A long-planned 50-cent fee on tickets to Tacoma Rainiers games will start hitting fans in the 2012 season, a year after the renovated Cheney Stadium opened for baseball.
After City Council members questioned why it wasn’t in effect this season, city officials notified the Rainiers on Saturday that it would charge the so-called facility fee starting in 2012 for baseball games – and starting this week for other ticketed events. The stadium hosts events such as a car show and a circus, though not all are ticketed.
Proceeds will go first to helping pay off the $30 million the city borrowed to renovate the stadium. Once debt payments are covered each year, leftover proceeds will be returned to the team for future maintenance.
“I wish they had done it (in 2011), because it would have been good to have been collecting that fee,” said Councilman Marty Campbell. “I am happy to see that it is in place now and those who are enjoying the stadium are the ones that are paying for the stadium.”
Campbell said he’d thought the fee was already being charged until he asked city staff about it recently. The Rainiers and the city had agreed in the lease that the city could impose a fee of up to 50 cents.
City staff decided it wouldn’t be needed the first year, based on advice from the Rainiers that taxes and other city revenue from the stadium would be enough to cover the scheduled bond repayment.
“Early indications were, those possibly were going to exceed their expectations,” said Bob Biles, city finance director. “There was a feeling that based on that, let’s wait and see.”
Instead, the latest projections show revenue falling $35,542 short of covering the repayment.
With no fee to cover that gap, the city will reach into another pot – interest earned on the money dedicated to the project. The borrowed money, which was invested during construction, earned $600,000 in interest.
A team spokeswoman said Rainiers President Aaron Artman is out of town this week and not available to talk about the decision this year or the effects of the fee next year.
The gap next year is expected to be more than $72,000, covered by the new facilities fee. The city has estimated it would raise $220,000 a year from the fee, with most going back to the team for maintenance.
Campbell and Councilman Jake Fey both questioned city staff about whether the facilities fee was being collected this year. Fey said an extra 50 cents a ticket isn’t onerous for fans considering the upgraded facility.
But fan Earl Forsmann predicted the fee on top of recent years’ increases in ticket prices would affect attendance. He and a friend will go to fewer games, he said.
“We used to go once a week a few years back, but last year we had to cut back to twice a month,” Forsmann said. “We no longer buy concessions, just bring bottled water.”
Single-game tickets range from $7 for a spot on the grass berm to $11 for reserved seats to $25 for box seats, before taxes and fees.
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