BLOOMINGTON - Operators reported another month of losses for the U.S. Cellular Coliseum in a financial report released Monday.

As the city braced for another loss, the Bloomington City Council is ready to take public comments at an open house from 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 20 at the Coliseum.

The report shows operations for July ran a total loss of roughly $287,000. Of that, $103,129 was in operational losses and $184,000 went to pay for the bonds issued to pay for the building, according to the report.

During the first three months of the city's fiscal year, the Coliseum has run up about $755,000 in losses. The estimated loss for the year is $1.6 million.

Central Illinois Arena Management turned in the report Aug. 25, when it was due. The report was released to the public after city staff reviewed the report and issued it to the Bloomington City Council.

Coliseum General Manager Mike Nelson said the operating loss is expected in summer months, a time when there is little activity for arenas.

"Summer is summer and any place is going to be hard pressed to show an operating profit," Nelson said.

There were no concerts booked for the Coliseum in July. Nelson said the shows available to play the Coliseum were too expensive and too much of a risk.

City Manager Tom Hamilton said he anticipates another loss for August because it is still in the slow period for the arena business.

The report showed a total of 36,144 in attendance for 17 days of activity in July. Of those 17 days, eight were for corporate meetings with fewer than 65 people. A football camp July 16 had an attendance of 30.

The biggest draws for the month were for three events. More than 30,000 people attended two Jehovah's Witnesses conventions. The Extreme's United Indoor Football game July 7 had an attendance of 5,634.

Nelson said management has a number of concerts, shows and games already booked for the fall and winter months. Nelson said the Coliseum is on pace to hold about 120 ticketed events for the year. In its first year of operation, the Coliseum had 108 ticketed events.

Hamilton said the schedule for the coming months shows a lot of promise toward making up some of the debt incurred during the summer. He anticipated seeing a turnaround in the loss for the October reports.

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Coliseum talk

What: Bloomington City Council forum on the U.S. Cellular Coliseum.

When: 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 20

Where: U.S. Cellular Coliseum, 101 S. Madison St., Bloomington.