The Bemidji City Council heard a Sanford Center report last night, and also saw a budget for the event center. The council is scheduled to approve their final budget for 2020 at their next council meeting, and will consider approving the Sanford Center’s during that meeting.
According to Executive Director Tiffany Hubbard, the Sanford Center is working on building more homegrown events, such as the Lakeside Flea Market, the Women’s Expo, and partnering with the Bemidji Community Theater.
The council also discussed how the center attracts concerts, and Hubbard explained that the city is not put into risk when attracting concerts, but the performer’s promoter often sets the ticket prices and how many tickets will be sold.
Mayor of Bemidji Rita Albrecht alluded to a previous center director from the early Sanford Center days that would risk taxpayer dollars in an effort to attract concerts, but VenuWorks, the management company of the Sanford Center, has used a no-risk policy for a number of years.
