Albany leaders have now made the decision to hand over the management of the civic center to the city’s Parks and Recreation Department.

After a futile, months-long search for a new Civic Center director, it would appear the city threw in the towel and came up with a Plan B.

While we believe Albany’s Parks and Recreation Department is well-run, we do not believe it should take on the additional responsibility that a 10,000-seat arena presents.

No one at the Parks and Recreation Department has experience operating such a facility or booking concerts and other events. We believe this is a misguided decision by Albany leaders, and we urge them to reconsider.

There is a qualified person out there who can successfully run this civic center and help it become a notable venue in the Southeastern United States. We ask the city to get back to work and find that person.

Written by Jim Wilcox, general manager of WALB.