And we hired them to run our aquatic center! Evidently our profit doesnt do them any good or just not worth mentioning? LA MIRADA Attendance falls at aquatic center for first time By Mike Sprague LA MIRADA >> Splash!, the city’s aquatic center, had its first-ever decrease in attendance and revenue last summer thanks to cooler temperatures and a change in school schedules, city officials said. The facility still could make a profit for the third year in a row, said Lori Thompson, director of community services. “We’re hoping that we’ll break even,” Thompson said. “It will depend on what type of May and June we have.” The facility determines its financial numbers based on the fiscal year, which goes from July 1 through June 30. Summer attendance, including May through August, was down by about 8 percent or from 301,573 in 2012 to 278,788 in 2013, according to city figures. The 2013 attendance number is the second-highest ever recorded since the swim park opened in 2007, Thompson said. Revenue was down by about 7 percent or from about $2.4 million to $2.2 million. The biggest problem was weather, she said. “In June we had some cooler temperatures,” Thompson said. “There also was a change in the school year (in neighboring districts, not Norwalk-La Mirada). A lot of kids went back (to school) in mid-August. As it got really hot, kids were back in school.” The city also had increased ticket prices for this summer but Thompson said she believes that it had a slight effect on season tickets but not as much as the cooler weather. Mayor Steve De Ruse said he’s not worried about the drop in attendance. “It fluctuates,” De Ruse said. “When you have an aquatic park, the weather really affects it. It’s part of the expected.” De Ruse said he remains happy about the overall numbers of the pool which during the past two fiscal years has made about a $300,000 profit. “Those numbers don’t just tell the whole story,” he said. “(Splash) also brings people into the city who go to our restaurants and our stores.” The facility hosted a national junior water polo tournament as well as two collegiate swim and diving championships. Councilman Larry Mowles said he too is happy that the aquatic center has been making a profit. “But we temper that with the fact that like anything else the infrastructure in Splash is aging,” Mowles said. “The prudent move would be to set some of those funds aside to do It cost the city nearly $2.3 million in fiscal 2012/13 to run Splash , consisting of a Buccaneer Bay fun center, a 25-yard instructional pool and a 50-meter competitive pool. But the water park brought in nearly $2.6 million, during the same year fiscal year.
Posted on: Wed, 04 Dec 2013 15:08:40 +0000
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