Groups that rent the Belle Mehus Auditorium could see a standard $4 per-ticket facility fee and a 20% share of net merchandise sales under a proposed 2027 rate structure the Bismarck Event Center Authority Board will review Monday, Nov. 16. The board's agenda lists "Belle Mehus Auditorium Rental Rates" for its 2 p.m. meeting, and a presentation in the packet calls the current model "financially unsustainable at existing rates." No rates have been approved.
The Details
- What: A review of Belle Mehus Auditorium rental rates and policies for 2027, according to the board's Nov. 16 agenda packet.
- Current rate: $600 base rent, with custodial and conversion waived and house lighting and sound at no cost, according to a presentation in the packet. The presentation describes ticketing under the current setup as "inconsistent."
- Proposed guidelines: A slide titled "2027 Rental Structure Guidelines" lists the facility fee as "varies" under "Current" and $4 under "Contractual," and the merchandise share as 0% now and 20% under "Contractual." Base rent is shown as $600 now, with a question mark in the "Contractual" column.
- When and where: 2 p.m. Nov. 16 in the fourth-floor mayor's conference room of the City/County Office Building, 221 N. Fifth St., per the agenda.
The Backstory
At the board's Oct. 19 meeting, the board recognized that current rates, unchanged since 2022, "no longer cover operating costs and contribute to a significant annual deficit," according to the minutes in the packet. The minutes say members discussed a tiered structure for local nonprofits, local for-profit users and national touring acts, and acknowledged the Belle "may always operate at a loss similar to other public institutions." The board agreed OVG, the Event Center's third-party operator, should return with a structured proposal including cost scenarios, labor analyses and usage breakdowns. Existing rates stay in place until a new model is approved, which the minutes say will likely happen in December.
The new presentation sums up a Nov. 4 meeting with nonprofit users. Priorities listed include a phased pricing transition, predictability for annual events, standardized contracts and facility policies, flexibility in ticketing and operations, and balancing financial sustainability with community access.
The packet's sample budgets show where the money goes. A 700-ticket nonprofit show with four rehearsal days brings in $2,870 against $7,770 in operating and waived costs, a $4,900 shortfall. A four-show for-profit run comes out $2,685 short. A single weekend-night national act event nets $8,315. The presentation puts daily operating expense at $1,095.
What It Means for Bismarck
Local groups fill most of the Belle's calendar. Nonprofits account for 65 days of use and national acts for 10, according to the usage slides.
A pricing-philosophy slide suggests maintaining rates for educational, community arts, cultural and youth organizations. It calls for more revenue from commercial events, ticketed local productions, repeat users who need special staffing, and events that sell merchandise.
Ticketing is part of the review too. The presentation says the Event Center's contract with its ticketing vendor, Etix, requires all ticketing services at its facilities to go through that vendor, and that several organizations now use independent systems. It also says outside food needs prior approval as the venue expands its food and beverage program.
Before You Go
- Monday's meeting is a review of a proposal; no new rates have been adopted. The October minutes say current rates stay in place until a new model is approved, likely in December.
- The agenda and full packet are posted on the city's CivicClerk portal.
Sources: Bismarck Event Center Authority Board agenda packet, Nov. 16, 2026; Bismarck Event Center Authority Board agenda, Nov. 16, 2026