Salina Draft Budget Sets Aside $880,000 for Tony's Pizza Events Center

The City of Salina's proposed 2027 budget continues an $880,000 annual expenditure for Tony's Pizza Events Center, while projections show the fund supporting the facility declining during the year.

The draft budget lists $880,000 in contractual expenditures for TPEC in 2027, the same amount budgeted in 2026.

However, projected revenues into the TPEC fund total approximately $800,000, leaving expenditures about $80,000 higher than incoming revenue.

The city's projections show the fund beginning 2027 with approximately $220,314 and ending the year with about $140,314.

The budget also lists a $130,000 transfer from the General Fund to TPEC.

The city's tourism tax structure also includes funding connected to TPEC operations and capital expenses, creating additional questions about the total amount of public funding supporting the facility and how those dollars flow between city funds.

The 2027 budget remains a draft and is not the final adopted city budget. Funding amounts could change before final approval by the Salina City Commission.