OTTUMWA — If you only look at the bottom line, the Bridge View Center’s numbers can be disappointing.

“The numbers came in at half of what [Centerplate] had expected,” Finance Director Mike Heffernan said Wednesday. “The overall deficit was $100,000 more than anticipated.”

Heffernan said “that extra amount” for the most part comes out of the general fund. The city “did amend the budget” by $50,000 because that was expected. Now another $50,000 must be set aside.

One thing that didn’t help the numbers is that both city and Centerplate staff members prepared a budget before the center ever opened.

“[We] were doing that budget blindly and didn’t have the direct experience to go from,” Heffernan said.

Staffers had to “pull numbers out of the air” as they checked on budgets at other comparable events centers. Bridge View didn’t open until the middle of the fiscal year and that had “some impact” on booking events, Heffernan added.

The finance director’s tally sheet for Bridge View Center shows total revenue and expense. For the 12 months ending June 30, 2008, staffers projected revenue would total $1,070,415; but, the actual revenue was $526,397.

They also projected expenses to total $1,505,943.20, which is comprised of total direct expense, $243,934.40; total labor, $835,323.80; and total indirect expense, $426,685.

That left a projected deficit of $435,528.20.

Actual expense consisted of total direct, $222,330, less than projected; total labor, $511,583, also lower; and total indirect, $329,147, also lower. Actual expense totaled $1,063,060.

Subtract expenses ($1,063,060) from revenue ($526,397) and the net surplus deficit is $536,663.

What leads up to those bottom lines?

Heffernan and Jon Elbaum, Bridge View’s general manager, prepared “Bridge View Center: Annual Report Fiscal 2007-08,” which noted numerous details about the center’s operations and bookings.

Many of those details are positive developments. For example, under “Analysis of Operations,” the report noted a variety of usage patterns: Consumer shows, family entertainment, commercial usage, trade shows, conventions and social events.

Consumer shows like the Home Expo and the shows for knife and gun collectors or recreational vehicle enthusiasts have been “very successful.” The Southeast Iowa Kennel Club has asked for dates through 2012 at Bridge View and the recent inaugural Quilting Show brought in more than 500 people.