Corbin city leaders agree to extend, expand search for new Arena manager

Corbin city leaders agreed unanimously Monday to extend and widen their search for someone to manage the town’s 5,000-seat arena responding to a scarcity of applications received when the position was advertised in July.

Corbin City Manager Bill Ed Cannon recommended that the city’s Board of Commissioners authorize him to advertise for the position again. Only three applications were received last month when the city first advertised the position.

"We’ve got a few good applications, but nothing like I’d like to have seen come in," Cannon noted.

Cannon said he plans to expand the advertising area for the position by using trade journals and other specialty publications that reach those in the entertainment/booking market.

"I think some of those trade journals and such will hit the people that we need to hit," Cannon said. "We want someone with good qualifications and a good reputation to run that facility."

The city voted earlier this year to end its relationship with SMG Worldwide Entertainment and Event Venue Management – a Philadelphia-based company that had been managing the Southeast Kentucky Agriculture and Exposition Center. City leaders cited an inability to book events at the facility as a reason for the move.

Cannon said Monday that the city is paying Connie Hunt, former long-time CEO and General Manager of Renfro Valley Entertainment, to be a consultant during the hiring process. She is being paid between $30 and $35 an hour, he said. She is not a candidate for the position of Arena Manager.

"I wish she was, but she is not," Cannon said. "She ran Renfro Valley for 20 years so she has a lot of experience in this. A lot of it is above my head. If we had an interview [with applicants] today I’m not sure I would know the right questions to ask. She is advising us on that."

The city and SMG have had, at times, a rocky relationship over the direction of management of the Arena. While the contract between the two sides specifies SMG would manage the facility until the end of the year, Cannon said it is likely they would leave before then.

SMG holds the liquor license for the Arena. Cannon said it could be transferred to the city, or to a licensed caterer.
"It will be in whoever’s name the city wants to put it in," he said. "The city could hold a license itself, but from a liability standpoint I’d rather not."

Instead of hiring an outside firm, city leaders have said they intend to hire an individual manager and then make The Arena more like a city department, akin to Public Works or Parks and Recreation.

Cannon said that of the three applications received, one was a current employee at The Arena, another was a man from North Carolina and the other was a man from Lexington. A fourth applicant who had intended to apply, Cannon said, had experience with Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom Kingdom in Louisville.

"I probably wouldn’t have done this if that guy had shown up, but he took his name out of the hat," Cannon said.
In other business, the Commission:

¥ Authorized the City Attorney to draft an ordinance prohibiting thru truck traffic on Roy Kidd Ave. between Main Street and Kentucky Ave. Corbin Mayor Willard McBurney said trucks are using the road and, when they turn, end up topping the curb and sinking their wheels into the soft ground, ruining landscaping.

¥ Declared numerous police cruisers and fire department vehicles as surplus property to be sold at auction at a later date.

¥ Approved the annual interlocal agreement regarding operation of the county’s 911 Center.

¥ Approved promotions in the Police Department. Colonel Bruce Rains was promoted to Assistant Chief. Major David Maiden was promoted to Colonel.

Corbin Chief of Police David Campbell said the promotions were in keeping with improvement in the department over the past 18 months.

¥ Approved the retirement of Glenn "Rainbo" Baker from the Corbin Fire Department.

¥ Authorized the City Manger to advertise to hire one firefighter.

¥ Discussed a proposed bike and pedestrian path that would extend from the local Social Security office, near the Corbin Bypass off Cumberland Falls Hwy., all the way along Bacon Creek to south Main Street.
Cannon said an engineer is currently mapping the area that would encompass the trail, and is determining how many property owners would be affected. He said he’s hoping to apply for federal grant funds to help with construction of the project.