’s economic impact and allowing
flexibility to adjust pricing structure.
The marketing budget estimates below show both ‘low’ and ‘high’ spending scenarios. A low
spending scenario involves, for example, hiring freelance designers, printing on lower quality paper
stock, limiting the quantity of direct mailings, and limiting participation in trade associations and
their events. The high spending scenario includes, for example, employing a professional advertising
agency to develop marketing materials, utilizing better quality paper stock or unusual cuts, exhibiting
at trade association events, and purchasing contact lists.
These are just estimates, and budget may change as the marketing campaign evolves. One fact is
clear, however, the City must be willing to invest in marketing the Center if it is to accomplish its
goals of maximizing the Center’s economic impact and boosting operating revenue.
Metrics
Goal-based metrics measure how well an organization is accomplishing its long-term goals and
objectives. In this Study, the City’s primary goal is to maximize visitor spending and economic impact
generated by the Victoria Community Center. Within this goal, the objective is to build name
recognition as a premier events facility in the region.
Measuring goal-based metrics goes beyond accomplishing the recommendations of this Study.
Recommendations are the steps that will progress the City toward its core objectives. They should
be easy to measure on a regular basis. As with performance-based metrics, they should be evaluated
one to two times each year.
We recommend tracking the following statistics to monitor the progress of the marketing campaign:
Increase in the number of out of county prospect inquiries – The City should track prospect
inquiries to determine whether marketing tactics are producing results. Prospect inquiries
can occur through e-mail, phone calls, and personal visits to the Center. Formulate a
spreadsheet or other document that allows staff to input each prospect inquiry, the nature
of the request, and follow-up activities. Review this on a regular basis. Establish
benchmarks. For example: The number of prospect inquiries by out of county organizations
should increase 15 percent each year for the first three years of the campaign. Adapt
marketing efforts if this goal is not met.
Increase in the number of out of county events –Beginning with the initial contact, identify
prospects as either “internal/local” or “external/out of county” events. We define “out of
county” events as those with more than 30 percent of attendees living outside of Victoria.
Increase in the number of hotel / motel nights – One of the most significant economic
impacts for Victoria by the Community Center will be from visitor expenditures at local hotels
and other venues. Tracking this will require a concerted effort by both the City and the CVB.
Increase in the economic impact of the Community Center on Victoria and Victoria County -
Ultimately, more out of county events, heightened rental revenues, and expanded facility
capacity will generate a higher economic impact for the City. Update the Community
Center’s economic impact analysis at least every three years to ensure that it is meeting its
primary goal.
For the City to measure these metrics, it must adopt data collection tools. We strongly recommend
developing a short survey issued to visitors attending Community Center events. During interviews
with other Texas community centers, Avalanche Consulting learned that event facilities managers
As discussed in Chapter 2, the Victoria Community Center’s current rental rates and fees are lower
than benchmark facilities on a per square foot basis. There is opportunity to gradually increase the
City’s revenue generated by the Center by adopting standard industry practices.
To begin our recommendations, we revisit the Comparison Texas Event Center Fee Schedules table
provided in Chapter 2:
A/V Equipment
Furniture Fees
Utility Fees
Stage Fees
Base Rate
RV Fees
Rental
Victoria Community Center $825 n/a No No No No No Yes
Lufkin Convention Facilities $1020 Yes No n/a n/a Yes n/a n/a
Longview Convention Complex $1320 Yes No n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Wichita Falls MPEC $2000 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Taylor County Expo Center $2500 Yes Yes No n/a n/a n/a Yes
Brazos County Expo Complex $2500 Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
San Angelo McNease Convention Center $2500 Yes Yes Yes n/a No n/a n/a
The table provides a list of potential fees charged by other similar events centers elsewhere in Texas.
The Base rate is the per diem, flat rental charge for an event space.
Furniture fees are charged for each table and chair used by the customer during the event.
Use of dinnerware and linens, if available, may also be an additional fee. This covers the
costs associated with storing, setting up, and cleaning these items. Rates vary depending on
the item, but are typically under the cost charged by private rental companies.
A/V equipment rentals are charged on a per event basis to customers using facility
microphones, speakers, PA systems, stereo equipment, televisions, overhead projectors, and
lighting, to name a few. Cost varies from $5 to $100, depending on the equipment. An
hourly fee may also be associated with staff time setting up and tearing down equipment.
Dance floor fees are charged for set up and use of a temporary dance floor. Typically, fees
are based on a price per square foot.
