HomeMy WebLinkAbout9.23.25 LEPFA Board of Commissioners Meeting MinutesLANSING ENTERTAINMENT & PUBLIC FACILITIES AUTHORITY
BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS MEETING MINUTES
September 23, 2025
At 8:04 a.m. Chairwoman Maureen McNulty-Saxton called the monthly meeting of the LEPFA Board of
Commissioners to order in the Governor’s Room located at the The View; 555 East Michigan Avenue;
Lansing, Michigan 48933.
COMMISSIONERS PRESENT: Paul Collins, Kenric Hall, Dustin Howard, Lolo Robison, Danielle Lenz,
Charles Mickens, Maureen Saxton, Rawley Van Fossen, Traci Kent.
COMMISSIONERS ABSENT: Lary Leatherwood, Crystal Thomas
OTHERS PRESENT: Mindy Biladeau, Heidi Brown, Kirby Doidge, Paul Ntoko, Ryan Tess,- Lansing
Entertainment & Public Facilities Authority; Sherrie Boak- City of Lansing (City Council) Dave
Buckenburger- Choose Lansing; Greg Venker (City Attorney) ;Bryan Crowe – ASM Global; Tracie Kent
– Residence Inn; Kristy Doak
I. CALL TO ORDER:
Chair Saxton called the LEPFA Board meeting to start at 8:04AM.
ll. ESTABLISHMENT OF THE AGENDA: Board Chair: There needs to be a closed session added to the end
of the board meeting to discuss a personnel matter.
MOTION: Commissioner Hall SECOND: Commissioner Howard MOTIONED CARRIED
Ill. PUBLIC COMMENT:
Kristy Doak (Choose Lansing)- provided an update on the transition of sales and where were currently
stand. Rental is at 96% for the year and we are trying to target our off months with promotional blitz.
lV. APPROVAL OF August 21, 2025, MINUTES: Motion was made to approve the meeting minutes
for August 2025, with an adjustment to the spelling of Lolo Robison name in the minutes. MOTION:
Commissioner Mickens SECOND: Commissioner Lenz MOTIONED CARRIED
V. REPORTS:
A. CHAIRMAN’S REPORT: No report.
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B. ASM Report- Interim General Manager /Regional VP
Interim General Manager Tony Watson provided:
Staffing Update: We have successfully filled two crucial staffing positions at the center. Lisa Wilton will be
joining us as our new Event Manager, arriving from MSU College of Music, where she served as the
director of events and donor engagement. Her start date is September 29th. Additionally, Madyson
(Mady) Rush will commence her role as our new Sales Manager on the same day as Lisa. Previously,
Mady held the position of sales manager at the Courtyard Marriott Downtown Lansing. Emma from the
finance department has been promoted to Accounting Manager, effective September 22, 2025. We are
actively seeking to fill several more vacant positions. Other updates: As of September 1st, we initiated a
restructuring of the Sales and Service department. In an effort to enhance customer service and meet our
sales targets, we have separated marketing and special events from the Sales and Service department,
establishing a new division called Marketing and Special Events. Kristy Doak, currently the Director of
Sales for the Lansing Center with Choose Lansing, will transition into the role of Director of Sales &
Service for the Lansing Center. She will continue overseeing sales for all events held at the Lansing
Center and will collaborate closely with our event services team daily. We anticipate that this transition will
be completed by October 1st. Earlier this month, our corporate operations team visited to perform a
venue assessment. We had expected the report to be ready before this meeting; however, the team cou ld
not finalize it in time. We still need to complete sustainability and security assessments and are working to
schedule them monthly to avoid incurring fees in the same month. Ryan Tess Director of Operations
added this facility study will help us with capital planning moving forward.
C. FINANCE COMMITTEE- Commissioner Collins represented the Finance, Commissioner
Collins deferred to Kirby Doidge to report on the August 2025 Financials as follows:
1. Financial Review:
a. Lansing Center - Revenue- Month of August revenue was $156,169.
Building rental was $30,795, food and beverage revenues were $76,017,
Equipment rental was $32,736. We beat our anticipated budget by $8,362
but are still behind due to the $150,000.
Expenses- In August at the Lansing Center expenses were $444,694 we
were under budget by $106,537. Utilities were $60,994, which is, in check
for the month. Looking at the large increase in professional services, that is
where the management fee will be placed, moving forward the incentive
fees will come out of here as well. Food and Beverage
$85,357 over the anticipated budget for the month by $2,940. Salaries are
under due to the open position that we do have currently but should see
that righting itself moving forward. We also had a slower month which then
produces less hourly wages which is also why that line in under budget.
