Covelli Centre posts record quarter operating surplus

YOUNGSTOWN — For the Covelli Centre, the first three months of the year saw a record operating surplus for any quarter in its eight-and-one-half-year history.

That figure for the January-to-March quarter was $382,016, according to information provided today.

The previous record was the first quarter of 2009 with a $242,340 operating surplus. That was largely because of a Kelly Pavlik middleweight boxing title fight.

This past quarter’s surplus was primarily driven by the Feb. 1 Elton John concert with a record attendance of 7,611.

But other events also helped, said Eric Ryan, the center’s executive director.

That included a sold-out 6,000-ticket concert by Darius Rucker and seven Cirque Du Soleil shows.

“To start off the year like this is tremendous,” Ryan said. “We’re extremely pleased.”

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