by April Scheinoha
Editor
The Thief River Falls City Council has approved providing a 30-day notice to its venue management company, saying the city intends to terminate its contract with the firm. The council unexpectedly added the matter to its agenda shortly after the council meeting began Tuesday, April 21.
Mayor Mike Lorenson said the council’s arena management work group has met a few times regarding its concerns. Lorenson and council members Megan Arlt and Michele McCraw sit on the work group.
Arlt said, “As a work group, we have concerns that the management team that we hired for the Ralph [Engelstad Arena] is underperforming in their contractual agreement that they have with the city.”
Representatives from Oak View Group 360, which has been under contract with the city to provide venue management services, weren’t in attendance at the meeting.
It is unclear who will manage REA, the Huck Olson Memorial Civic Center, the Multi-Event Center and the Thief River Falls Tourist Park once the contract ends with Oak View Group 360.
Council member J. Scott Pream asked whether the city had another firm in line to take over on short notice.
Lorenson said the city has a few other firms that it can call to step in on short notice to run the arenas.
According to City Administrator Angie Philipp, the current annual management fee is $136,000. The city pays the deficit for operations and capital for the arenas, the MEC and the Tourist Park. When asked, Philipp noted, for 2026, that amount totals $920,366. The total includes arenas, $691,658; MEC, $198,701; and Tourist Park, $30,007. The management fee is a part of the deficit.
The current contract ends June 30, 2030. Either side has the opportunity to terminate the agreement with a 30-day notice.
During his State of the City address 11 days earlier, Lorenson noted some of the accomplishments of Oak View Group over the past year. Along with the city, it is working with Northern Lights hockey team, which is expected to start playing at REA during the 2026-27 FPHL season.
In addition to that development, Oak View Group 360 secured a long-term agreement for Super Saturday high school basketball at the arenas. It also secured a multi-year agreement with the Takedown Club for its wrestling events.
The Northern Watch is also aware that Oak View Group has also secured five-year agreements with The Times/Northern Watch for its annual Thief River Falls Home, Sport and Family Show, and its annual Holiday Fair.
Oak View Group 360 has provided venue management services for the city since July 1, 2024. The firm also manages the Alerus Center in Grand Forks, N.D.
In a split vote in 2024, the then-council chose Oak View Group 360 to take over venue management responsibilities, which were previously held by VenuWorks. The council had terminated its agreement with VenuWorks due to similar performance concerns.