The Moose Jaw Events Centre showed a deficit of about $246,000 in its second quarter financials, but is still in better shape than budgeted. The facility was budgeted to run a $393,000 deficit in the second quarter. 

At the end of June, the events centre hosted 104 events over 77 days, which is above the budgeted 61 events over 48 days. 

The total turnstile general attendance was 64,781, over the 46,475 budgeted. 

Some of the highlights this year included Alice Cooper in April and Jurassic Quest and Brett Kissel in June. 

“For those events, we have made money on all those events,” said Moose Jaw Events Centre general manager Ryan MacIvor. 

Part of what helped with the financial situation was the fact that the facility did not budget for events in July and they didn’t forecast to have Jurassic Quest or Brett Kissel in town. 

The Moose Jaw Event Centre’s total income for the second quarter was $1.14 million, which is $94,000 over what was budgeted. 

MacIvor said they are still taking a cautious approach as the live events market is very unpredictable right now. 

“The Roughriders are a great example. They've had their one sold out event and even with events across Canada as well, some events do very, very well and attendance and others not so much,” he said. 

Helping with the bottom line was bringing food and beverage services in-house. Those services brought in income of $406,000, $218,000 more than what was budgeted. 

Expenditures were $1.29 million, which was $146,000 under budget. After adding $3,700 for Ticket Rocket gift cards and $89,600 for management fees you land on the $246,000 deficit. 

“It's also to note that our cash flow still remains a concern just due the nature of some of the timing with respect to our naming rights and some of the gift card redemptions that have taken place,” MacIvor said. 

MacIvor added that the Moose Jaw Events Centre is on schedule to remain on budget for the third and fourth quarters.