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Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Alcohol sales proposed for Wicomico Civic Center

SALISBURY -- After almost a year of researching the Wicomico Youth & Civic Center, an economic study has been released detailing changes the facility may want to make within the next few years.
The study did not recommend tearing down and starting from the ground up; however, it did list ways the facility can modernize to keep existing shows and attract new business.
Among the recommendations are relaxing the facility's strict no alcohol policy, redesigning the seat bowl to offer a closer experience and better sight lines, adding a mechanical curtain system that would allow the arena to be partitioned for smaller events and reconfiguring the layout to allow for simultaneous events.
"It is our belief that with some relatively modest expansion and modernization, the Wicomico County Youth and Civic Center, which operates very well, can operate even better with respect to bringing events and bringing economic development to this area," said Mike Frenz, executive director of the Maryland Stadium Authority, which undertook the study along with Crossroads Consulting.
The analysis contains several factors affecting growth and financial impact, including the center's strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats.
Susan Sieger of Crossroads Consulting listed the WYCC's central location on Delmarva, affordability, level of repeat business, established brand and the consolidation of the Recreation, Parks and Tourism Department as strengths of the facility.
Regardless of its strengths, Sieger said the center has followed a national downward trend in recent years, as attendance has fallen from 239,000 in fiscal year 2006 to 169,000 in fiscal year 2011. The number of events has also dropped from 229 in fiscal year 2006 to 194 in fiscal year 2011.
Sieger also listed the limitations of the existing building to accommodate simultaneous events, the lack of modern amenities, the limited hotel supply in the immediate area and the lack of alcohol as weaknesses.
Ed Urban, chairman of the WYCC Commission, said while the land the center is on was deeded to the county with a provision prohibiting alcohol, he would be okay if it were removed.

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