Alltel Center hosts such events as conventions, hockey games and concerts.

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To operate a public assembly facility like Alltel Center , a dedicated staff is essential, Executive Director Burt Lyman says. He explains that employees will regularly work 60 to 70 hours a week at the center, which hosts events such as conventions, hockey games and concerts.

“They work very odd hours, because obviously, you don’t produce a concert in the middle of the day,” Lyman says. “[But] we like the business, [so] the hours aren’t as arduous as they might sound.”

Located in Mankato, Minn., the center covers approximately 65,000 square feet and is divided into two parts. While one half is a convention center that can host up to 2,000 people, the other is an arena that hosts concerts and Minnesota State Mavericks hockey games.

One of the First
The center has operated for 12 years and was previously known as the Midwest Wireless Civic Center. Eight years ago, when Midwest Wireless purchased the naming rights to the facility, “We were one of the first small-market facilities to have a commercial naming sponsor,” Lyman recalls. Little Rock, Ark.-based Alltel acquired Midwest Wireless and the naming rights to the facility last year. Alltel Center now hosts up to 560 events annually, Lyman says.

Center of Entertainment
The primary tenant of Alltel Center’s arena is Minnesota State University, but Lyman notes that it has also hosted popular musical acts, including the Dixie Chicks, John Mellencamp, Tom Petty, Aerosmith and Kenny Chesney. “We’ve had some great events,” he says.

This month, the center is slated to play host to comedian Ron White, who was featured in “Blue Collar Comedy Tour: The Movie.”  In addition, this March, the center will also play host to bands Saliva and Drowning Pool.

Center Satisfaction
Lyman joined Alltel Center 10 years ago, after working at Allstate Arena in Rosemont, Ill., for Odgen, a facilities management company. When he came to Alltel Center, it too was operated by a management company.

“Eventually, I negotiated a deal with the local city, and [now] I’m an independent contractor [hired] by the facility,” Lyman says, noting that he has enjoyed “the entertainment side of the business” as he has brought famous musical acts to audiences in Mankato.

Providing Value
Lyman notes that taxpayers and politicians can be skeptical of the value of the public assembly industry.

“There are a lot of people out there who would say, ‘We never should have built it,’” Lyman says. “We’ve had to combat that by producing economic value.”

He notes that Alltel Center has contributed substantially to its community by drawing in other new businesses.

“When we present the discussion of the economic impact of the facility, it’s really quite palatable to the citizens, because they see around them the brand-new department store or the brand-new shopping mall,” Lyman says. “These things don’t happen in communities that are not on the uptick.”

A Good Balance
Alltel Center has plans for expansion “on the drawing board,” Lyman says. These plans include the addition of a second ice rink to the facility and the expansion of  the center’s convention hall side by 30 percent.

In addition, the city of Mankato has developed a space in the center’s exterior for an amphitheater that will seat 8,000, Lyman says.

“Our staff will be managing that, [and hosting] a lot of concerts in the summertime,” he says, noting that the amphitheater will be constructed over the next two years.

This will help Alltel Center increase its business year-round, since its busiest part of the year usually runs from October to April. “Summer concerts tend to [be performed] outdoors; hence, that’s why we’re looking at building this amphitheater,” he says.

But when the center begins these expansions, “That’s going to take a tremendous amount of effort, because we still have to keep operating,” Lyman says. “We’ll have to maintain a steady level of business while this construction activity is going on.”

Keeping a Close Eye
Lyman says he wants Alltel Center to enjoy continued growth, but he also wants it to keep a close eye on its expenses as it expands.

For instance, “Healthcare has become a major concern,” he states. “We want to maintain very good healthcare coverage for the staff. I hope that, along with the government, [we can] figure out a way to curb those costs.”