City of Bemidji To Take Over Sanford Center Management After Council Vote

The Bemidji City Council voted on the future management of Sanford Center in their meeting on Tuesday evening, ultimately deciding to have the city itself take over management next year.

The current contract with Legends Global (formerly ASM Global) expires in March of 2027, and the event center has been operating in a deficit for the past several years. The council headed into their meeting with three potential options for future management:

• 1) a contract renewal with the current management company or to enter into an agreement with a new company
• 2) have the city to take over full responsibilities for management
• 3) shared responsibilities between the city and a management company

After discussion, the council voted late in the meeting for the city to begin preparations to assume management of the Sanford Center and to notify Legends Global of the city’s intent to not renew the contract. The motion passed in a 6-1 vote.

The city will be taking over all management of the Sanford Center beginning in March of next year. Lakeland News will have an extensive report from the night’s meeting on Wednesday’s newscast.