By: Diane Benjamin
This event was scheduled last August for New Year’s Eve: http://www.grossingermotorsarena.com/arena-info/news/article/2018/08/grossinger-motors-arena-to-host-new-years-eve-featuring-hairball
The website doesn’t say when or why it as canceled, but it is canceled:
https://www1.ticketmaster.com/hairball/event/07005515D35C66E5
A concert is scheduled for January 19th – Old Dominion. Monster Trucks is coming February 8-10.
See upcoming events here: http://www.grossingermotorsarena.com/events-and-tickets/calendar
Hockey doesn’t generate enough money to keep the doors open. When will somebody declare the arena a failed project?
According to the arena Hairball canceled. When they canceled last month I asked them on their FB page why they didn’t post it and they said they were refunding the money. They wouldn’t answer even though I pressed them. Told them their business practices suck.
Haha! Let’s see…if the arena is not providing an answer in all likelihood that means the answer is embarrassing to them. I’d guess the ticket sales were too low and/or it would not be worth the time and resources of the band to travel down and play. Folks, there’s no demand for an arena in Bloomington-Normal. It doesn’t matter who is booked or who is doing the booking/managing, the arena is just not a fit for the BN. Period, end of story. Yet, the Downtown cabal, townies, and friends of Tari/government believe the arena is an “asset” to the community. To me, it’s a liability. Would you stay in business if your enterprise lost money each time it opened its doors to customers?
Wow they couldn’t sell a couple thousand seats for a cover band, on New Years Eve? No kidding. Cover bands play every weekend in town and party people don’t go out on NY Eve like they used to. The idiots on council hired another inept company to run the arena. Surprise, surprise.
Why does the city believe they need to be in the entertainment business and what qualifies them to do so?
Why not offer the arena to a professional entertainment group for free? The arena would then generate property tax for the city (and others), while eliminating the on-going operating losses. Plus, a private business would have an incentive to book events to generate profit dollars (I know that is a bad word to Tari and his groupies).
The city would continue to eat the bond payments, but that is going to happen regardless.
Common sense?
No kidding, right?! Sell the arena for a dollar. It actually loses more money with the doors open than closed. Yes, I know the bond payments won’t go away. Again, it loses more open than closed. Let’s cut our loses folks. Of course, the egos in (big) government here in BN can’t bring themselves to admit this was a failed experiment.
They need to do whatever they can to bring in more pro wrestling, perhaps some MMA, and other events they can sell a good amount of alcohol at. The concessions are where they can try to offset some of these losses.
They should also be making a bid to get more country concerts. Again, better tickets and beer sales.
But the beautiful people in City Hall planning our lives don’t like wrestling, MMA, and country music, so that’s out.
Inept people HIRE inept people!
Do you need ideas to start getting people to drive two to three hours one way to see good entertainment? Look up Franklin, North Carolina Smokey Mountain Center for the Performing Arts. I have some family living about 180 miles from there and they go several times in a year. While there they eat, stay in a motel and antique shop on Saturday before the show that evening. Usually buy a tank of gas before returning home. A Franklin born man helped to invent how to electronically file your Income Tax. So he paid Franklin back for helping to raise him and provided outstanding guidance in his education, by building this entertainment complex. The Auditorium seats around 3000 and is well kept and most workers during the show are retired people that care. He hired a entertainment manager that manages to bring in good solid entertainers and some stage shows as well. Most area’s of entertainment are covered through out the year. Down front 4-5 rows of seats are around 35.00/a seat. My family attends mostly Comedians and older Country entertainers. Jim Foxworthy, Mel Tillis , Vince Gill, Pam Tillis, Charlie Pride,and one of our area’s well known, Susie Bogguss. Management! Management!