In what I assumed would be a routine and boring Burnsville City Council worksession meeting because the Queen Bitch wasn’t there, turned out to be one of the most interesting of 2009. Yes, there have been plenty of fine examples over the last year but I must admit that I never expected this–at least not so soon. As the title of this post implies, the ever so trusted and honored Wolf Larson has tendered his resignation as Executive Director of the Burnsville Performing Arts Center.
Back in August I pondered the question of whether or not Burnsville should consider replacing the PAC’s management team. Being that, at the time, they were heading for a deficit I estimated to be nearly 3x what they originally planned it made sense to me and just about everyone else except Burnsville’s City Staff. Now with my deficit numbers confirmed, it’s up to the PAC’s final hurrah for the 2009 season to pull it out for VenuWorks and keep them in the good graces of the city, its staff, its council and its taxpayers.
Well, with the Star Tribune absolutely destroying the production in its review with comments like, “Were this a $15 price point, you might have a charming night out with the kids. But…,” you have to wonder if they will make their positive projected revenue of $11,226–the first since the PAC opened its doors. It’ll be a bit hard being that the PAC only ends up with a portion of the merchandising sales (according to industry folks I spoke with it’s usually between 20 and 30 percent) and 100% of the concession revenue. With ticket prices already inflated (although there are plenty of discount tickets available), who is going to spend a lot of money on expensive food and beverage in the Performing Arts Center when the economy is as shitty as it is?
Well I hypothesize that someone related to Junior Claus seem to know this and have been trying everything in the power to stop the spread of the bad news about their show. After all, they want this to carry through to at least six other cities on some sort of faux-Broadway tour. Tactics which seem to include astrotufing my website with comments originating from an ISP in NYC that no longer services Minnesota with out and out lies to try and cover their tracks. I suspect at least one comment on the Star Tribune is related as there is no one and I mean no one that would bother to see Junior Claus twice:
You gotta know if a critic gives a negative review that the show is probably pretty good. I’ve seen the performance twice and left the theater smiling. Take your kids.
So with the PAC failing and Junior Claus apparently not performing anywhere near where the City and VenuWorks hoped, it would appear that Wolf Larson is going to take the easy way out and resign right after December’s numbers are unceremoniously released to Burnsville’s Finance Department on the 20th of January.
The City Council stated that they wanted to perform an exit interview with good ‘ol Wolf in what I presume will be a futile attempt to try and see what went wrong with the mayor’s baby. What will they learn? Probably nothing that those who were against the PAC all along have wasted their breath saying–that this was neither the time nor was Burnsville the place to host the $20+ million blunder and that someone else will have to reside at the helm. Hopefully someone from a company other than VenuWorks.
So what do you have to say about Wolf Larson’s resignation as Executive Director of the PAC? Does this prove that Junior Claus was a flop? Does it prove that the Burnsville Performing Arts Center is a complete and utter failure and one that cannot be successfully managed? Was his resignation voluntary or was he pushed out–silently–because both the City and VenuWorks see the writing on the wall following the Star Tribune’s ruthless review and what can only be dismal numbers? Whatever you think about Wolf Larson’s departure from the BPAC go ahead and comment on as I’d love to hear what you have to say!
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BPAC Financials Archive
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December 16th, 2009 at 8:04 am
Wolf Larsen Resigns as PAC Executive Director: http://tinyurl.com/ybvga76
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
December 16th, 2009 at 8:18 am
RT @SouthMetroNews Wolf Larsen Resigns at PAC : http://tinyurl.com/ybvga76. Job opening. Heck I could do a better job.
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
December 16th, 2009 at 8:21 am
Here we go again. Correct me if Im wrong but when it opened in the winter didn’t he or the management team miss/skip some big meeting where people meet and book shows? Didn’t they use that as a big reason for lack of shows? With him gone are they going to miss this years event meeting?
December 16th, 2009 at 8:31 am
Bill,
You have had a very interesting and informative set of articles the past couple of days. Thanks for being the south Metro watchdog and for giving me something to read on the train each day.
Keep up the good work.
December 16th, 2009 at 8:51 am
If you’re being serious Koszmo, thank you for the support. If not, I love the ownage :)
December 16th, 2009 at 8:57 am
It is serious. I am not an active participant but I am an active reader and just wanted to let you know I appreciate the time and effort you put in as I am sure you have many other things you could be doing.
December 16th, 2009 at 9:09 am
Bravo! Encore! Encore! This is the first good news around the PAC I’ve heard in ages.
Wolf, don’t let the door hit you in the ass as you exit stage left. And that’s not out of concern for you…I’m afraid the cheap piece of shit door will break and the Council will assess some sort of $100K ass backwards tax-that-isn’t-a-tax to get new doors. And a piano. And some other crap we don’t need (like people to staff the PAC).
So guys, I know it’s hard to narrow down but what was your favorite Wolf Larson achievement?
