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News & Record Masthead
December 7, 2003

OUR OPINIONS

Out-of-sight oversight

Director Matt Brown enjoys free rein over the coliseum, with few checks and balances, despite considerable public investment in the facility.

It's official. The War Memorial Commission, once charged with playing an active role in management of the Greensboro Coliseum to protect the interests of city taxpayers, would rather be a lap dog than a watchdog.

The advisory group decided Thursday to give coliseum Director Matt Brown virtually unrestricted control over the coliseum. The commission has asked that a city ordinance governing its role be changed accordingly.

This action simply puts into policy what has been the group's lackadaisical practice since Brown was hired to run the coliseum. Indeed, according to minutes from meetings of the commission, it has done absolutely nothing by way of governing for more than a year - except approve minutes from the group's previous meeting.

The commission's own operating manual said it was to review all major policies of the coliseum and make recommendations on any unusual or long-term contracts. It also was supposed to review any substantive changes in rates or fees.

Yet it had no voice in Brown's recent move to take over operations of the financially troubled Greensboro Generals professional hockey team. The highly unusual deal calls for the city to cover the team's expenses for at least a year, in an apparent attempt to keep a major client for the arena in business until new private investors can be found. Nor did the commission review or approve the $90,000 in fee breaks Brown gave the Generals last season.

This lack of oversight - or any other clearly defined system of accountability - is unacceptable given the public's investment in the coliseum. Taxpayers subsidize operations there to the tune of $1 million or more each year.

Contrast Greensboro's setup with operations at Joel Coliseum in Winston-Salem. There, a hands-on supervisory board is responsible for setting policy and approving contracts for the coliseum and other public venues.

Winston-Salem's commission grew out of a report by KPMG, an accounting firm that specializes in sports and entertainment management. Both Greensboro and Winston-Salem hired KPMG to study operations at their coliseums.

And while Winston-Salem has moved quickly to adopt many of the consultant's recommendations, Greensboro has done virtually nothing with its report, which cost city taxpayers $120,000.

The lack of oversight by the War Memorial Commission was among the concerns raised in KPMG's report. Only recently did City Manager Ed Kitchen follow through on one suggestion, assigning his deputy to supervise Brown. Clearly that's not enough.

Some governing body must take responsibility for the coliseum. Since the War Memorial Commission obviously isn't up to the task, the City Council should figure out who is.

Taxpayers deserve a system with the proper checks and balances.