Quote du jour: Polk's $200K fix for "something that is not broken"
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Polk County Supervisor Tom Hockensmith. Photo: Courtesy of Polk County
"We're going to spend $200,000 of taxpayer money to hire a consultant to fix something that is not broken."
— Polk County Supervisor Tom Hockensmith
Context: Polk County is initiating a process to put the Iowa Events Center management contract up for bid for the first time since the downtown complex opened more than 20 years ago.
- The complex includes the Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center, EMC Expo Center and Casey's Center.
Driving the news: Supervisors recently agreed to pay JLL Consulting, a Chicago-based real estate services company, $197,500 to assist with the procurement process, the contract framework, and first-year oversight of the next operator.
Friction point: JLL's contract was approved 3-2, with Hockensmith and Angela Connolly opposing.
- Connolly supported hiring JLL for planning and technical issues but opposed bidding out management, saying Oak View Group (OVG) has successfully run the center and that changing operators could put future events and local jobs at risk.
The other side: Board of Supervisors chair Matt McCoy said that hiring JLL is about oversight and transparency after two decades without a competitive bid.
What's next: OVG's contract expires Sept. 30, and JLL is expected to help Polk County assess its options before any operator decision is made.