Dane County Executive Joe Parisi Announces Continued Improvements At the Alliant Energy Center Campus

March 24, 2016
Stephanie Miller 608-267-8823
County Executive

                                       Focusing on Cost Effective Strategies and Private Development

MADISON- Today, Dane County Executive Joe Parisi announced continued improvements at the Alliant Energy Center Campus which started this week, new loading docks and carpeting at the Coliseum and painting at the Arena. These project announcements come as the County is accepting proposals for the 7 acres of private development on the campus and as the Alliant Energy Center had its highest revenue year since the recession. 2016 has already booked more shows than 2015. ?

 

“The strides we have made at the Alliant Energy Center are remarkable,” said County Executive Parisi. “We need to continue to make smart, strategic investments and explore additional private development at the Alliant Energy Center campus to keep financially strong.”

 

Private Development

The County is currently receiving proposals from private businesses to develop on the Alliant Energy Center Campus without burdening the taxpayers. These proposals will be evaluated through a competitive bidding process for the almost 7 acres available for development.

 

Strategic Improvements

Findorff won the bid and will begin work at the end of April to build two loading docks at the Coliseum to make shows more efficient and profitable. The loading docks will bring in more shows and were a recommendation from locally based, national renowned concert promoters Frank Productions. The loading docks will cost approximately $550,000 for design and construction. Work is set to be complete by August 1, 2016.

 

The Coliseum will have all new carpeting by the end of this week. The carpeting work started Monday and will add to the customer experience and visual appeal of the facility. The work is being done by Coyle Carpet and costs $52,500.

 

Repainting the exterior of the Arena started last week and is set to be completed in the next two weeks weather dependent. The work costs approximately $12,000.

 

Increasing Revenues

In 2016 the AEC campus is already seeing an increase from 2015 in the amount of booked events. 2015 was the highest revenue year since the 2008 recession with $9.3 million in revenues.

 

Shows are booked solid this summer at the New Holland Pavilions which were completed in 2015 and won two prestigious construction awards “In Business” magazine’s Best Large Project and “Daily Reporter’s” Top Projects.

 

So far in 2016, the New Holland Pavilions have booked twenty shows and the Coliseum already has booked six concerts -the most of any year at this time. Since the Pavilions were built, the AEC campus has more than doubled the number of livestock events held, so much so, they have had to turn events away. In addition to the number of new livestock events at the AEC campus, the Campus is hosting more events in other buildings due to the New Holland Pavilions.

 

The expansion – 290,000 square feet of state-of-the-art multi-use space –replaced the AEC’s aging barn facilities, and has already strengthened the center’s reputation as a quality host for events with significant regional and statewide economic impact.

 

The New Holland Pavilions project created 200 local jobs and was completed October 2014. The 164-acre Alliant Energy Center and its facilities, including the Exhibition Hall and Veterans Memorial Coliseum, has been host to a diverse line-up of trade shows, entertainment acts, community expos, and world-renowned agriculture events such as the World Dairy Expo and the Midwest Horse Fair.

 

The AEC is estimated to provide nearly $88 million in direct local economic impact. Parisi and his administration worked early in his tenure as County Executive to build the historic public/private partnerships necessary to make the $24 million project a reality.

 

In the time that followed, Parisi’s administration secured $9 million from the State of Wisconsin with the help of Department of Agriculture, Trade, and Consumer Protection (DATCP) Secretary Ben Brancel. Long-time AEC partners World Dairy Expo and Midwest Horse Fair/Wisconsin Horse Council contributed $3 million and $1 million to the project, respectively. Centerplate catering was a partner at $600,000 in addition donated concession equipment and New Holland purchased naming rights for $1.5 million.

 

In 2013 the World Dairy Expo and the Midwest Horse Fair also signed new multi-year contracts that will make Dane County home to these signature events for many years to come. World Dairy Expo’s contract is for 10 years, with a five-year option. The Midwest Horse Fair’s contract is for 20 years.