Ames Center posts record revenue

by John Gessner Sun Thisweek Dakota County Tribune

Burnsville’s Ames Center posted record revenue last year and turned a projected operating deficit into a surplus, according to its annual report.

The 2024 performance is a far cry from earlier years when the performing arts venue the city opened in 2009 ran operating deficits.

Revenue totaled $2.43 million last year, beating expenses by $71,143. Revenue topped the budgeted forecast by $164,165. A projected $69,474 deficit became a surplus.

“2024 was the highest total revenue-earning year we’ve had at the Ames Center to date,” Executive Director Brian Luther told the City Council on Tuesday.

The center — which has a 1,000-seat main theater, a 150-seat black box theater, an art gallery and meeting space — continues to be in high demand, with many new events last year along with a strong roster of repeat clients, the report said.

Attendance totaled 133,735 at 137 events. Seventy-one were ticketed events, 35 were nonticketed and 31 were banquets and meetings.

“Overall it was another great year for us at the Ames Center,” said Luther, who runs the center under a city contract with venue operator VenuWorks. Council Member Dan Kealey called the performance a “great success story.”

This year’s performance so far is on track to meet or exceed 2025 budget expectations, the report said.

The center hosted several dance recitals in the past week, several more are scheduled, and June will bring two weeks of national dance competitions, Luther said.

“I get a lot of wonderful comments from a lot of the parents who have been coming to the dance competitions,” Mayor Elizabeth Kautz said. “They know places around Burnsville. Somehow they also know that I’m the mayor, and when they see me at the (Mediterranean) Cruise, they let me know what a wonderful facility the Ames Center is and how much they enjoy coming.”

The center is continuing to invest in production and operations equipment, the report said.

Philanthropically, it donated 884 event tickets last year to regional nonprofit groups and VetTix, which provides free tickets to military members and veterans.

John Gessner can be reached at john.gessner@apgecm.com or 952-846-2031.