Tony Camarillo kept the RP Funding Center doors open during the past seven years, with a $16 million renovation, negotiated a five-year, $5 million sponsorship with an NBA minor league team to Lakeland, and reduced the city’s annual operations subsidy by 60% despite, and has endured a pandemic-induced “worst year ever” in 2020, according to records.
Camarillo has been the director since 2015, he drew high praise during the Lakeland City Commission’s February strategy session for the job he has done the last seven years managing the city-owned multipurpose entertainment/convention center.
“I’m very appreciative of the leadership he provides and the steps he has taken,” Lakeland Mayor Bill Mutz said of Camarillo.
Then Mutz demanded that he cut $800,000 from the $1.8 million subsidies the RP Funding Center projects it will request from the city in next year’s budget, while the commission ponders bringing in a professional venue management company or consultant and fire Camarillo.
Camarillo was trying to figure out how to accommodate Mutz’s demand to increase revenues and/or decrease costs to fill a prospective $800,000 slash in the city’s annual subsidy for the center.
“It is pretty impossible or very difficult” to cut more money from the center’s operations budget, he said, especially after it slashed nearly $500,000 from payroll by not filling seven vacant full-time positions last year, trimming staff to 42.
“The only way we are going to do that is if we eliminate the type of events we do,” such as those that the center sponsors, he said, including the Broadway show series which often require a 16-month advance booking window.
But, Mutz said, “There is not an appetite” for the city “to suck it up much more” when it comes to subsidizing the RP Funding Center’s operations, adding, “We have many places we can point to” that could also use city subsidies.
The money that the city subsidized the center is a good investment in the community. The events We have attended have been top quality. I believe the center is well run. Where does the mayor want to spend the 8 hundred thousand? On his pet project? Leave the center alone.
“ while the commission ponders bringing in a professional venue management company or consultant and fire Camarillo.” Sounds like the Mayor has someone in mind and wants a kickback of some kind. You can’t fire the like without cause unless you want a millions of dollar lawsuit on your hands for wrongful termination.