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The Civic Center ===Background=== ==History=====Background===By the mid-1970s, Pensacola's lack of venues to host large conferences and conventions was glaring. [[Mobile]], [[Gulf Shores]] and most recently [[Fort Walton Beach]] each had their own convention centers, whereas Pensacola was built unable to host a crowd larger than 300. While many residents and leaders agreed that the area needed a comparable facility of its own, after the tribulations over the [[governmental complex center]], few were willing to propose public funding of a costly new structure. Instead, the renovation of an existing building, like the [[Municipal Auditorium]] or the [[commodity warehouse]], seemed a more affordable solution.<ref>"Will Pensacola Ignore Convention Benefits?" ''Pensacola News'', June 15, 1975.</ref> In [[1977]] the State of Florida gave local governments the option of levying a sales tax on temporary lodging. On [[November 8]] of that year, [[Escambia County]] voters approved a two percent tax on tourist accommodations, estimated to yield between $225,000-$300,000 per year, to fund the construction of a convention center and arena in the county. At one point proponents advocated construction of two separate facilities: one on [[1985UWF]] with -owned land on [[Santa Rosa Island]], the other on the help city-owned, 14-acre [[Baylen Street Slip]].<ref>"Two Convention Centers?" ''Pensacola News'', July 31, 1977.</ref> The biggest impetus for a new arena came in [[1982]] when [[W. D. Childers]], then president of the Florida Senate, was able to appropriate $12.5 million in state money for a civic center (along with $1.25 million for what would later become the [[T. T. Wentworth Museum]]).<ref>"Sen. Childers Defends Appeasement Strategy." ''Daytona Beach Morning Journal'', April 18, 1982.</ref> Childers had fielded requests from city leaders the previous year for a $10 million loan for the arena, but said of such a loan, "That's what you call pork barreling, parochialism, turkey."<ref>"Childers says tax hike unlikely despite federal cuts." ''Lakeland Ledger'', March 25, 1981.</ref> The eventual funding procured — a "no strings attached" grant instead of a loan — survived veto threats by State Senator Governor [[Wikipedia: Bob Graham| Bob Graham]], who in [[W. D. 1980]] had vetoed an $8 million appropriation by Childersto build a football stadium at the [[University of Florida]], which lacked a football team.<ref>"Graham's veto message: budget by need, not whim." ''Lakeland Ledger'', July 13, 1980. </ref> ===Construction==={{sectstub}} ===Operations===The first event to be held at the Civic Center was a concert by the rock band [[Wikipedia:Kiss (band)|KISS]] on [[January 21]].<ref>Curt Gooch and Jeff Suhs. ''Kiss Alive Forever''. Billboard Books, 2002.</ref> In Childers' honor, the stretches of [[Chase Street|Chase]] and [[Gregory Street]]s that surround the complex were renamed [[W. D. Childers Plaza]] the same year.<ref>"Signs posted to distinguish Childers Plaza near downtown." ''Pensacola News Journal'', September 30, 2006.</ref>
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==History==
In August 2001, in a year with only five booked concerts, none of which sold out,<ref>"Civic Center enjoying the sweet sound of music." ''Pensacola News Journal'', May 9, 2003.</ref> then-[[Escambia County Commission|County Commissioner]] Childers decried the Civic Center as an "albatross" for its failure to turn a profit and pursued an incentive-based contract with the management company.<ref>"W.D. shaping up for year 2." ''Pensacola News Journal'', November 18, 2001.</ref> [[Ogden Enterprises]], which had managed the Civic Center since its opening, had failed to turn a profit every year excluding [[1997]], the Ice Pilots' inaugural year, when they turned a $4,800 profit.<ref name="notprofitable">"Entertainment venues often aren't profitable, but Escambia officials want their subsidized facility to do better." ''Pensacola News Journal'', August 30, 2002.</ref> When Ogden was bought by [[Wikipedia:Aramark|Aramark]], they turned over the management portion of their contract to SMG. When the venue began to show signs of vitality, Childers amended his previous statement: "It was an albatross, but maybe we can make an eagle out of it."<ref name="bouncingback">"Concert venue bouncing back." ''Pensacola News Journal'', March 18, 2002.</ref>
