Dane County is seeking a partner from the private sector to lead major renovations to the Alliant Energy Center’s 58-year-old Veterans Memorial Coliseum, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.
The “transformative renovation” outlined in the county’s request for proposals, issued Monday, includes building system upgrades and modernization of guest spaces.
The RFP said the county is looking for a partner that can help the Coliseum compete with similarly sized venues in the region and turn a profit.
The partner, while making the facility more attractive for events like concerts, would also need to continue accommodating major annual events like World Dairy Expo and the Midwest Horse Fair.
While the Coliseum has a roughly 10,000-person capacity, the facility is dated and, according to Alliant Energy Center Executive Director Kevin Scheibler, ill-equipped for touring artists.
An analysis by real estate consultant Hunden Partners showed that renovations could cost about $125 million, but without them, the venue is projected to lose over $1 million per year by 2030.
With renovations, it would generate over $1 million in yearly profit.
