McMinnville officials are wagering on a better 2021.

Park Theater has planned two concerts for next year: Kentucky Headhunters and T. Graham Brown. Deposits of $5,000 and $2,750, respectively, are due to those performers.

“The deposits were due before we closed for the pandemic,” said McMinnville Parks and Recreation director Scott McCord. “They are both due, ASAP. These concerts are for February and March of next year.”

McCord and Park Theater manager Kevin Roberts asked members of the city Parks and Recreation Committee to decide if they should pay those deposits or cancel the concerts.

“Has anyone contacted their representatives to see if they are still interested?” asked Alderman Mike Neal.

Roberts replied, “They are still interested. We just have to give them the deposits.”

If the deposits are given, said Roberts, and the city decides to cancel the concerts due to social distancing requirements being restrictive so that the number of people allowed in the theater will not allow the city to break even financially, the city loses those payments.

“There is a force majeure clause in the contract that if there is a national pandemic, regional pandemic or even a state pandemic and they cannot perform safely, what we do is mutually agree to move the date to another time that’s good for both of us,” said Roberts. “If it opens up that we can do the concert, but we can only put 200 people in there, then we have to decide if we want to go ahead and pay the balance due and we will lose money on the concerts. We, hopefully, will be back operating by February.”

Alderman Everett Brock asked about the breakeven point for the Kentucky Headhunters concert.

“About 300,” said Roberts, referring to attendance.

Brock stated, “So, it would be less for T. Graham Brown? About half.”

“Yes,” said Roberts. “This isn’t major money, but we wanted to be fiscally responsible and bring it to you to see if you have any issues with it.” 

From January to June, COVID-19 evolved from an isolated disease in a region of China to a global pandemic. Warren County had its first confirmed case at the end of March and was up to 403 confirmed cases on Monday.

 “You would think we wouldn’t be doing this by then, but we’ve been saying that for about four months,” said Alderman Steve Harvey.

Parks and Recreation Committee members unanimously approved deposits of $5,000 for Kentucky Headhunters and $2,750 for T. Graham Brown. Both of those are scheduled for 2021.