RV fees of $20+ per night plus a security deposit are charged to individuals parking RV
campers on facility parking lots overnight.
In addition, there is a wide variety of other fees possible that this Study did not include in its survey.
They include, for example:
Signage fees are charged for each banner approved and displayed by staff members ($10-
$20 average per sign).
Additional hour fees of $50 or more are charged for events that run past their allocated time
slot or that require additional time for set-up.
Concession / kitchen surcharges of 10-20 percent of gross sales (or $1-$2 per guest) are
common practice among many events facilities. The surcharges may be waived if the
customer hires one of the facility’s “preferred” or “approved” vendors.
Internet fees, similar to utility fees, cover a portion of the cost to provide Internet service to
the facility. They only apply to events that have need for Internet access.
Overnight fees for organizations setting up the day before the event.
Corking / alcohol fees are charged either on a flat or per bottle rate to customers bringing
alcohol on premises.
Providing these services and others for free has led to a number of concerns for the Center’s staff.
Staff members work long hours to accommodate customers and a booked, back-to-back event
calendar. Even with event plans in place, customers frequently ask staff to reconfigure furniture
arrangements and equipment set-up, adding even more staff time to an already packed schedule.
Set-up and tear-down of furniture and fixtures for large events takes hours of personnel time.
Storing and maintaining furniture and equipment requires time and resources. This year, for
example, the City has budgeted $40,000 to replace tables and chairs. The City currently has 1400
metal folding chairs, 1200 vinyl chairs, 460 rectangular tables, 150 round tables, 10 four-foot tables,
stage risers, numerous video screens and audio and video accessories. This is a large number of
items to manage without receiving any compensation.
It is possible that billing customers for use of furniture and equipment will reduce the number of
recalled set ups and provide funds for timely replacement of damaged or outdated items.
The City has a variety of options for boosting Center revenue while staying in-line with industry
norms. Based on our evaluation of competitor facilities, discussions with Center employees, and an
understanding of Victoria’s target audiences, we recommend the City consider the following changes
to its current rental structure.
Increase the daily Dome, Annex, and Arena rental rates by 2 percent per year for the next
three years. This would result in weekend rental rates of approximately $955 for the Dome,
$715 for the Annex, and $475 for the Arena in Year 3. An increase of his level means that the
Center will continue to be competitively priced. However, as Chapter 4 reveals, a modest
rise in daily prices could mean more than $4,400 in additional annual revenue.
Charge for furniture rental. Rental fees of $0.25 to $0.50 per folding chair and $3.00 - $4.00
per table are below market rates while reimbursing the City for storage, maintenance, and
cleaning/repair costs. For a typical Dome event, furniture revenue could total between $300
and $700, and a typical Annex event could generate between $100 and $200.
Outsource audio / visual support services to local companies. This ensures that customers
have access to the most current technologies and have support services that may go beyond
the capacity of staff. Provide customers with contact information for these local A/V
companies and ask them to manage those services outside of their contract with the
Community Center.
Create a list of “approved” vendors for catering, party supplies, and technical support.
Charge customers a fee of 10 percent of the gross cost of the services for using non-
approved vendors. Vendor approval can be based on their familiarity with the Center (e.g.,
require orientation), professionalism, and quality of performance. Some facilities charge
vendors a fee of $250 to $1,000 to be included on the list.
Implementing these five policy changes will result in more than $40,000 in additional revenue each
year, compensating the City for the significant amount of time and resources it current expends in
pre- and post-event facilitation of customer requests.
In addition to providing marketing and rental rate recommendations, Avalanche was asked to advise
the City on what future facility improvements would maximize the Center’s value to the community.
To do so, we began by evaluating the Center’s current economic impact (Chapter 1), as well as
forecasted impacts for three prospective development scenarios (Chapter 2). As a reminder, the
three scenarios investigated were:
1. The Center maintains its current configuration plus the addition of an exhibit
hall building elsewhere on the property. It projected that the City will sustain the space
as it is currently while adding an exhibit hall building elsewhere on the property making
needed equipment and facility repairs to keep the Center operational.
2. The Center fills a larger role as a regional events center. It estimates the impact of
removing the Arena and constructing a large exhibit hall and meeting rooms in its place.
