Bringing life to downtown Rockford through celebrated entertainment venues is the goal.

Local businessman Mike Dunn headed the venues committee in charge of making the recommendations. The first order of business the committee outlines is to appoint members to the Rockford Area Venues and Entertainment Authority, which will replace the Metro Center Authority.

They will be reps from all big entertainment hosts like the Metro Center and IceHogs managers, Coronado Theater, Sullivans Center, Davis Park, and a future convention center.

"I think it's really critical that the board be reflective of all those different stakeholder needs, interests and that there's the right talent, backgrounds to support that mission," Mayor Larry Morrissey said.

The venues committee recommends the new authority group work with the Convention and Visitors Bureau on a contractual marketing plan. The committee found it would be more efficient to consolidate downtown development work. They also call for more reliance on their own revenues and less dependency on a tax-payer subsidy.

"We call for a worst case scenario in any one given year of one mllion dollars and we have evidence that these venues can operate at far less than the 1 million dollar subsidy level," Mike Dunn said.

The committee also recommends more accountability of the authority to keep them in check. Quarterly reports will be presented to Rockford's city council to see if revenues grow. There are no consequences.

"If you have a blameless environment you put the numbers on the table, what you try to do is solve problems," Mayor Morrissey said.

The goal will be to save the city 500-thousand dollars a year.