3, including Q owner, apply to operate Chevy

A new management firm is expected to be hired by March 30.

By DAVID SKOLNICK

CITY HALL REPORTER

YOUNGSTOWN — The city received three proposals to run its Chevrolet Centre.

“It’s the first phase of an extensive process,” said Mayor Jay Williams.

The mayor was pleased with the quality of the firms interested in managing the facility.

The proposals came from:

• Global Spectrum, a Philadelphia company that manages 68 facilities including 31 arenas.

• SMG, also of Philadelphia, that manages more than 100 arenas and stadiums.

• Cavaliers Operating Co. of Cleveland, which owns and operates the Cleveland Cavaliers basketball team and its home center, the Quicken Loans Arena, and International Facilities Group of Chicago, that has developed and constructed more than 35 centers and stadiums. The companies submitted a joint proposal.

“The caliber of the companies that responded are top-notch,” Williams said. “We need to see more details. We’ll move to the next step and have more formalized discussions.”

There also will be evaluations, analysis and negotiations, he said.

City officials expect a management firm in place before March 30, 2008.

The Cavs-IFG proposal comes with the placement of a National Basketball Association D-League [development] team affiliated with the Cavaliers by 2009.

Joseph Briglia, ITG’s vice president of development who was at the opening of the proposals Friday, said the partnership between his company and the Cavs would prove to be a great benefit to Youngstown.

“We’re eager to talk to the city and get things going,” said Tad Carper, the Cavs’ senior vice president of communications, in a telephone interview. “We’re passionate about what we can bring.”

Global Spectrum has been interested in the center even before it opened in October 2005, said Todd Glickman, its vice president of business development and client relations.

“We’re thrilled; we’re truly excited about the project,” he said. “We want to be in that market.”

An SMG spokesman couldn’t be reached late Friday.

Local businessman Bruce Zoldan said he, Herb Washington, another local businessman, and Alan Levin plan to partner with one of the companies interested in managing the center. Zoldan said he planned to disclose the company shortly.

Zoldan, of Boardman, owns B.J. Alan Co. fireworks and the Mahoning Valley Phantoms amateur junior hockey team. Washington, of Boardman, owns several local McDonald’s restaurants and the Youngstown SteelHounds minor league hockey team that plays its home games at the center.

Levin, of Santa Monica, Calif., owns a sports and entertainment company that includes the Mahoning Valley Scrappers minor league baseball team of Niles in its portfolio.

Not pleased with how Global Entertainment Corp. of Phoenix managed the center, the city parted ways with the company Oct. 31. The city is using JAC Management Group, headed by Eric Ryan, a Struthers concert promoter, as interim center director.

skolnick@vindy.com