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With 44 events cancelled due to coronavirus concerns so far, the Augusta Civic Center’s financial debt is mounting, and the city’s general fund will have to cover the center’s budget shortfalls, WABI-TV reports.
The center anticipates being in debt by $400,000 by the end of June, a total that could reach $700,000 by September, said Earl Kingsbury, the center’s director.
“Hopefully we make enough money in the years coming up that we can pay that back to the general fund. But for the short term, that would come out of the general fund, and it would be a direct impact on the taxpayers,” Kingsbury told WABI.
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When the center reopens, its leaders will explore the idea of limiting the size of crowds until the public is more comfortable with attending large gatherings. The 44 event cancellations cover the period from March to July.