AUGUSTA -- Having your company's name become part of the Augusta Civic Center's potential new name could cost you between $100,000 and $130,000 a year, according to a report by a company specializing in selling naming rights to public buildings.

And the city-owned auditorium and meeting facility has the potential for nearly $265,000 in additional annual advertising and sponsorship revenue beyond the cash to be gained by selling off its name, a Front Row Marketing report claims.

The report goes to the City Council for discussion Monday.

Numerous public auditoriums across the country are named after companies in exchange for annual payments for those naming rights.

Front Row, in a report commissioned by the city, calculated the exposure value to a company having its name as part of the civic center's name at $387,000 a year. The firm figures a company would expect a three-to-one return on their advertising investment.

That means, Front Row's report states, the city could sell the naming rights to the civic center for between $100,000 and $130,000 a year. The firm recommends negotiating a 10-year term, with renewal options.

Officials have said the city should look into selling the naming rights as a potential source of revenue to offset civic center expenses.

Paul McClay, chairman of the naming rights committee, said committee members agree the name of the city should somehow remain in the name of whatever potential new name the Civic Center takes on.

"As agreed in previous meetings, the civic center needs additional revenues to maintain its financially independent status," McClay said in a memo to city councilors. "It has also been agreed that 'Augusta' will remain a part of the facility's name even if naming rights are sold, i.e., "The XYZ Center at Augusta.'"

The committee recommends the city proceed by contracting with Front Row to market the civic center's naming rights and other advertising revenues and bring a potential deal back to the city.

Fees would be charged, according to McClay, only on successful completion of a sale.

However if a sale is completed, Front Row could make a commission of 15 percent if the total amount is paid within two years for the naming rights, and an even larger commission starting at 30 percent for additional advertising sales beyond the naming rights.

Councilors are also scheduled to discuss a proposed new blasting ordinance, written in response to concerns about blasting in quarries and gravel pits in the city.

Last year, the city worked out a settlement with Steven McGee, owner of a West River Road quarry which had drawn noise and vibration complaints from neighbors, calling for blasts with reduced impact on nearby homes -- 50 percent or less than the state standard -- in return for postponing imposition of a city moratorium on quarry blasting until the city's Blasting Ordinance Committee can come up with its recommendations.

The moratorium remained on every City Council agenda since that agreement was worked out, as a tabled item. The idea, officials said, was the moratorium could be enacted quickly if the agreement wasn't working or being adhered to.

Councilors serving on the Blasting Committee said last week they believed the ordinance has broad support among stakeholders.

The proposed new blasting ordinance and the naming rights report go to councilors for discussion at their informational meeting Monday, which begins at 6:30 p.m. in council chambers at Augusta City Center. No votes take place at informational meetings.

Councilors are also scheduled to discuss Mayor Roger Katz's proposed downtown initiatives, community energy-related issues and intermunicipal library cooperation.

Keith Edwards -- 621-5647

kedwards@centralmaine.com