Arlington Heights approves study on Metropolis' value to downtown
When Arlington Heights officials approved additional funding to keep the struggling Metropolis Performing Arts Centre open, many cited the financial influence the theater has on the downtown business district. But, no one could put a dollar amount on what that meant.
Officials on Monday took the first step toward defining the role Metropolis plays in the village by approving a contract not to exceed $24,000 with Johnson Consulting to perform an economic impact study.
The study results will include an economic impact assessment and an analysis of options for how to go forward, which could include closing the theater, expanding it, selling it to a management company, the village removing itself from the situation, the village taking it over entirely or another option altogether.
In October the village board agreed to give Metropolis $450,000 in additional funding to keep Metropolis open, but with stricter control over the money and an eye on long-term solutions for the struggling theater. The other option was to let the theater close when it ran out of money at the end of the month.
Arlington Heights has been actively subsidizing Metropolis Performing Arts Centre since 2005, using money collected by the village's food and beverage tax. Including the $2 million the village spent to buy a portion of the Metropolis complex in 2005, the total investment so far more than $5 million.
Johnson Consulting, which was then CH Johnson, did a study for the village about Metropolis in 2003 when Arlington Heights was considering purchasing the theater, officials said.
The newly approved study was recommended by the recently formed Metropolis Oversight Committee, which includes village Trustees Bert Rosenberg and John Scaletta, Metropolis board members Dori Bonder and Monica McCarthy and village staff members Tom Kuehne, Mary Juarez and Robin Ward.
The study is expected to take about eight weeks to complete and will be paid for with reserves from the Arts, Entertainment & Events fund from the village budget.
Officials from Johnson Consulting said the group will look at historical attendance data and will conduct a survey.
The study will also differentiate between the theater and the Metropolis school so the community can understand the benefit of each, Scaletta said.
“All in all I think this is going to be very beneficial in getting all of our questions answered,” Trustee Tom Glasgow said.