7 companies interested in Chevy

‘Major players’ recognize the center as ‘viable,’ a city official says.

By DAVID SKOLNICK

CITY HALL REPORTER

YOUNGSTOWN — Some of the nation’s largest entertainment and sports facility management firms formally inquired about running the city-owned Chevrolet Centre.

In all, seven companies asked the city for information about the center’s operations and finances to evaluate whether they’ll submit formal offers to manage it, said Kyle Miasek, deputy city finance director.

“These are major players in the facility management field,” he said. “These large industry players recognize this as a viable facility to add to their portfolio. These companies recognize there is something good about” the center.

Among the seven companies are:

USMG, a Philadelphia company that manages more than 100 arenas and stadiums including the Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans and Soldier Field in Chicago.

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

UInternational Facilities Group, a Northbrook, Ill., company that oversaw the development and construction of more than 35 centers and stadiums.

“We’re very interested in the facility,” said Todd Glickman, Global Spectrum’s vice president of business development and client relations. “We like the market. We are very excited about the opportunity. It’s a great facility. We think the market’s in a great location.”

Glickman stressed that his company should not be confused with Global Entertainment Corp., the Phoenix-based company that managed the Chevrolet Centre for two years.

Not pleased with how Global Entertainment operated the center, the city parted ways with the company Oct. 31. The center lost $254,388 during its second fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30, under Global Entertainment’s management. The center is using JAC Management Group, headed by Eric Ryan, a Struthers concert promoter, as interim director of the center until a permanent firm is hired.

Officials with SMG and International Facilities couldn’t be reached Monday to comment.

Businessman Bruce Zoldan said he and Herb Washington have spoken to SMG, Global Spectrum and International Facilities about being local partners to help manage the center.

“The three groups are very professional and reputable,” said Zoldan, the head of B.J. Alan Co. fireworks company and owner of the Mahoning Valley Phantoms amateur junior hockey team.

Washington owns several McDonald’s restaurants in the area and the Youngstown SteelHounds minor league hockey team, which plays its home games at the Chevrolet Centre.

Rivals at times, Zoldan said he and Washington are considering co-owning a hockey team that would play its home games at the center.

The area can support only one hockey team, Zoldan said, and if promoted and marketed properly, it could be quite successful at the center. The hockey team would not be a member of the Central Hockey League, Zoldan said. The SteelHounds play in the CHL, which is a subsidiary of Global Entertainment.

Managing the center also attracted interest from the Cavaliers Operating Co., which owns and operates the Cleveland Cavaliers National Basketball Association team and its home center, the Quicken Loans Arena. Also interested is Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment, which owns the San Jose Sharks National Hockey League team and operates and/or owns a number of indoor sports facilities, primarily in the San Jose area.

“We’re always looking at other areas,” said Ken Arnold, Silicon’s senior director of communications. “We run facilities very, very well.”

Formal proposals to run the Chevrolet Centre are due to the city by Nov. 30. The city plans to evaluate the proposals and negotiate a deal with the expectation of having a permanent management firm in place before March 30, 2008.

Also, Dave Smith, the Mahoning Valley Scrappers minor league baseball team’s general manager, toured the center Monday and is expected to seek operations and financial information from the city, Miasek said. It isn’t clear if the Scrappers are interested in managing the center or Smith toured it for the team’s parent company, AML Entertainment of Santa Monica, Calif.

skolnick@vindy.com