By: Diane Benjamin
The Peoria Rivermen signed a new deal last weekend with the Peoria Civic Center. It is for one year with an option for another.
If you didn’t know – the Rivermen are co-owed by Bart Rogers and John Butler: CIAM (Central Illinois Arena Management).
Meanwhile, the Coliseum doesn’t have professional hockey, doesn’t have a full-time manager, and barely has basketball and football. Where is City Manager David Hales? Hanging out with John Butler?
Yes Tari – it’s here now. The least the City can do is hire professional management and hold them accountable! The taxpayers deserve better.
“We’re happy to be able to do this,” Rivermen co-owner Bart Rogers said. “We picked up a market that had been damaged (from Peoria’s AHL era) and it’s a huge task to rebuild it, and that task is ongoing”.
“Our fans and business partners are supporting this effort and we need them to continue to respond, and the Civic Center did its part by making this lease extension an easy process.”
“It’s a good deal, and we plan to be here for a long time.”
Which is good news for the Civic Center, which wants, and needs, a pro hockey team as an anchor tenant in the facility.
– See more at: http://www.pjstar.com/article/20150209/SPORTS/150209152/1020/SPORTS#sthash.NiD3s6pG.dpuf
Pathetic!
great gig…I guess if Hales and Renner let them get away with it.
You only get a great deal like they are getting at the Coliseum if is there is a quid pro quo in it for somebody!!! Somebody is getting sumpthin’……
The mayor, city manager and city council are legally robbing the taxpayers and if taxpayers don’t wake up this city will be in financial ruin.. just think what would happen if State Farm and other corporations decide to leave..who will be left to pay off the debts with little help