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SAGINAW—The Saginaw Civic Center may be headed toward a rendezvous with privatization. This year the city spent $739,000 to keep the ailing 28-year-old entertainment complex afloat—while simultaneously considering cuts in essential services like the police department.
City Manager Reed D. Phillips believes that this situation demonstrates that Saginaw has its priorities backwards. Phillips has called for a county takeover of the Civic Center, pointing out that 80 percent of its patrons come from outside the city of Saginaw.
Others are calling for privatization of the Center. One approach being considered is to have a private management firm take over operation of the facility. Another is to sell off the facility completely. The city has formally asked Saginaw County commissioners to put a county-wide millage vote on the ballot to keep the facility open with county funds. If the county decides to put the issue to a vote, it will appear either on the November ballot or a ballot in the spring. If the county decides against a vote, the facility will close on January 1, 2001, to be either sold or demolished.
