Venue Detail
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Revenues From Sports Venues Pro Facilities Report
February, 2012
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
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60 Public Square Ste 150 Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701 Phone: 570-208-7367 Fax: 570-208-5432 URL: www.wbspenguins.com Owner: Pittsburgh Penguins League: American Hockey League, East Division
Venue
Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza, 255 Highland Park Blvd, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702 Owner: Lucerne County Convention Center Authority Managed by: SMG Facility Management Built: 1999 Capacity: 8,600 Permanent concession stands: 7 Concessionaire: Savor Suite caterer: Savor Soft drink: Pepsi Cola
Naming rights
Sold to: Mohegan Sun Price: $2,370,000 Term: 10 years Expires: 2019
Ticket prices
Season tickets range from $580 to $1,220 Single tickets range from $18.00 to $35.00
Attendance
2009 average attendance: 6,984 2010 average attendance: 6,270 2011 average attendance: 6,360
Suites
Quantity: 32 Term: 3 to 5 years Price: $35,000 to $37,500 Seats: 12 to 12 Includes: Tickets for hockey only.
Club seats
Quantity: 624 Term: 1 to 5 years Price: $1,500 to $2,000 Includes: Parking, right to buy tickets for other events, private concession stand and rest room facilities.
Financing
The venue cost $44 million of which $19.2 million came from the commonwealth and the balance from the county.
The Penguins took the ice in 1999 in this arena and convention center complex.
The venue has had four names, the most recent going to Mohegan Sun which took over the name from Wachovia.
For the 2011 season, a new club lounge will debut.
Future Directions Committee Chairwoman Donna Cupinski told the Luzerne County Convention Center Authority board the arena is losing about $123,000 annually on 189 unsold club seats because the arena has to pay the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for all 624 club seats whether they're sold or not. Committee members believe a new lounge will boost sales, she said.
Purchase of a seat for $1,500 includes season tickets to all hockey games, a guaranteed ability to purchase tickets for that seating area for other events and use of the club lounge, currently located on the event level.
Cupinski said club seat sales dropped when the economy tanked. She said the current club lounge is underutilized, likely because patrons can see game action only on closed-circuit TVs. But management has identified an area for a lounge that would be “the best seats in the house” – a wide corridor extending across the north side of the suite level currently used for storage.
The construction cost estimates are about $236,000 for converting the corridor into a lounge that would accommodate 120 occupants with tables and chairs or 257 occupants without tables and chairs.
The Penguins have offered several incentives to season ticket buyers who purchased tickets for multiple years.
Five-year investors got a replica jersey autographed by the inaugural season coach and captain for every 2 seats in account; a lock on prices at a lower rate than all other season ticket holders; guaranteed same seat location for entire term; guaranteed same seat location for playoffs; the right to purchase additional playoff tickets before general public offering; right to purchase additional inaugural season home opener tickets before general public offering; invoicing for playoffs when completed; relocation upgrade priority over all season ticket holders; the right to exchange any unused tickets to four pre-selected games; exclusive access to annual season ticket holder appreciation reception; exclusive invitation to Multi-Year Investor V.I.P. Party; and 20 percent off total non-sale team store merchandise. Those buying tickets on three- or one-year terms got reduced benefits.
The suites are sold by the building and the Penguins get only ticket revenue from them. The team gets a percentage of concession money after labor costs have been paid.
Signage is sold as part of sponsorships that are tailored to the customer. Prices range from $2,000 to $75,000.
The team has arranged for 14 of its games to be televised and it has its program printed in the local newspaper each Sunday. The extra coverage allows it to go to advertisers with a circulation of more than one million readers.
The building's name changed in 2004 from the First Union Arena to the Wachovia Arena to reflect Wachovia's purchase of First Union. (Facilities, Financial, Ice HockeyMinor, Professional Sports)