Board of Aldermen — 9/12/17 Page 8
recently carried that message to this Board’s Budget Review Committee on August 28" when the Committee
met to consider this legislation at a hearing which demonstrated as tonight’s meeting does overwhelming
support of public comments from across the city.
We recognize that this is a significant undertaking for the city and that there are costs involved. Those of you
familiar with my own record as an alderman her many years ago may remember that | never took financial
commitments lightly and that has not changed. However, our Board also believes that the positive economic
impact of a performing arts center on downtown in particular and on the greater Nashua region as a whole will
be significant. A pack will not only have the direct impact of bringing people downtown to shop, dine, and to
attend performances but it will have the positive indirect benefit of adding to our city’s vibrancy making it more
attractive to young people, to highly educated skilled workers, and to businesses looking to relocate or expand
in Nashua. The recently released report by Americans for the Arts provides significant insight in the value of a
vibrant arts and cultural presence in a community. In fact the four New Hampshire communities studied —
Rochester, Concord, Portsmouth and the Monadnock region benefit from a combined $120 million of positive
economic impact from audience goers alone not the operating or capital expenditures by the performing arts
organizations themselves just by audience goers every single year. Of that which may be a particular interest
to you all, local government revenues from taxes, fees and licenses totaled $6.5 million each year. These
audience goers were highly educated on average 78 percent had a four-year college degree or higher. These
audience goers were from a higher income household. On average, 54 percent had household income of
$80,000 a year or more. A significant percentage of these audience goers came from other communities. On
average, over a third of attendees did not live in the community where the performance they attended was held
so new revenues were coming into that community.
In short, these are the very people we want to attract into Nashua — well educated, economically successful,
and often non-residents who will get a chance to see how truly great our community is and hopefully chose to
make their homes and locate their businesses here. We strongly urge a positive vote on R-17-116. The
economic promise of this project is there for us to grasp and promises to continue to yield benefits, economic,
cultural, social, and educational for generations to come. Thank you for your time and your attention. | do have
copies of our letter of support for all of you. Thank you very much again.
Allyssa O’Mara, 30 Front Street
Good evening. |’m a little nervous but as a resident of Ward 3 for the past four years, | felt the need to speak
before tonight’s going on the proposed performing arts center. I’ve been at attendance at most of the previous
meetings and I’m grateful to have the opportunity to speak. To those aldermen that are opposed or undecided,
| understand that you feel that you’re representing the majority of your wards in the city. Perhaps I’m in the
minority, although | don’t feel like that tonight in my thinking, but | just can’t find a negative in regards to the
subject of the center. It seems to me like the main issue people are having are the financial obligation the city
would be taking on. Again, | don’t see a negative. To make money, you must spend money. | say this not just
as a resident of Ward 3 but also as a small business owner and entrepreneur in Nashua. The potential
revenue the city in all of its small businesses would accrue seems well worth the initial or costs incurred.
We as a city have been discussing ways to attract new young professionals since the Mayoral Election a few
years ago. With all the development of housing, text startups, spaces, etc., wouldn’t the new venue be an
attraction particularly in Nashua where there really isn’t a lot to do as a young professional other than go to the
bar in the evening. | personally would relish a new venue with different types of entertainment. | feel as
though I’m in your target demographic. I’m a 30 something female, small business owner, who moved back to
Nashua after nine years being away. | didn’t think at that time that | would or could love this city as much as |
do. | didn’t know that | would open my own business and | couldn’t be more grateful for the downtown
business community that has welcomed and supported me in my first year through today even though I’m
technically in the Millyard.
This amazing little city that we live in is changing and | believe it’s time for us to pick up the pace and change
with it. We need a Main Street revolution and the performing arts center would be the catalyst. | commend
Cheryl and Tim from Tangled Roots and Danielle and Cami from Camaraderie Boutique for being in the first
