LEWISTON – Councilors stacked a new corporation that will run the Central Maine Civic Center with city officials Tuesday night.

Mayor Lionel Guay, Councilors Mark Paradis and Norm Rousseau and three city administration officials will lead the nine-member board of directors of the Lewiston Urban Civic Center Enterprises, LLC.

“I think it’s very important to have people that are accountable to the taxpayers sit on this board,” said City Administrator Jim Bennett, who was also appointed. “Personally, my reputation and what happens at that facility are going to be linked – probably forever. That’s why I’m recommending my involvement.”

The council agreed to purchase the ice rink and arena last week to help keep the Lewiston Maineiacs semi-professional hockey team in town. The corporation will run the center for the city, hiring an arena manager and taking care of renovations.

Assistant City Administrator Phil Nadeau and Finance Director Dick Metivier were also appointed to the board.

Maineiac’s Vice President Matt McKnight will sit on the board as the team’s representative and Lewiston Youth Hockey President Marc Poirier will also sit on the board. A ninth seat will be reserved for an additional investor in the civic center, Bennett said.

The council also created a 15-member advisory board to work as a liaison between the community and the corporation. That group will be made up of business owners and the public.

City Clerk Kathy Montejo said she will accept applications for that board until Jan. 29.

Councilors are scheduled to appoint members to that board at their Feb. 3 meeting.

Councilors agreed to assume $4.7 million in debt to take over the civic center last week. According to the agreement, the city pays civic center owner Roger Theriault $250,000 over the next 10 years, gives the team a $200,000 loan and assumes another $4.2 million in debt.

The team had complained of tardy renovations and misfiring ticket selling computers. Bennett said he was convinced the team was preparing to leave Lewiston.

The city agreed to assume responsibility for repairs and pay $321,853 in debt to the contractors that had finished work on the center.

The team will pay a base rent of $94,000 each year, according to the new contract. 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.

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