It's estimated over 40,000 people have attended events at LaSalle's new Event Centre since it opened just over a year ago.
Council received a report Tuesday evening detailing the first year of operations at the $6.5-million centre on the LaSalle Landing property at 970 Front Rd.
The town acquired the former dry boat storage unit back in 2018 and the renovated space that opened in November 2022 as the Event Centre.
Since opening, there have been 28 Town of LaSalle led or supported events, including events such as Night Markets, the Spring Fling, Santa Breakfast to Last Call Before Fall.
There were 17 third party led events, with approximately half of those re-booking for 2024.
Patti Funaro, Director of Culture and Recreation for the Town of LaSalle, says there were also 139 drop in pickleball sessions held, with 2,313 paid attendees.
"We hosted indoor pickleball throughout the colder months and then a number of smaller events that we utilized just to create exposure," she says. "Based on all of the events, we did an estimate of attendance in all of those and we're estimating more than 40,000 people have attended events at the Event Centre since it opened last November."
Inside LaSalle's new event centre on Wednesday morning (Photo taken by AM800's Aaron Mahoney)
Funaro says they're feeling very good about the first year.
"We've had a very successful year, again, the revenue numbers are great but we're also feeling very good about all the systems and processes that were put in place and being able to manage the operation of the Event Centre with all the other activities that we do and still be able to manage everything appropriately," she adds.
Total rental revenue for event rentals is expected to meet or exceed the $38,400 revenue target identified in the 2023 operational budget.
The LaSalle Event Center features 21,500 square-feet of indoor event space for year-round use, 15,000 square-feet of outdoor event space on the asphalt plaza, food servery with fridge, freezer and preparation sink, meeting rooms and large glass doors that open to an outdoor plaza overlooking the Detroit River.