by April Scheinoha
Reporter
It’s been a month since VenuWorks officially took over management of Ralph Engelstad Arena, the Huck Olson Memorial Civic Center and two other city-owned properties in Thief River Falls. Now, some Thief River Falls City Council members are fielding numerous complaints about VenuWorks’ management of REA and the HOMCC. Complaints centered on the overall appearance of the arenas and a lack of customer service.
Council member Curt Howe, a former city employee who worked in the arenas, had voted against an agreement with VenuWorks to manage the arenas, the Multi-Events Center and Thief River Falls Tourist Park. At the council meeting Tuesday, Feb. 4, he brought forth numerous complaints from arena users about VenuWorks.
“They don’t know how to operate an arena. They don’t know how to clean an arena,” said Howe, who noted that VenuWorks was in default of its contract with the city.
The complaints haven’t gone unnoticed by other city leaders. After a lengthy discussion, the council agreed to schedule a Committee of the Whole meeting with VenuWorks’ upper management to discuss the issues. The date has since been set for Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 5:30 p.m. at City Hall. Like council meetings, Committee of the Whole meetings are open to the public.
VenuWorks has been managing the four city-owned properties since September as part of an interim agreement. In January, the Iowa-based firm began managing the properties as part of a five-year management agreement. It called for the city to pay VenuWorks $8,000 per month for management. After the first year of the agreement, the base management fee will increase “by a percentage equal to the increase in the Consumer Price Index for the previous year as established for the regional area (West North Central Division, Midwest Region), not to exceed 3%.” The agreement also called for a variable management fee based on performance.
Terry Torkildson, who resides in South Dakota, was hired to serve as VenuWorks’ executive director in Thief River Falls. Through an online search, the Northern Watch learned he had been previously employed by SMG as the general manager of the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center in Sioux Falls. Torkildson’s employment there abruptly ended in November 2018.
Torkildson started his new position here Oct. 28, 2019, and resigned Jan. 22, 2020. His resignation was effective immediately. Howe noted rumors are swirling that VenuWorks fired Torkildson.
Mayor Brian Holmer had received an email regarding Torkildson’s departure, which he verbally shared with the Northern Watch shortly after Torkildson’s departure. At that time, Holmer said city leaders were told the transition was more challenging for Torkildson’s family than anticipated. At the council meeting Tuesday, Holmer said he believed city leaders would never know why Torkildson left VenuWorks’ employment and he didn’t think VenuWorks needed to divulge that information.
Brennan Mihalick has been named interim executive director in Thief River Falls. Mihalick was working as VenuWorks’ director of operations in Thief River Falls. Mihalick was in attendance at the council meeting; however, he didn’t respond to any comments made by the council regarding his employer.
City leaders have been in contact with VenuWorks regarding the complaints received by city leaders. City Administrator Angie Philipp said she has been in contact with VenuWorks’ upper management. She was told everything would be addressed.
Holmer said a VenuWorks employee from Brookings, S.D., was in Thief River Falls after Torkildson’s departure to make sure everything was in order. However, Holmer admitted, “They have to do better.”
Several council members made many comments regarding VenuWorks’ management of the arenas. “Thirty days of a shithole of an arena, people,” said Howe, who noted that the council should be embarrassed. He indicated he was sticking up for the taxpayers, especially since the city has a $500,000 deficit annually for both arenas.
Howe was told that locker rooms hadn’t been cleaned in a month. He said the girls’ locker room was first cleaned the prior weekend while the girls hockey team was competing in Duluth. Howe called it a health hazard.
Howe also reported that he had received calls on a Friday night from people commenting on the dirtiness of the HOMCC. “The 10U [hockey] parents had to clean that arena, empty the garbages,” he said. Howe added that spectators had to walk to REA to use the bathrooms there since the HOMCC bathrooms weren’t in order.
“Am I mad? Dang right I’m mad,” Howe said.
Howe added that the six council members who voted for VenuWorks should be ashamed of themselves. He said that those individuals may have thought that VenuWorks would bring concerts to Thief River Falls. He then indicated Holmer told Thief River Falls Radio personality Mark Allen that the city can’t hold concerts at the arenas in the wintertime. The reason was too many events are held at the arenas in the winter.
Howe also accused some of his fellow council members of driving Arena Manager Missy Sletten out of city employment. Sletten resigned in June 2019 after finding employment elsewhere.
Council member Don Sollom, who also voted in opposition to VenuWorks managing the four city properties, said he had received the same complaints. The Thief River Falls Chamber of Commerce held an event at REA, and Sollom said he had been told that there was no toilet paper in the bathrooms. He added that he had also been told the stairs leading to the Imperial Room smelled like a locker room.
In January, reported Sollom, a woman had asked a VenuWorks employee to place ice melt on sidewalks outside the arenas. He said the employee gave the ice melt to the woman to place it on the sidewalks. Sollom also reported another instance where an arena user was given a shovel to shovel sidewalks.
Sollom added that VenuWorks, thanks to the six council members, was giving the city and its arenas a black eye in the state. “We need something to make us feel whole again,” he said.
Council member Rachel Prudhomme, who voted in favor of the VenuWorks contract, said the council was rushing to conclusions. She runs in the REA basement several days a week. Prudhomme said she wouldn’t run there if it stunk. She also attends hockey games at REA, but she said she hadn’t seen any issues. Prudhomme suggested narrowing down the specifics of which weekend from which the complaints centered instead of screaming and making accusations.
Council member Steve Narverud, who voted in favor of the VenuWorks contract, reported hearing the same complaints that Howe and Sollom had heard. “These people are pretty sincere about what they are saying,” he said about the users voicing complaints.
Narverud said if VenuWorks is incapable of cleaning the arenas, it needs to ask for help. However, if Public Works Department employees start helping there, he said the city would need to be reimbursed.
Howe also outlined complaints regarding VenuWorks’ management during Digi-Key Night at the Norskies on Saturday, Jan. 25. The record-breaking night saw 3,049 people attending the game at REA. The game was held three days after Mihalick started his interim management of the arenas.
Concessions ran out of taco meat before the game, said Howe, who noted that concessions also ran out of gluten-free alcohol earlier than one would expect.
The concessions closed at the beginning of the third period. “It’s ridiculous, people,” Howe said.
Council member Mike Lorenson, who voted in favor of the VenuWorks contract, is a Digi-Key employee. He attended Digi-Key Night at the Norskies. He voiced his disappointment that the concessions area was closed while people were in line and hot food was still available that evening.
“I agree it’s concerning,” Lorenson said about the complaints the city has been receiving.
Lorenson, who indicated he voted in favor of VenuWorks because he thought it would do a better job than the city at the arenas, said he couldn’t foresee this happening.
Later, Prudhomme noted that VenuWorks has a corporate policy at other arenas to shut down concessions prior to the third period due to liability concerns related to driving-while-impaired offenses.