You know what's wrong with the Flat Rock Playhouse?

This:

But [Flat Rock Playhouse Producing Artistic Director Vincent Marini] pointed out that "nonprofit businesses like ours are not designed to stand on their own. If they were, they would be for-profit businesses."
(From the print edition of today's Times-News. I urge you to buy a copy and read the entire article--it's an amazing display of the entitlement mentality.)

That has to be one of the most ignorant statements on business I've seen.

Non-profits, just like for-profits, are expected to stay within budgets, have realistic business plans, and reinvest in their infrastructure. All the "non-profit" part means is that because of the services they provide, they are exempt from certain tax burdens and any "profit" they do make has to be handled in a specific way--not that they are to be permanent leeches on the taxpayers. A theater is not a public safety authority, like the police and fire departments--it should not be guaranteed never-ending taxpayer monies.

I have no problem with the Flat Rock Playhouse receiving government funds set aside to help non-profits--the Playhouse does contribute to the economic well-being of Henderson County (and I feel for the Playhouse employees who do an outstanding job and are now caught in the middle of this). But that money should come through applying for grants, requesting sponsorships, etc., that are reviewed every year--not from a guaranteed income revenue stream based on increased taxes that harms one of the most vital segments of the county economy, the lodging/tourism industry.

Just a few months ago, Mr. Marini was saying that the tax funding they would receive would go towards helping create shared marketing (never mind that tourism marketing is not the Playhouse's mission or that such an undertaking would be incredibly expensive and totally outside the Playhouse area of expertise):

... The Playhouse plans to supplement the proposed extra funds with its own marketing dollars to pursue a strategy of "cooperation and integration" among all tourism entities in order "to change the game in terms of tourism in Henderson County," said Producing Artistic Director Vincent Marini....

The Playhouse's plan highlights six strategies for exploring "new and innovative ways" to allow other tourism entities controlled access to its patron base.

Examples include featuring a different local B&B or inn each week in a display in the lobby of the Playhouse Downtown; enabling the 15,000 monthly visitors to the Playhouse website to book vacations that incorporate county museums, lodging, dining, recreation and entertainment options; and the creation of a shared reservation system that allows the Playhouse to act as a central reservation center for county tourism, while allowing hotels, inns, restaurants and other attractions to sell Playhouse tickets....

So which is it? Do they need the funding to meet payroll? Or to create a county-wide marketing strategy? And why was that idea floated (seemingly to placate the lodging industry) if they really needed the money for operating expenses?

The Playhouse celebrates 60 years this year. For 50-some odd of those years, from my understanding, it operated primarily in the black. Now, it is financially deeply in the hole, and looking for a government "permanent funding mechanism" (i.e., taxpayer money/bailout) to dig itself out.

Perhaps those involved in the Playhouse need to look at what has happened over the past few years to create their financial trouble (and don't blame it all on the economy--other non-profits have weathered the downturn without incurring massive debt) and start with fixing that, not looking for a handout.