The Mendel Center

What The Mendel Center does

The Mendel Center is a non-profit performing arts and event venue operated by Lake Michigan College in Benton Harbor, Michigan. Founded in 1992 and seated on the Lake Michigan College campus, it operates three distinct physical spaces: the 1,500-seat Jenkins Theatre (renamed from Mainstage in April 2024 in honor of patron Rolfe Jenkins), the 250-seat Hanson Theatre, and the 13,700-square-foot Grand Upton Hall. Together these venues accommodate audiences and events ranging from 10 to 1,600 guests. The venue hosts a Mainstage season, a Discovery Series (including National Geographic Live), a Living Room Series for intimate performances, an Economic Club of Southwestern Michigan Speaker Series, student performances, and external community and corporate events.

The business generates revenue through five primary streams: ticket sales ($20-$80 per ticket across tiered seating), venue rental for weddings, trade shows, and meetings, gift cards, group sales for parties of 10+, and an Arts Factor subsidy program for underserved community members. Ancillary revenue includes catering and beverage services plus ticket-inclusive season subscriptions. The technology stack is modest: a standard online ticketing platform with e-ticket delivery, a box-office system, an email list signup, and organic social media presence across Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and LinkedIn. No proprietary technology, mobile app, or API integrations are disclosed.

The Mendel Center serves a diversified customer base spanning general community attendees, Lake Michigan College students and faculty, underserved populations (via Arts Factor), corporate clients (Whirlpool, Corewell Health, Cook Nuclear Plant, TCF Bank, Meijer, and others), nonprofits (Blossomtime, Area Agency on Aging, Southwest Michigan Symphony Orchestra), and government entities (Berrien RESA). Marketing relies on event-driven promotion through the website, email list, press releases, media partnerships with regional outlets (98.3 The Coast, WSJM, SuperHits 103.7), and sponsorship programs with more than a dozen Stage Side Sponsors. Operational support is reinforced by a volunteer corps of 100+ individuals.

Name

The Mendel Center

Legal name

Lake Michigan College Mendel Center

Website

https://themendelcenter.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The Mendel Center is a non-profit performing arts and event venue in Benton Harbor, Michigan, operated by Lake Michigan College. It runs three venues (1,500-seat Jenkins Theatre, Hanson Theatre, Grand Upton Hall) hosting touring shows, lectures, weddings, and community events for Southwest Michigan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Performing Arts Venue & Event Rental Services

NAICS

Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters (711110)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Cabarets & Variety Nightlife (MPAGAIAI)

akta.pro secondary industry

Venue & Banquet Hall Catering (THAFAIAC)

Keywords

• Performing arts venue
• Event venue rentals
• Live entertainment
• Conference center
• Wedding event space

Headquarters

HQ city

Benton Harbor

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales: Revenue generated from selling tickets to Mainstage performances, Discovery Series events, Speaker Series presentations, and special engagements. Ticket prices range from $20 to $80 depending on event and seating tier.
2. Venue Rental: Grand Upton Hall and other venues are rented for weddings, banquets, trade shows, meetings, and other community celebrations. Catering and beverage services available.
3. Gift Cards: Sale of gift cards for performances and events at the venue.
4. Group Sales & Discounts: Discounted tickets available for groups of 10 or more, with pre- and post-show party rooms, catering, and bar services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Mendel Center is a non-profit performing arts and event venue operated by Lake Michigan College in Benton Harbor, Michigan. It sells tickets to Mainstage season performances, Discovery Series events, Speaker Series presentations, and special engagements, and rents its multiple spaces (1,500-seat Jenkins Theatre, 250-seat Hanson Theatre, and 13,700 sq ft Grand Upton Hall) for weddings, banquets, trade shows, meetings, and community celebrations, with catering and beverage services available.

