Venue Detail
Bloomington Prairie Thunder
Revenues From Sports Venues Pro Facilities Report
January, 2010
Bloomington Prairie Thunder
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101 S. Madison St. Bloomington, IL 61701 Phone: 309-434-2843 URL: www.prairiethunderhockey.com Owner: Investment group headed by Tim Leighton League: International Hockey League
Venue
US Cellular Coliseum, 101 S. Madison St, Bloomington, IL 61701 Owner: City of Bloomington Managed by: Central Illinois Arena Management Built: 2006 Capacity: 7,000 Soft drink: Coca Cola
Naming rights
Sold to: U.S. Cellular Price: $2, 000,000 Term: 10 years Expires: 2015
Ticket prices
Season tickets range from $325 to $460 Single tickets range from $10.00 to $20.00 2007 average attendance: 3,763 2008 average attendance: 3,185 2009 average attendance: 2,962
Luxury Suites
Quantity: 24 Term: 3 to 5 years Price: $25,000 to $25,000 Seats: 14 to 14
Club seats
Quantity: 800 Term: 1 to 5 years Price: $750 to $750
Financing
The $37 million building was funded by the city.
Central Illinois Arena Management has finalized a 10-year contract to manage the U.S. Cellular Coliseum in Bloomington. The company is run by local businessmen Mike Nelson and John Butler
The Venue was originally proposed and developed by Bloomington Partners, which included Nelson and Butler. The city worked out an agreement with the group, but internal problems prevented them from signing it. The city then turned to a newly-formed group, Bloomington-Normal Arena Management led by Larry Hundman of the Minneapolis area, which agreed to accept the same deal offered to Bloomington Partners. Nelson and Butler later pressed the issue saying their agreement gave them right of first refusal to run the building.
The Coliseum posted an operating loss of about $350,000 in its first fiscal year.
The Coliseum management group, co-owned by Nelson and John Butler, received $174,813 in management fees for the year, according to the fiscal report.
Under the terms of the agreement, the management team receives 4 percent of the gross revenue brought into the building. Total gross revenue for the fiscal year, which ended April 30, 2008, was $4.47 million.
There were 65 more events held in 2007-08 than the 202 events held during 2006-07, Nelson said. Those events included meetings, private parties, receptions and luncheons in addition to the usual round of concerts and hockey and football games.
Overall attendance for the second year was 290,404, just shy of beating the first year's attendance of 291,281.
The city closed a deal with Pepsi to name a nearby ice rink. The firm will pay $2 million over 10 years to name the Pepsi Ice Center. Pepsi will get pouring rights to the rink and arena.
Pepsi will pay the city’s Parks and Recreation Department $50,000 a year and provide the arena with $125,000 annually for 10 years. (Facilities, Financial, Ice Hockey, Professional Sports, Venue)