An effort to transfer management of Lansing’s city golf course, minor league baseball stadium and convention center to an outside corporation took a step forward Tuesday.
The city is considering handing over management of the facilities to Los Angeles, California-based ASM Global.
The Lansing Entertainment and Public Facilities Authority, or LEPFA, currently runs the Lansing Center, Groesbeck Golf Course and Jackson Field.
At its regular monthly meeting, Chairman Maureen McNulty Saxton and fellow board members heard more about ASM’s proposal. She says the city is not rushing this decision.
“We have a fiduciary responsibility to these three properties, the Lansing Center, Groesbeck Golf Course and the stadium, and we want to make sure we’re proceeding as carefully as possible,” said McNulty Saxton.
ASM Global runs venues across Michigan including Huntington Place in Detroit, the Dow Event Center in Saginaw and Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids.
Executive Harry Cann told the panel his company’s plan includes maintaining local control of the city venues.
“We bring resources. We bring expertise,” Caan said. “We bring people without the municipal partners having to give up control of the operation. They approve budgets. They approve major contracts. They set our goals, and we’re the day-to-day worker bees.”
The city hopes to save money by having an outside company manage the venues. LEPFA says the city subsidized those facilities with more than a million dollars last year.
A vote on hiring ASM Global is expected next month