December 16th, 2009 at 9:23 am
MSPD,
My favorite thing about the guy is that he took something which was doomed to fail, ran it into the ground further, and even got the City Council to agree to fund $300,000+ more before getting the fuck out of town (all the way to Madrid Spain) to avoid the torch lit and pitchfork parade that will eventually come down Nicollet.
December 16th, 2009 at 9:26 am
It was pointed out that in my haste in writing this last night that I misspelled Wolf’s last name in both the title and the opening paragraph. I suck.
December 16th, 2009 at 9:34 am
I’d say Wolf’s interview with Jeff Aachen with the Lakeville Center for the Arts executive director was right up there on my list. A close second: the George Jones debacle.
Greg #2, in response to your question, yes, the Association of Performing Arts presenters convention is January 8-12. Wolf “had” to miss it last year because of the BPAC talent show, and as a result, was “unable” to book national acts in 2009. I wonder if anyone is going to go this year or if the new director is going to have a built in excuse all teed up.
I loved Gustafson’s quote in the PiPress: “He said he believes the next director will face less scrutiny. “Hopefully, that person can just go about making this thing a success,”…
Umm, less scrutiny? Au contraire, mon frère. Its not like Wolf had the City staff overseeing his every move, as you all thought the PAC is doing “just fine,” and Wolf sure wasn’t letting criticism from this site propel him to make changes. What was keeping Wolf from making this thing a success, exactly? Because for a million dollars in operating expenses, out of someone else’s wallet, I did not see a lot of results.
December 16th, 2009 at 9:37 am
More from the Pioneer Press here: http://www.twincities.com/dakota/ci_14006853
More from the Star Tribune here: http://www.startribune.com/local/south/79372432.html
December 16th, 2009 at 9:42 am
According to the Pioneer Press article a VenuWorks press release about the resignation quotes Wolf Larson as saying, “I am proud of the work and programming accomplished during my tenure at (the center). With the building opened and attendance above budgeted numbers, the pieces are in place for continued growth in (the center’s) operations.”
Anyone can bullshit numbers especially when “events” such as free art gallery viewing are included in that total. (I talked about this back in October: http://www.lazylightning.org/is-venuworks-fudging-pac-numbers)
And I don’t know any business out there that cares how many butts are in the “seats” when the thing is losing money like a sieve. Honestly, just because this is run by a city doesn’t mean that it’s ok to double (or more than likely triple) the budgeted loss all while spinning it in your favor.
December 16th, 2009 at 10:34 am
Ha! Priceless quote from Gustafson in the Pioneer Press. (in whining voice) Oh why can’t we just let these people go about their business in private?!?
Dan Gustafson: “I wish there wasn’t so much scrutiny on the PAC.”
Tiger Woods: “I wish there wasn’t so much scrutiny on what I do in those hotels.”
Tom Petters: “I wish there wasn’t so much scrutiny on my accounting.”
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad: “I wish there wasn’t so much scrutiny on the completely innocent and mundane activities those scientists are conducting at that unusually gigantic and highly secured factory that produces wooden furniture (I swear!) that I tucked right between that school full of hundreds of children and that hospital in rural South Mazandaran. Have I mentioned I want to wipe Israel off the map?”
You’re right Dan. Let’s hold out our wallet and turn a blind eye. Move along…nothing to see here.
December 16th, 2009 at 11:01 am
Yeah, less scrutiny, that is what I planned on in 2010 Mr. Gustafson!!
Maybe Mr. Gustafson should make a Public New Year Resolution to ensure that the Burnsville Performing Arts Center that he voted to spend over $20 Million Dollars of our tax dollars, $3.5 Million of our tax dollars on a parking structure and at least $250,000 in operating losses annually is PROFITABLE in 2010!!
Mr. Gustafson should ensure that monthly public financial reports and updates are made accessible to the public and the materials are presented monthly during the Council Worksessions!!
If Mr. Gustafson would simply make this Public New Year Resolution, then I believe he has a half a chance for less scrutiny on the PAC.
If Dan Gustafson is not willing to stand behind this Resolution, maybe Mayor Kautz should step up to the plate and exercise some leadership and transparency!!!
Until then Mr. Gustafson, keep wishing!!!
December 16th, 2009 at 11:06 am
Ha! From the guy who ran his own business into the ground so far that he couldn’t pay his employees and helped to run another business he was a “consultant” down the same path?
The man should step down and take Kautz with him.
December 16th, 2009 at 11:13 am
Hey, another way for less scrutiny on the PAC would be for those that voted for this monstrosity of a failure and year over year of hemorrhaging losses to follow suit of Wolf Larson and resign!!
That means you Mayor Kautz, Dan Gustafson, and County Commissioner Workman!! Get some refreshed leadership in Burnsville to first acknowledge the problem and then lead us out of this mess!!!
I will leave it to each of you to come up with a reason for resigning, and will not pick on any of you for how lame it is or even if you attribute it to your failed BPAC vote. Wolf is leaving a $100,000+ job in a recession to follow his spouse overseas for a job, see how easy it is!
