La Crosse city committee endorses new food-drink coordinator for La Crosse Center

The La Crosse Center is hoping to expand its catering and concessions staff.

The recent expansion of the civic center increased the demand for food and drink service in the building, so the center wants to hire an assistant supervisor for food and beverage.

La Crosse Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department director Jay Odegaard said COVID-19 had an effect on area catering businesses.

“A lot of the local catering companies either folded up or couldn’t have staff to service the catering need,” Odegaard told the city council Finance and Judiciary committee on Thursday.

He added that there are two fulltime staffers for food and drink now, and this would increase the fulltime staff in that area to three.

The committee approved the hiring request, and sent it to the full city council, which meets Thursday. The proposed position would pay about $57,000 a year.

Odegaard noted that the La Crosse Center should have about 22 fulltime employees working food and concessions. Right now, it has 15.