Center architects to review public comments on $40 million renovations, revisit in July

Consultant says building should focus on conventions, while board president disagrees.

In listening sessions over the past two days, the public has provided input into the $40 million La Crosse Center renovations.

Next, Center director Art Fahey says the architects and consultants will review those comments and do it all over again in July.

Some of the comments included keeping the existing walkway to the river from Pearl St. Others included adding local artwork.

“Kind of things we’ve heard about before,” Fahey said of the art, “but people had more in-depth ideas that were brought forward.”

One obvious upgrade to the Center will be to the back side of the building that faces the Mississippi River.

People often question why the building didn’t face the river to begin with.

“Riverside park wasn’t developed back then and everything was coming in from the downtown side,” Fahey said. “The beauty of the park by the river there, I don’t think had really emerged like it has today.”

A large staircase to the riverfront and a new ballroom facing the water have been suggested.

Consultants at the listening sessions suggested the Center redirect its focus.

“You have developed, probably, one of the most difficult buildings to operate because you’re trying to get three separate, distinct uses out of here that don’t necessarily compliment each other,” consultant David O’neal said, adding that it’s hard to make the building work as a convention center, sports arena and concert hall.

It’s an idea that Center board president Brent Smith didn’t necessarily agree with.

“We want to be able to continue to be multi-use,” Smith said on WIZM. “We’ve been multi-use. We’ve always been in the black, too, except for a few of exceptions.”

Smith added the Center plans to keep hosting concerts, as well as events such as pool and dart tournaments.

O’Neal, who was brought in from Florida, believes convention business should be the primary use for the building, when it comes to bringing in money.  

“Kenny Rogers comes here and he leaves town with a suitcase full of money,” O’Neal said of Rogers’ Dec. 2 Christmas Concert. “So, he takes money out of the box. But those convention delegates are leaving it in the box – they’re spending half of it at the hotels and about 30 percent of it at the restaurants.”

Smith said the consultants were surprised by the most profitable events at the venue, especially the yearly WAMO pool and dart contests.

“I used that example three times,” Smith said, “and these guys were looking at me and I said, ‘You don’t understand how many people that come here for (dart and pool) and the economic impact on the community.'”