Cajundome cash - expenses 8-05 - 10-05 $4,076,338

[Mattie]

http://2theadvocate.com/stories/090705/sub_cajundome001.shtml

Add these considerations when figuring up the total that Katrina will cost and multiply it by at least 20 to get a round figure.

Electricity for the facility -- which now must be air-conditioned 24 hours a day -- is running $300 an hour, and cleaning supplies and services are at $16,400 a day, according to budget figures prepared by Cajundome staff.

If the shelter remains open until Oct. 31, as most expect it will, the total bill would come to at least $4,076,338, according to the figures.

And while expenses mount, the Cajundome is losing out on its normal source of revenue -- conventions, concerts and other large-scale events.

The Cajundome staff estimated revenue loss at about $400,000.

That's more than half the total Cajundome expenses of $6.4 million for the most recent budget year.

The biggest expense is contract cleaning services, estimated at $634,400 the period of Aug. 30 though Oct. 31. The high cost comes because the facility must be cleaned like a hospital to prevent the spread of disease, infections or other health problems.

That doesn't include a major food service contract for an oil company that Davis said the Cajundome had to pass up because staff members have their hands full at the shelter.

"We had to choose the evacuees," Davis said.

The use of the Cajundome as a shelter comes at a time when Davis has been pushing for $10.5 million in state dollars for a five-year renovation project on the 20-year-old facility.

Davis has said that without the upgrades, the facility will not last more than 20

[CajunMama]

I wonder why some evacuees couldn't be hired. I would think there would be someone who would be willing to work.

[Mattie]

I agree CM - I think we should put those that are able and willing to work in the communities where they are sheltered would be an excellent idea and also boost their egos a bit I would think.

[crazycajuncane]

The Cajundome wasn't doing to well. The minor league hockey team that once had an attendance of 13,000 every night dwindled to less that 1,500 the last 3 seasons. This created a loss at the Cajundome and cuts had to be made. Let's hope that we gets some federal $$$ to help assist us. The Cajundome is a really nice arena.