At Tuesday’s Maricopa City Council meeting, members of the public renewed their complaints about prohibitively high fees at city facilities.
“While [Maricopa Community Theatre] is enthusiastic about the development of the new performing arts center in the old police station, we continue to have significant concerns regarding the proposed hourly usage rates for the facility,” said Andrew Coonts-Kapor Tuesday. “The fees remain prohibitively high for MCT to manage financially.”
Coonts-Kapor said the theatre company would use their current space, leaving the newly developed space unused.
It’s a common complaint heard for years. In response, the city lowered facility rental fees in 2023.
Last month, council members mulled even more reductions for room rentals around the city, including Copper Sky and Maricopa Library and Cultural Center.
In a seemingly unrelated move, newly elected county supervisor Rich Vitiello offered a county board room the public can use for free.
Vitiello said the offer isn’t in response to the community complaints over high rental fees. Rather, he just found the unused space and wanted to offer it.
“No one knew it was available,” he said by phone today.
It’s a conference room with a large table, 26 chairs and a TV. The room is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
In less than 24 hours, the county has already fielded two calls about the newly announced space.
Is it a solution for groups looking for more space? Maybe for some, but not for those looking for an open floor plan.
“You can’t move the table,” said Vitiello.
The room is available at the County Justice Center at 19955 N. Wilson Ave. To book the space, call or email: [email protected] or call 520-866-3960.
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