Ten social functions, 58 weddings, 61 corporate and nonprofit meetings and 505 Jacksonville Public Library events.
That’s what was on the calendar at The Conference Center at The Main Library in the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30.
Mandie McKenzie took over as manager of the center 10 days into the current fiscal year and plans to use her expertise as a certified meeting professional to put even more entries on the 2016-17 schedule.
She was the Friday Musicale’s office manager and rental agent for two years and the arts nonprofit’s executive director for four before joining the library.
“I really wanted to get back into hospitality and meetings. That’s my passion,” she said.
A graduate of the University of Central Florida’s Rosen College of Hospitality Management, McKenzie spent three years as an event manager for Destination Planning Corp., where her work included planning logistics for the JAX Chamber’s leadership trips to Indianapolis and Kansas City.
She said the library’s conference center, with 20,000 square feet of flexible meeting space including a 5,000-square-foot ballroom, a 391-seat auditorium and an outdoor courtyard is Jacksonville’s largest centrally located event venue without the food and beverage requirements that come with booking an event at a hotel.
“That gives our clients flexibility,” McKenzie said.
Her first two months have been devoted to evaluating the contract agreements used by the center, along with operations and rental rates.
“We’re tweaking the processes and cleaning up procedures,” McKenzie said.
The center isn’t meant to be a revenue stream for the library system, but rather an option for people and groups who need a place for an event.
It’s also an economical alternative for nonprofits that can get a discount when they have events there before 6 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Evenings and weekends are reserved for private corporate and social events, such as a wedding in the courtyard on the library’s second floor or a catered affair for up to 400 people in the Multipurpose Room.
The center is, however, expected to cover salaries for the six-member staff as well as operating costs and expenses for maintenance and improvements.
Revenue last year was about $315,000.
McKenzie said the calendar already is filling up for 2017.
“In several of the months, every Saturday is booked,” she said.
The goal is to have all the weekends reserved.
“It’s a busy place and very hectic. I’m enjoying it,” said McKenzie.
Tours of the conference center’s facilities are available 10:30 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Friday by appointment. Call (904) 630-1947 for details or visit jaxpubliclibrary.org/conferencecenter.
(904) 356-2466