By Sara Nesbitt, The Gazette, Colorado Springs, Colo. Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News
Aug. 12--The shutdown of the minor-league Colorado Gold Kings hockey team leaves the Colorado Springs World Arena scrambling to book other events.
The team's schedule included 34 to 36 games from October through early April. World Arena general manager Dot Lischick said the arena will take a financial hit from the shutdown, but she would not disclose the amount.
Lischick said the arena has booked two events in October but still is trying to schedule events for winter and spring dates the team had reserved. She said the arena is trying to book two concerts it could not accommodate because of conflicts with the team's schedule.
'It leaves us in a lurch, but ultimately it will help us free up dates,' Lischick said. 'So now we're actively seeking clients to fill those dates.'
The arena earned revenue from Gold Kings games from parking, food and beverage sales, but Lischick wouldn't disclose terms of the team's contract with the facility. The team kept all ticket revenue under its contract with the arena.
The arena likely made more than $140,000 in revenue from beer sales alone at Gold Kings games, assuming about half of the average 2,200 people attending the games bought one drink. That revenue had to be shared with Boston Concession Group Inc. and the team.
Arena officials are reviewing potential bookings the arena rejected as a result of scheduling conflicts with the Gold Kings games. Lischick also hopes working with the Arena Network -- a group of about 40 arenas throughout the country -- also may bring bookings.
'The Gold Kings were definitely a good partner for the building, so that's definitely a loss,' Lischick said. 'But when one door closes, another one opens.'
In addition to hockey games, the World Arena hosts trade shows, conventions and other sporting events. The arena hosts about 200 events a year, Lischick said.
To see more of The Gazette, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.gazette.com
(c) 2002, The Gazette, Colorado Springs, Colo. Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.