Mayor Kautz, Dan Gustafson or Liz Workman, if you need some help on coming up with a reason to resign, I am sure we can come up with a list of 10 resignation reasons for each of you to choose from!!
December 16th, 2009 at 11:50 am
It seems that Junior Clause may have truly been the hail mary they were hoping would bail them out of this mess. Sad, delusional people.
December 16th, 2009 at 11:58 am
They had people with sandwich boards on the street advertising it, they had lengthy “articles” and advertisements in the local papers for it, they had big name businesses backing it, and when people were speaking out against it they had a cadre of people attempting to astroturf the perception in their favor.
Of course they were hanging their hats on the success of this project. It runs for 18 days in the season that they claimed would bring in the most revenue (remember, the summer just isn’t good for people to watch indoor shows). They gave The Directors some sweet fucking deal which was so good they blacked out the text on the contract. They were so confident that this thing would do such good business that they even agreed to only take part of the merchandise sales and 100% of the concessions.
If he hadn’t resigned, he should have been fucking fired along with the Burnsville City Staff who continued to back his poor management decisions.
December 16th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
“the summer just isn’t good for people to watch indoor shows”
then why did they build the place?
Seriously, I know I’ve said this before, but they need to sell this place. 15 million, 10 million, 1 million – whatever they can get for it. Otherwise it will continue to drain the money they are stealing through taxes for years. Sad.
December 16th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
More from Thisweek here: http://www.thisweeklive.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=14056&Itemid=2&limit=1&limitstart=1
Using the old adage that Rome wasn’t built in a day to talk about the lack of successes at the Burnsville Performing Arts Center is nothing short of classic. WTG Wolf.
December 16th, 2009 at 4:52 pm
So says Gustafson. I guess I would hope that someone you hired to run your business might be candid with you all the time and not go around hiding things. But maybe that is just me.
December 16th, 2009 at 6:28 pm
Any word on Mr. Wolf Larsen’s future plans?
Seems like people in the art’s business have these tight job networks much like school administrators – where they job hop every 2 years – get a 50 – 80% pay bump and drive the next organization to near ruin.
December 16th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
scooter, word is that he’ll be moving to Madrid where his wife has a job. In everything I have read so far nothing more has been said about his future plans.
December 16th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
That’s because his future plans are to save face.
December 16th, 2009 at 8:14 pm
Remember, council member Gustafson has lost two businesses AND what ever involvement he had with the now defunct Apple Wood Grill. So whenever he gets his face in front of some media outlet you have to take what ever he says with a grain of salt. By the way, his last “Art and All that Jazz Festival”, held this past summer in the HOC, had an extremely low attendance factor.
December 16th, 2009 at 11:02 pm
Eh, Larson’s moving to Spain; he’s coming out ahead here compared to everyone else.
As for the PAC, I don’t think it makes much difference who runs it; it’s pretty much hosed, at least for the time being. They gave away the store with Junior Claus, more or less, but since everyone knows how bad the place is doing financially, anyone who wants to put on a show there can drive as hard a bargain as they want.
December 17th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
Another review of Junior Claus: http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/news/2009/12/17/theater-charge-your-belief-o-meter-junior-claus-burnsville-performing-arts-center and some choice quotes:
“While the plot is simple and not all that original…”
“Perhaps those in the audience weren’t familiar with large-scale Broadway productions, but quite a few could be heard marveling at the cardboard cutout scenery and generic costumes.”
“…the thin material is partially to blame…”
“…the show isn’t a home run…”
Awesome.
December 17th, 2009 at 12:58 pm
In the latest review posted by Bill above:
Another bonus is the beautiful new Burnsville Performing Arts Center, complete with free parking. You won’t get that on Broadway.
This free parking at the PAC should be duely noted that it is brought to you by the tax payers of Burnsville!!! Merry Christmas BPAC Patrons!!
I hope you enjoy your free parking while the City of Burnsville goes without the ability to fund thier existing Police K-9 unit and other needs.
December 17th, 2009 at 2:44 pm
Thats not a bad review. If that was all I knew about the play, I would probably go if I had a child in the target age group, and assuming tickets were reasonable.
December 29th, 2009 at 7:28 pm
The Star Tribune has a bullshit article on Larson leaving here: http://www.startribune.com/local/south/80174062.html
Best quote:
Umm, no.
January 13th, 2010 at 7:32 am
[...] night the Burnsville City Council had a chance to meet with both outgoing PAC Director Wolf Larson and Interim Director Carl St. Clair about the strengths and weaknesses they see with the PAC and [...]
March 3rd, 2010 at 9:40 am
[...] happened, the news that you have all been waiting ages for…VenuWorks hired a replacement for ex-Executive Director Wolf Larson. You can read all about it at the Star Tribune and Thisweek. Yes folks, Mr. Jon Elbaum the prior [...]