The Zlín Congress Center was visited by 128,000 people last year

Zlín - The Zlín Congress Center was visited by 128,000 people last year. CTK was informed today by the spokesperson of the Zlín city hall, Zdeněk Dvořák. That is about seven thousand visitors fewer than the year before last, but the center's revenues increased. The building in the center of the regional city was completed in 2010, designed by architect Eva Jiřičná. The Bohuslav Martinů Philharmonic resides in the center, where attendance has been growing annually in the new spaces. The venue is also rented for various competitions, concerts, congresses, and other events; it is home to the Zlín Film Festival for children and youth.

"The operating income was higher than planned, which was 13.2 million Czech crowns, amounting to 14.4 million crowns. Expenses were to reach 20.2 million crowns according to the plan, but in reality, just under 17 million crowns was sufficient," stated Dvořák. The income of the center two years ago was 13.3 million, and expenses were 14.7 million crowns.

The center will be managed by a new person; until now, it has been overseen by the head of the Cultural Center department of the city hall, Zdeněk Ševčík. "He is retiring by his own decision. We thank him for his services. We have no choice but to find a new head of the department that manages the Congress Center," said the mayor's deputy, Dalibor Stříbný (ANO). Information regarding the selection procedure will appear in July on the official bulletin board of the city website www.zlin.eu. "The assumption is that the new head will take over the Congress Center by autumn at the latest," added the spokesperson.

In spring, the city decided to repair the glass façade of the center, which involved replacing the jointing material that connects the individual glass blocks. The work was covered by a complaint against the construction supplier.

However, the city is still struggling to find a tenant for the Spirit restaurant, which is part of the center. The reason is also the high energy costs, as the restaurant is glass-enclosed. According to Stříbný, the costs for energy and wages during year-round daily operations amount to three to four million crowns annually. Therefore, the restaurant only opens for individual events, mostly during concerts of the philharmonic or the film festival.

The construction of the Congress Center cost 630 million crowns. The building constitutes a joint complex with the neighboring University Center, also designed by Jiřičná. The buildings stand on the site of the former Masaryk Schools.