Convention center caterers culled

Part of the effort to better stay on top of Fort Smith Convention Center finances has resulted in removing 11 caterers from the list approved to operate in the center.

Caterers cut include Eddie York (Art’s BBQ), Jerry Neel’s and Creative Kitchen.

The city of Fort Smith and the Fort Smith Convention & Visitors Bureau entered into a lease agreement during 2011 that placed convention center operations under the CVB management. The lease is expected to soon be renewed, with the expiration set for Dec. 31, 2014.

Approved caterers are those with a business license, health department certificate and appropriate proof of insurance. Caterers also are charged a 10% fee on the gross bill of a catering event at the center. Caterers who can’t provide the necessary documents each year or do not pay the catering fee are removed from the approved list, explained Claude Legris, executive director of the Fort Smith Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Beginning in early December, convention center staff notified by letter caterers who were delinquent with the catering fee. A follow up letter was sent Jan. 4 giving delinquent caterers another 30 days to pay or protest the charge.

Caterers eventually dropped (and business location) were Art’s BBQ (Fort Smith), Antoinette’s Cakes & More (Fayetteville); Compass Vending (Little Rock), Creative Kitchen (Fort Smith); El Rodeo (Fort Smith); Gregory’s Catering (Fort Smith); Honeybaked Ham (Fort Smith); Jerry Neel’s (Fort Smith); La Ciesta (Roland); Michael’s Catering (Sallisaw); Zella Zista Catering (Fort Gibson)

“I think we’ve been pretty reasonable about it,” Legris said of the process. “We’re supposed to be conducting business over here like a business. We’re charged with maximizing the revenue, and that’s what we are doing.”

With the 11 dropped, the convention center has a list of 29 approved caterers. Legris said 29 is a good number, but more is better.

“I want to have a good list. I want to have a very solid list for people to pick from,” he said.

The list may increase to 30. Eddie York said he sent a check to cover the fees owed.

“I just put it in the mail to them today,” York said Tuesday, saying he thinks his charge was less than $300. “It was my fault. I just screwed around and forgot to get it off to them.”

“I’ve been working to get this place (Tommy’s Restaurant) going and do all the other things, so I’ve been busy, and, you know, distracted. … But I did owe that and was happy to pay it,” York noted.