DECC $1M Line Of Credit Untouched, Not Extended; Board Celebrates New Revenue

DULUTH, Minn. — It’s been exactly one year since Duluth city councilors said they were blindsided by a $1 million emergency line of credit request from the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC).

But on Tuesday, the DECC board publicly celebrated that not a dime of the line of credit had been touched, and new revenue is up.

Board President Peter Singler released a statement that said the board is also not seeking to extend the $1 million line of credit.

Singler said the DECC saw a 19-percent increase in new revenues in 2023 while hosting roughly 602,000 guests.

The line of credit was needed last year because the DECC’s utility bills had gone up to more than $800,000 since 2019, according to Singler.

Employee wages were also up more than $2 million with fewer hours worked.

And on top of that, the DECC experienced $600,000 of emergency maintenance that Singler said had been deferred for decades by past leadership.

The statement goes on to read:

“Given our complex campus of nine venues, there will surely be more interesting times ahead. However, we want to take a pause and celebrate. Big shoutout to our staff who have done more with less, while simultaneously hosting new business. The DECC also owes a debt of gratitude to my fellow board members for the directional leadership that has steered us well, and to the City of Duluth and its past and current leadership & councilors for providing the safety net,” Singler said.

Singler also thanked the community for seeing shows at the DECC, buying beer, eating nachos and touring the haunted ship. He said those purchases all add up to supporting the financial health of the operation.