How Hayward USD Turned Its Performing Arts Center Into a Self-Sustaining Community Venue
A Vision for a Self-Sustaining Performing Arts Center
James Schott, hired from Chabot Community College to lead the PAC, approached the role with a clear philosophy:
“From the start, I focused on building the PAC as a self-sustaining entity.”
That meant:
- Setting clear policies for both community rentals and internal use
- Prioritizing transparency in operations and finances
- Investing in trained staff so the PAC could manage everything in-house
Rather than treating the PAC as just another school theater, Schott approached it as a professionally managed venue embedded within a public school system.
To operationalize that vision, Hayward partnered with Facilitron, not just for scheduling software, but for hands-on policy design and business modeling.
Building a Sustainable Facility Rental Model — Not Just a Booking Calendar
Unlike site-controlled high school theaters, Hayward’s PAC is centrally managed at the district level. This structure allowed Schott to implement a business-oriented strategy from day one.
Key strategies that drove revenue and operational stability included:
- Implementing a tiered rental fee structure based on user type (community vs. district)
- Reserving prime dates for district programs that submit requests well in advance
- Offering discounted rates for student-focused events
- Continually reviewing policies to ensure fairness and equity
- Streamlining school facility scheduling, booking, and payments through Facilitron.
By aligning pricing with event impact — ticketed vs. non-ticketed, weekday vs. weekend — the PAC avoided underpricing high-demand slots while protecting access for students.
The result: clarity, consistency, and predictable revenue.
Using Real-Time Data for Facility Management and as a Leadership Tool
For Schott, data wasn’t just operational, it was strategic.
Real-time reporting through Facilitron has been essential for:
- Justifying requests for additional staff and technical equipment
- Tracking revenue trends and adjusting policies quickly
- Demonstrating the PAC’s financial and community value in district budget discussions
"Treat the PAC as a business from day one — track every dollar and consider every policy through that lens."
James Schott
Hayward USD PAC Manager
This data-backed approach transformed the PAC from a new expense line into a revenue-generating, strategically defensible district asset.
Results: Revenue and Facility Performance
Exceptional Revenue Performance
In its first full year, the Hayward Performing Arts Center generated more rental revenue than all other district facilities combined, including gyms and athletic fields.
The PAC quickly established itself as the district’s highest-performing shared facility.
Growing Community Use of the PAC
The PAC has become a regional destination, hosting:
- Theater productions (Full scale and minimalistic dramas, plays, & musicals)
- Dance recitals & competitions
- Parties & receptions
- Touring comedians
- Music performances (acoustic concerts, orchestras, choirs, touring domestic and international Grammy award winning bands)
- Community & District meetings
- Cultural festivals
Most renters now come from surrounding communities like Fremont and Union City, increasing community use of school facilities in areas where comparable venues are limited.
Through Facilitron’s public marketplace visibility and streamlined booking process, the PAC expanded beyond district boundaries, becoming a go-to venue for regional organizations.
At the same time, equity remains central. Prime weekday dates are reserved for district programs, ensuring student access is never compromised.
Operational Success Through Partnership
Facilitron’s school facility scheduling and rental management platform extended far beyond basic calendar booking.
- Policy design and pricing strategy
- Cancellation and staffing frameworks
- Insurance consultation
- Calendar structuring to prevent underpriced rehearsals from blocking premium rentals
- Ongoing monthly account reviews to refine performance
Schott also emphasized the importance of staffing:
- The need to Invest in staff who understand operationally how a theater needs to run through both education lens and event management lens.
- Prioritizing staffing internal teams to reduce reliance on outside contractors
- Building in-house expertise to ensure consistency and success as well as preserve margins
Balancing Revenue with Student and Community Access
Perhaps the PAC’s greatest success is its ability to balance financial sustainability with public service.
Schott continuously reviews policies to ensure:
- Fair treatment of community organizations
- Transparent pricing
- Equitable internal access
- Revenue optimization without excluding student-focused events
"It’s a living system, not a static rulebook."
James Schott
Hayward USD PAC Manager
Advice for School Districts Managing Venues
Schott offers clear guidance for districts launching or revitalizing high-demand venues:
- Treat the facility as a business from day one
- Invest in operations by staffing trained specialists who understand both education and events
- Use data to drive decisions and advocate for resources
- Engage the community early and often
- Build policies before demand builds problems
Conclusion: A Model for Modern School District Venues
The Hayward USD Performing Arts Center is not just a beautiful new building. It is a self-sustaining, professionally managed community asset.
Its success was not accidental. It was built on:
- Clear governance
- Strategic pricing
- Real-time data
- Operational discipline
- And a partnership model that aligned leadership with platform
As Schott continues refining operations and advocating for resources, the Hayward USD PAC stands as a blueprint for how districts can transform shared spaces into revenue-generating, community-serving assets. When the right leadership meets the right systems, facilities don’t just open, they perform.