Client: City of Monroe
Project: Revitalizing Monroe Civic Centre
Year: 2022-Ongoing
Monroe, Louisiana
Challenge:
Sound Diplomacy was appointed by the City of Monroe, Louisiana to conduct a Venue Audit and Benchmark Study for the Monroe Civic Center, through analysis and comparison of seven successful flagship venues in the US, Australia and Europe.
The Monroe Civic Center comprises four different venues in one complex, which includes the Jack Howard Theater, the Arena, the B.D. Robinson Conference Hall and the Abe Pierce Convention Center. The objective of the study was to determine how to make the Monroe Civic Center a successful performing arts venue; striving to become:
financially sustainable and generate a high return on investment
appealing for notable touring and local artists to perform there
attractive to audiences across the state of Louisiana and regionally
engaged with local and cultural communities
a place that invokes a sense of pride for residents
Built in 1965, the Monroe Civic Center is the largest multi-purpose facility in Northeastern Louisiana. It features a 46,025 sq ft Arena hosting concerts, sports events, large banquets, trade shows, and rodeos, as well as a 14,000 sq ft Conference Hall, a 22,000 sq ft Convention Center, a 2,200 capacity theatre and an equestrian pavilion.
Since its inception, the Center has served as a hub for internationally-renowned entertainment and attracted some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry, such as Elvis Presley, James Brown and the Jackson Five.
Strategy:
The strategy was multi-faceted and phased in sections. To accurately understand the opportunity, Sound Diplomacy began with a benchmark study of seven venues in the USA and across the world to understand how they operate, what makes them successful, and how those experiences would translate in Monroe. This was conducted via desktop research and one-to-one interviews with stakeholders representing some of these venues.
The 7 benchmark venues are:
Ryman Auditorium - Nashville, TN
The Anthem - Washington, DC
The Orion Amphitheater - Huntsville, AL
Ruth Eckerd Hall - Clearwater, FL
The Princess Theatre - Brisbane, Australia
Mahalia Jackson Theater for Performing Arts - New Orleans, LA
Sage Gateshead - Gateshead, UK
In addition to the benchmark venues, seven themes, which are crucial in determining a venue’s success, were identified. Each benchmark venue and Monroe Civic Center were evaluated against these themes. These themes are:
Design
Programming
Partnerships
Marketing Strategies
Revenue Models
Governance
Operations
The next phase of the strategy was a venue audit of the Monroe Civic Center itself. This involved an assessment of the current state of the Monroe Civic Center through analysis of all documentation, plans, policies, and imagery of the venues.
In addition, Sound Diplomacy also held a stakeholder engagement workshop with the Monroe Civic Center team to discuss how the venue currently operates, understand any challenges they were facing, and identify ambitions for the future.
The findings showed how the venues within the Center operate, what their strengths and weaknesses are, and where improvements or changes can be made within each aforementioned theme. The report has been arranged by the same themes as the benchmark.
Finally, an action plan and 20 detailed recommendations were presented to Monroe Civic Center based on the themes, goals, and benchmark study aforementioned. Rankings according to the resources required and expected impact were provided for each recommendation.
Outcomes:
Eager to achieve their goals, the Monroe Civic Center adopted the strategy and recommendations provided by Sound Diplomacy.
WHLC Architects, recommended by Sound Diplomacy, was appointed to deliver new conceptual plans for a refurbishment and modernization of the Monroe Civic Centre, including the building of a new hotel.
Sound Diplomacy has been retained as a consultant to support the design, redevelopment, and future of the Monroe Civic Center and leads the strategic vision for its future management and operational structure.
