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New studies show impact of Allied Solutions Center

9/10/2025 12AM

Allied Solutions Center is the independent nonprofit organization created to operate the Payne & Mencias Palladium, the Tarkington and the Studio Theater under a 50-year lease agreement with city government, which constructed the three-venue campus at City Center to enhance quality of life and support the city’s arts-based economic development strategy. | Photo by Bill Crawford/Harbor Pictures


Analyses find efficient management, boon to tourism and economy

 

CARMEL, Ind. – Two new studies show that Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts generates more than $27 million annually in economic activity for Hamilton County and that its current nonprofit management agreement with the City of Carmel results in better programming at lower cost than would be expected from a contracted commercial operator or direct city management.

 

Allied Solutions Center is the independent nonprofit organization created to operate the Payne & Mencias Palladium, the Tarkington and the Studio Theater under a 50-year lease agreement with city government, which constructed the three-venue campus at City Center to enhance quality of life and support the city’s arts-based economic development strategy. Allied Solutions Center commissioned the studies earlier this year to inform its strategic planning process.

 

The Indiana Business Research Center at Indiana University examined the economic and employment impact of Allied Solutions Center’s operations. Among its key findings:

  • Employment: ASCPA-related activities support 259 jobs in Carmel generating nearly $12.6 million each year in employee compensation. Expanded to all of Hamilton County, the study tallied the equivalent of 302 jobs producing nearly $15.4 million in payroll.
  • Economy: ASCPA-related activities contributed nearly $22.9 million in gross domestic product to Carmel’s economy and $27.4 million countywide.
  • Tax revenue: ASCPA-related activities in Hamilton County generated an estimated $1.5 million in annual revenue for local government units in the county and $2.5 million in state government revenue.


A separate analysis was conducted by Hunden Partners, a Chicago-based global destination real estate advisory firm. The scope included quantifying the fair market value of Allied Solutions Center’s management and operational services, benchmarking against peer performing arts centers nationwide, assessing tangible and intangible benefits to the city and community, and evaluating the funding model within a national and local context.

 

The Hunden report reached these key conclusions:

  • Near-optimal community value: Performing arts centers typically require subsidies to sustain mission-based programming. ASCPA’s nonprofit model leverages $2.25 million in annual city support and up to $3 million in private contributions each year to maximize community impact, while shifting to full city or private operation could increase costs and reduce program value.
  • Efficiency compared to peers: ASCPA operates at approximately $581 less per seat than the peer average while maintaining competitive program revenue per seat, which reflects efficient use of resources and effective calendar utilization.
  • Strong regional visitation: In 2024, ASCPA attracted nearly 100,000 visits lasting more than 60 minutes, with 79 percent of those visits from non-residents. This breadth of visitation encourages both on-site spending and off-site spending at Carmel shops, restaurants, festivals, hotels and other support amenities.
  • Significant community and mission-based programming: ASCPA provides approximately $760,000 annually in free or subsidized space for resident companies, along with educational programs, many free or subsidized, that draw more than 13,000 visits each year.

 

Headshot of a man with white hair in a dark suit

CEO Jeff McDermott

“These findings are a testament to the hard work of Allied Solutions Center’s staff, board and volunteers in managing resources wisely while providing excellent programming and an exceptional visitor experience for the community,” President/CEO Jeffrey C. McDermott said. “More fundamentally, the numbers prove that the City of Carmel’s strategic investment in the arts is paying off as intended, both economically and culturally.”

 

About Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts

The mission of Allied Solutions Center for the Performing Arts, celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2026, is to engage and inspire the Indiana community through enriching arts experiences. The nonprofit organization’s campus in Carmel, Indiana, includes the 1,500-seat Payne & Mencias Palladium concert hall, the 500-seat Tarkington proscenium theater and the black-box Studio Theater. Allied Solutions Center presents and hosts hundreds of events each year, including the annual Center Presents performance season, featuring the best in classical music, jazz, pop, rock, country, comedy and other genres. Educational and experiential programming for all ages includes children’s concerts and camps, book clubs, lectures, and classes in music and stand-up comedy. Allied Solutions Center is home to the affiliated Great American Songbook Foundation and provides space and support services for six resident arts companies. More information is available at TheCenterPresents.org.