September 2015

The Washington Pavilion doesn’t have a plan? GET OUT!

l3wis September 17, 2015 4Comments

I have to tell you, there has been some pretty ridiculous things said by directors over at the big purple building in past years, but for once, one of them finally told us the truth(?);

Michele Wellman, public relations director for the Pavilion, said the strategic makeup of the front office isn’t set nor is a timeline for determining how the organization will move forward.

“The board doesn’t have a final plan at all. At the moment, everything is up in the air,” she said, adding those interested in joining the Pavilion’s leadership team are encouraged to inquire.

Oh, they have a plan, a plan that they have relied on since day one of operation. Let the board of trustees run the joint through their ‘heavy’ in the building, the Operations Manager, Jon Loos.

Peterson and Toll are/were merely figure heads. The last time the President of the Pavilion even made an attempt at running the joint would have been Steve Hoffman, we saw how that turned out, he ran for the hills (well California). I will give Larry Toll credit for some things, he has been a heck of a fundraiser (calling his rich buddies to help out) in between afternoons sucking up cigar smoke on Phillips Avenue. But let’s not call in the big band just yet;

In 2009 when he came on, Wellman said the Pavilion was facing financial uncertainty and was struggling with a red budget.

“Larry came in at a critical time and turned the Pavilion around. He brought a brilliant business mind to manage the Pavilion,” she said. “We’ve been in the black for five years, so he dramatically turned around our financial status.”

Just when we thought we had a glimmer of hope the Pavilion would shoot it to us straight for once, they go and claim they know what ‘being in the black’ means. The Pavilion has NEVER been in the black, if you discount the subsidy they receive every year from the entertainment tax, and the fact that all the maintenance to the building is paid out of the CIP. The unfortunate part about tooting the black horn each year is that now the Events Center has started the same mantra complete with a bawling mayor press conference.

I have often said if you ever want the Washington Pavilion to have complete success and smooth sailing, you need to find a new management company and send Jon Loos and company packing. Who needs a ‘President’ when all the Pavilion really needs is a strong ‘Manager’.