3. The Center expands its role as a regional events center while providing a space for
covered outdoor events. In this situation, the Arena will be replaced with a large exhibit
Avalanche Consulting involved two firms, BRW+ Architects and Rawley McCoy & Associates, in
providing cost estimates for the new Exhibit Hall and Covered Pavilion as well as needed
improvements to the existing Dome and Annex. Industry standard prices and local construction
prices for similar projects were taken into consideration when calculating the per square foot price.
Scenarios 2, 3, and 4 include the construction of a new exhibit hall and meeting space building. In
Scenarios 2 and 3, this space would replace the existing Arena, and in Scenario 4, the space would be
constructed as a standalone facility elsewhere on the property. When estimating price per square
foot costs, BRW+ Architects treated the new Exhibit Hall and Meeting Space building as a new
building. The existing Arena building would not possess much that could be salvaged. Without the
proper documentation on the structure or any of the data, one cannot safely assume that the
structure is capable of withstanding any additional loads it might gain from the new roof structure or
any walls that would be supported by the structure. Because of this, the structure would most likely
be rejected by our structural engineer and therefore would have to be demolished. The new
building would cost approximately $160 per square foot in current dollars.
The new Covered Pavilion would consist of a concrete floor and metal roof. Based on industry
standards, the Pavilion cost will be approximately $20 a square foot in current dollars. This figure
does not include electrical or plumbing. It does include engineered foundation and building plans.
An additional $1 per square foot should be added for galvanizing.
For both new structures, numbers may vary greatly depending on timing of construction and finish
out options.
In addition to construction costs of the new Exhibit Hall and Covered Pavilion, repairs and
improvements to the existing structures are required in the near-term. The City has requested cost
estimates for several improvements, including the addition of storage space. BRW+ Architects
estimates additional storage of around 3,000 square feet is required to satisfy current needs. The
approximate cost of this space will be $125 per square foot.
Finally, Rawley McCoy & Associates provided cost estimates for replacing the Dome and Annex
roofs, replacing air conditioning units, installing additional night lighting around the peri meter
New smooth FRP liner panels over metal wall panel: $3.00 / SF $13,338.00
Approximately 4,446 SF total wall area
(Excludes Annex storage and kitchen areas)
New smooth FRP liner panels over gypsum board: $4.00 / SF $6,434.00
Approximately 1,606 SF total wall area
(excludes restroom and loading area)
The purpose of this final chapter is to explore the potential impact of the Community Center once
envisioned improvements are put into place.
Chapter 2 of this Study explores the impact of three potential development options. The Parks and
Recreation Commission reviewed all three scenarios, and requested that we examine a fourth and
final scenario which blends Scenarios 1 and 3:
Scenario 4: The Center maintains its current configuration while adding a covered
pavilion building and an indoor exhibit hall / event building elsewhere on the property.
This Scenario is estimated to yield the highest economic impact for the City over the long term. The
following table illustrates Scenario 4’s annual impact based on the current fee structure.
DIRECT IMPACTS:
Facility Operations and Suppliers
Current $ 599,744 12 $ 231,441
INDIRECT IMPACTS
Current $ 1,112,301 19 $ 469,739
The City will also construct an indoor events building elsewhere on the property. This
exhibit hall / meeting facility will offer flexible space and the capacity to be divided into
multiple smaller breakout meeting rooms. BRW+ Architecture’s original conceptual drawing
of the new event building includes 23,162 square feet of additional rentable space. A 7,528
main exhibit / banquet hall will be accompanied by two 3,982 square foot meeting rooms
and four 1,925 square foot break out rooms. All walls will be movable to allow for multiple
configurations, including one single 23,162 square foot room. The configuration is based on
the footprint of the current Arena, although the footprint and layout can change.
Adding a New Exhibit Hall and Covered Pavilion to the Community Center grounds is expected to
generate a total economic impact of $3.25 million per year. Additional visitor spending will
contribute to the majority of the additional impact.
To allow for a side-by-side comparison of scenarios, this Study concludes with a 10-year comparison
of the Baseline and Scenario 4. It assumes that the new Exhibit Hall and Covered Pavilion are
constructed in Year 3. It is understood that timing will depend on resource availability and may take
place much further in the future. The City can adjust the forecast by “sliding” total annual impact
figures to the actual year of construction once it is known. It also incorporates the recommended
2% annual increase in facility rental fees over the next three years.
The analysis does not include the temporary impact that will result from construction expenditures.
As a whole, construction expenditure multipliers range between 1.5 and 2.0. These impacts can be
maximized by engaging locally-owned contractors and suppliers.