MARQUETTE, MI— The Marquette City Commission will continue to discuss the possibility of selling Lakeview Arena.
The Base Hospitality Group wants to purchase the structure and run it as a non-profit.
Commissioners held a work session last week on whether they want to pursue the idea. City Manager Karen Kovacs says there was positive feedback from residents, but there were many questions, which was important for the commission to hear.
“If we would like to do this, as we all want to see it improve, we would like to continue, we need to slow it down, and we need to really be mindful and intentional on what this arena means for our community.”
Kovacs says over the past 10 years the arena’s operations have been subsidized by the city’s general fund by about $400,000 per year. She notes it would take significant dollars to refurbish Lakeview where officials would like it to be and the city is constrained in its ability to take on more debt. Kovacs says a private group would have more access to commercial loans and grants and could more easily accept donations.
The next step in the process would be to formally present a letter of interest from Base to the commission, which would officially decide whether or not to proceed.