Overall, the Lansing Center is down the $150,000 in sponsorship, other
than that, the Lansing Center is where we anticipated it to be.
b. Groesbeck Golf Course- Revenue: Groesbeck Golf Course revenue was
$214,325, beating budget by $35,501. Greens fees and power carts beat
anticipated revenue by $4,308 and 6,722.30. Leagues are allocated, as
you can see, we are ahead by $14,800.
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Expenses: Salaries and Wages are under budget by $11682.20 for the
month and YTD under by $10,158 which we are still working on the
allocation with the new system.
Month of August under our expenses budget by $53,928.
c. Jackson Field- Month of August expenses $56,650 which is under the
anticipated monthly budget of $1,316. I have not allocated the wages
throughout yet as the cash is more valuable with the maintenance, we
have outstanding. This will be caught up by the end of the year.
Our maintenance of facilities is still high as you can see due to more HVAC
repairs.
Motion was made to accept the August financials as presented.
MOTION: Commissioner Hall SECOND: Commissioner Howard
MOTION CARRIED.
D. PERSONNEL COMMITTEE- Dustin Howard, provided an update that the committee met to
go over the General Manager meeting. Howard provided and updated the process with the
panel of Julie Pingston, Bryan Crowe, Jake Brower, and himself conducted the interviews.
There were three candidates that they are still reviewing and if needed there could be a
second-round interview.
E. VICE PRESIDENT/STAFF REPORTS
1. Mindy Biladeau: Sales & Services- Mindy noted Sales wise, they were $178,718
ahead of where they were last year at this time and at our anticipated budget.
2025 Silver Bells in the City (11/21/25) and Silver Bells 5K Race (11/22/25) •
Fundraising is ending at the end of the month. Electric Light Parade application
deadline was 9/1/25 and applicant notification is 9/19/25. We have a full parade.
Vendor application deadline is 10/1/25 • Silver Bells 5K Registration is open. Sign
up at www.runsignup.com/silverbells
2. Paul Ntoko: Foodservice- August 2025 followed the July 2025 momentum and
finished strong. We again surpassed the previous year’s results in every category,
extending the strong start to the new fiscal year. Groesbeck Golf Course was
once again voted #1 BEST GOLF COURSE in the LSJ 2025 Community Choice
Awards! Followed by our competitors Eldorado Golf Course and Hawk Hollow Golf
Course. September 2025 is off to a strong start and trending well ahead of the
same period in 2024. Some leagues have wrapped up for the season and the
rest are close to being done as well. We still have some completing their m akeup
rounds from weather-related rainchecks. Planning for the next Simulator Season is
underway. Pricing and promotional details have been established. Setup for the
equipment will begin the week after Superintendent’s Revenge which is on Sunday
October 12th. Our teams continue to strive to provide excellent course conditions,
products and service for customers.
August 2025 food & beverage revenue results were lower than projected mostly
due to the low number of overall events, leading to revenues that were about 5%
below budget targets and about 10% down compared to August 2024 results.
September 2025 has been a very active month so far and is on track to setting a
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new food & beverage revenue record for September. This is mostly due to an
early Labor Day holiday, a varied mix of events and strong attendance for the
events. Based on current projections, foodservice estimated revenues for
September 2025 will end up about 200% above that of September 2024 and
around 10% higher than budgeted target.
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3. Ryan Tess: Operations- In August, we gained a lot of ground and progressed
greatly in our fire alarm system overhaul. We have a final inspection date set in
October. Once the new system passes inspection, we will begin the
decommissioning of the old system, and the removal of the system as well. We met
with two of the collective bargaining agreement unions as well in August. We have
reached a tentative agreement with UAW Local 2256 in the first week of September.
The Collective Bargaining Agreement is being revised per what was negotiated to
be sent to the UAW for review and vote in September. We are continuing to meet
with IATSE Local 274 over their CBA and are progressing towards completion.
4. Kirby Doidge: Finance-. No report.
Vl. COMMISSIONERS AND STAFF COMMENTS:
None.
VIl. OLD BUSINESS: No Old Business
VIIl. NEW BUSINESS: No New Business.
Regular Meeting closes at 8:34 a.m. to go into closed session.
Kirby Doidge noted procedure to that was needed for closed session, attendance, and minutes as the request
was made by the board that Kirby Doidge does not attend the closed session and the City of Lansing would be
taking the meeting minutes for the remainder of the meeting.
Close Session: Discuss Personnel Matter
IX. AJOURNMENT:
Meeting Adjourned 9:35
THE NEXT MONTHLY MEETING IS SCHEDULED FOR:
TUESDAY, October 28, 2025
8:00 a.m.
LOCATION: Governors Room Lansing Center
Respectfully submitted,
Kirby Doidge, Recording Secretary