LEWISTON – Councilors put their money on ice Tuesday, accepting $4.7 million in new debt to take over the Central Maine Civic Center.

“This is a chance to put tax money into something wholesome, something the whole family can participate in,” said Councilor Lillian O’Brien. “By investing in this facility, we keep it and we keep it running. If we have to pay tax money to keep it running, I think we as elected officials should be willing to do that.”

More than 100 people attended a special City Council meeting Tuesday to have their say, some spilling over into a second room to watch the meeting on television.

Most said they supported having the city bail out the troubled ice arena to keep the Lewiston Maineiacs Quebec Major Junior Hockey team in town.

“Almost every business venture is a risk,” said Rose Wilson of 324 Webster St. “I think in this case, you would be wise to take that risk.”

Others said the decision was not that simple.

“The city has proven in the past to be a poor business manager,” said Bruce Damon of 22 Buttonwood Lane. “I think it’s really a stretch to think that because the city is taking it over, this is somehow going to become a money-making operation.”

Councilors agreed to assume the debt, voting 6-0 to take over the civic center. Councilor Renee Bernier, the billet coordinator for the team, abstained from voting.

According to the agreement, the city will pay civic center owner Roger Theriault $250,000 over the next 10 years, give the team a $200,000 loan and assume another $4.2 million in debt, according to a proposed agreement. That includes the original $2 million loan guarantee the city gave Theriault last year.

The city will create a limited liability corporation and a seven-member board of directors to manage the arena.

City Administrator Jim Bennett said the city needs to invest in the arena if it hopes to get the $2 million loan guarantee back. The new agreement is structured to give the city more money if game attendance goes up. The city could make money on the deal, Bennett said.

“I have run several pro-formas on this, and there is money to be made,” Bennett said. “But it depends on the support of the community as well.”

The council approved the $2 million loan guarantee to Theriault last February in a successful bid to bring the hockey team to Lewiston. Theriault’s part of the bargain was to make millions of dollars in renovations to bring the civic center up to semi-professional hockey standards.

The team has complained of tardy renovations and misfiring ticket selling computers. Rows of seats have not been installed. Work has not begun on an executive box, a permanent team office and retail space. Bathrooms are missing mirrors, counters, working locks on stall doors and proper signs, according to the team.

Theriault also owes $321,853 to area builders, painters and engineers for work they’ve already completed on the center.

The city will assume responsibility for repairs and pay the contractors, according to the agreement. The team will pay a base rent of $94,000 each year. That could increase to almost $180,000 per year if attendance exceeds 2,500 spectators per game. The team has the option to break the agreement if attendance doesn’t exceed 2,500 for 17 games per season.

Bennett admitted the deal isn’t one he would have negotiated under normal circumstances.

“I would dare say that if we didn’t have that $2 million investment, we wouldn’t be asking for a vote here,” Bennett said. “I think we’d be willing to let private parties work out their differences on their own. But the bottom line is, if we don’t act, we lose that money.”

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