The Centre of the Universe is closing a the end of the summer. The headline itself was funny but then I read the article. The Centre of the Universe had 10,000 visitors in 2012 generating $47,000 in sales. Which equals $4.70 per visitor. The physical operating costs are $34,000 per year or $93.15 per day. This would work out to requiring 20 visitors a day to just cover those costs. Based on standard (mind you old) business practices the Centre would have to have 3 times that number to be profitable or 60 visitors a day. This would generate $102,930 a year.
However, The Centre of the Universe has three staff (1 full time, 2 part-time)costing $245,000 a year. First off, my Danish Princess said sign me up for one of those jobs. According to the Federal Guys in charge of the money, closing down The Centre of the Universe is a cost cutting measure. It also mentioned that the Full-Time employee will be moved to another Government department. This means they are not really saving that salary. For arguments sake let's assume that this employee makes $125,000 a year which means WE the tax payer will save $120,000 a year and two lowly part-timers earning $60,000 a year are out of jobs.
Here's a question where else could you work part-time for $60,000 a year or $5,000 a month?
NO FUCKING where, that's where.
Here's another question, where am I going with this?
Closing The Centre of the Universe is nonsense. The taxpayer is still going to have to maintain the building at a cost of $34,000 a year. If The Centre of the Universe hired a new Tour co-ordinator and some students that would get a decent wage and would receive course credits for time served they should be able to come with a new budget for The Centre of the Universe.
Here's an example.
Tour Co-Ordinator $60,000 per year
6 PT Students $60,000 per year (25 weeks each @ $400 per week)
Hey look at all the people we put to work, 3 times the Government did. Look at all the income tax revenue we'll generate.
Staff Co ST $120,000
Building $34,000
Total $154,000
No. of Visitors Req. 90 per day (@ $4.70 per = $154,395)
If they upped the price of admission to $6.50 (cheaper than a movie) they would require 64 visitors per day to cover the costs. This is not impossible with the promotional tools we have today. If The Centre of the Universe could find some corporate sponsors they could reduce these costs as well. SAVE-ON The Centre of the Universe or TELUS The Centre of the Universe or even BCTV The Centre of the Universe, feel the name just like they do for the BC PLACE and other venues across North America. Every time you bought a carrot or advertised The Centre of the Universe would be there, and in the Newspaper where this whole story to started.
Comes back to 'USE Some Common Sense' and we can find solutions to everything. That's all I have to say about that, at least for now.
Next Up, BC Hydro, Gro-Ops and US.
