Organizations that hold their events at the Hermiston Conference Center will continue to be able to do so – at least through 2016. Beyond that, however, is anyone’s guess.
On Monday night, the Hermiston City Council voted unanimously to extend its contract with the Hermiston Chamber of Commerce to operate the center through the end of next year. But with the addition of the Eastern Oregon Trade and Event Center (EOTEC), the city – which owns the conference center – may not be able to subsidize both facilities.
According to Hermiston Assistant City Manager Mark Morgan, the conference center has operated at a net loss of about $49,000 over the past five years. On top of that, the city is committed to pay at least $50,000 a year toward the operation of EOTEC each year beginning in fiscal year 2016-17.
The city has begun discussions with chamber staff about the future of the conference center. It’s possible the conference center could remain in operation after EOTEC opens or the city could sell the center and use the money to build a new facility for the chamber. Morgan said there are facilities in the community that could host events that have been held at the conference center, including Best Western and Oxford Suites, as well as the National Guard Armory.
Hermiston Mayor Dave Drotzmann said no decisions have been made and that the discussion on the center’s future is “just in its infancy. The council’s job is to do the best job it can with the taxpayers’ money.” He added that the city felt it was important to assure the chamber staff that it could go ahead and plan events at the center through at least 2016.
The conference center, formerly an abandoned grocery store, was renovated in 1994 with $600,000 in community donations, as well as $550,000 from the city.
Community members told the council Monday night that the center has played an integral role in the community over the past 20 years.
“We moved to Hermiston in 1999 and were impressed with how welcoming it is and by how the community pulled together and turned an old grocery store into a facility for the whole community,” said Liz Marvin. “I would like us to remember that sense of community. Events held there are part of what makes this a great community. There’s danger in undermining that strong sense of community if you take this facility away from the community.”
John Spomer asked the council if the public was ever made aware during early planning for EOTEC that it might have to give up the conference center in order to have a trade and event center. Drotzmann said he didn’t recall that possibility being discussed.
Joe Franell, chairman of the chamber’s board of directors, the contract extension is not only important to the chamber staff, but to the community, as well.
“It’s more about giving stability and security to the community that they will have a place at the conference center,” he said.
Drotzmann assured the public that the city would seek its input in the coming months before any decision is made about the future of the conference center.
