City Manager Advises To Have Five Flags Vote To Be Delayed to 2022

Dubuque City Manager Mike Van Milligen is recommending to the Dubuque City Council to put off the vote on the expansion of the Five Flags Civic Center to 2022. In a memo, Van Milligen advises that the issue be tabled until January 18, 2022. Van Milligen says that in fiscal year 2021, the city is anticipating a multi-million-dollar revenue shortfall that could lead to service cuts and employee layoffs. The city is anticipating a nearly $12 million revenue loss for the fiscal year that started Wednesday. Plans called for voters to be asked this September to approve the city borrowing up to $74.3 million to renovate the Five Flags Civic Center and increase seating to more than 6,400 seats. Five Flags Civic Center Commission members voted unanimously last month to recommend the election be held on September 14, 2021.