Product overview

The Mendel Center is a performing arts and event venue operated by Lake Michigan College in Benton Harbor, Michigan. It offers a unified platform combining ticket sales and event booking with venue rental services. The core product includes ticket purchasing for performances and events across three main venues: the 1,500-seat Jenkins Theatre (formerly Mainstage), the 250-seat Hanson Theatre, and Grand Upton Hall for large gatherings. Additional offerings include gift cards, group sales discounts, the Arts Factor subsidy program for underserved communities, catering services, season subscriptions, and specialized series (Discovery Series and Living Room Series) featuring emerging artists and educational programming.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Jenkins Theatre: The newly renamed 1,500-seat Mainstage theater (formerly Mainstage, renamed April 4, 2024 in honor of Rolfe Jenkins).
• Grand Upton Hall
• Hanson Theatre
• National Geographic Live
• Discovery Series
• The Economic Club of Southwestern Michigan Speaker Series
• Living Room Series

Products and services

• Ticket Sales and Event Booking

Quantifiable outcome

• More than 700 Mainstage season events since 1992
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers11 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• SuperHits 103.7 COSY-FMminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 15 July 2021Media partner co-presenting the Drive-in Live Beach Bash event. Radio station promotes events and provides promotional support.
• National Geographic LivecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 7 December 2020The Mendel Center became an official National Geographic Live venue in 2020, hosting virtual events beginning January 2021 and in-person presentations thereafter. Nat Geo Live brings world-renowned photographers, scientists, authors, filmmakers, and adventurers to the venue as part of the Discovery Series.
• The Economic Club of Southwestern MichigancoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Mendel Center hosts the Economic Club of Southwestern Michigan Speaker Series, established in 1943, bringing world leaders, policy makers, and experts to the region. The Club has brought more than 430 speakers to the region.
• Media Partners (98.3 The Coast, News/Talk 94.9 WSJM, Sunny 101.5, SuperHits 103.7, MailMax, The Herald Palladium)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerLocal and regional media outlets that promote Mendel Center events and provide advertising and editorial coverage.
• The Inn at Harbor Shores and The Boulevard Inn & BistrominorOthersPreferred partner hotels for out-of-town visitors attending Mendel Center events, offering discounted rates for patrons.
• Office DepotminorOthersNorth American presenting sponsor of National Geographic Live events.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University: 3,875-seat historic Chicago theater presenting touring Broadway, dance, and orchestral performances. Comparable as a Midwestern non-profit performing arts venue, but with much larger scale and metropolitan programming.
• Fox Theatre Detroit: 5,000-seat historic Detroit theater and major regional entertainment venue. Comparable in offering live entertainment and event hosting in Michigan, but at significantly larger scale and broader entertainment portfolio than the Mendel Center.

Direct peers

• Interlochen Center for the Arts: Michigan-based performing arts institution presenting concerts at the 1,000-seat Corson Auditorium and the 4,000-seat Kresge Auditorium. Comparable as a Michigan performing arts organization with educational programming, touring content, and venue-based ticketed events.
• Kalamazoo State Theatre: 1,800-seat historic theater in Kalamazoo, MI. Comparable as a Southwest Michigan-adjacent regional venue presenting touring concerts, comedy, and special events with similar scale and programming mix.
• Stranahan Theater: 2,400-seat performing arts venue in Toledo, OH. Comparable as a Mid-sized regional theater presenting touring Broadway, concerts, and family shows in a similarly sized Midwestern market.
• Wharton Center for Performing Arts: Michigan State University's 2,400-seat performing arts center in East Lansing, MI. Comparable as a Mid-sized, university-affiliated regional theater presenting touring Broadway, concerts, and family programming to a similar Michigan catchment.
• Civic Theatre of Greater Grand Rapids: West Michigan community theater producing live theatrical performances. Comparable as a regional non-profit performing arts organization presenting stage productions to a similar Michigan audience base.
• DeVos Performance Hall: 2,400-seat performance hall in Grand Rapids, MI operated as part of the DeVos Place convention complex. Comparable as a Michigan-based regional venue mixing touring entertainment with convention and event rentals.
• Morris Performing Arts Center: 2,500-seat historic performing arts center in South Bend, IN. Comparable as a regional Midwestern theater hosting touring concerts, Broadway, and community events with similar ticket pricing and venue-rental model.
• Blue Gate Theater: Shipshewana, IN-based performing arts venue hosting music, comedy, and family shows. Comparable as a smaller regional Midwestern theater operating a similar Mainstage + hospitality/event-rental model in a comparable catchment.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/themendelcenter
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCaZ2o0U3fUZK3vAXsN-mUGA
• Facebookfacebook.com/mendelcenter
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/themendelcenter
• Instagraminstagram.com/themendelcenter

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about The Mendel Center