Post by Gene on Dec 29, 2007 11:08:44 GMT -5
www.readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=74081
The Reading arena and theater are $29,626 in the black for the season that ended June 30, the authority that oversees them says.
By Don Spatz
Reading Eagle
Reading, PA - The Sovereign Center and Sovereign Performing Arts Center ended their sixth season in the black — although barely, according to the Berks County Convention Center Authority.
The Sovereign Center arena had 10 concerts in its latest season, which ended June 30. That’s six fewer than the season before.
So far this season, the arena has booked 13 concerts and has six more in the works.
A new focus on Christian music began Dec. 1 with Michael W. Smith.
Figures from an audit completed three weeks ago show the gains from the Sovereign Center outweighed losses from the Performing Arts Center, which is the former Rajah Theatre.
The combined gain was $29,626 during the season.
That compares with a gain of $402,000 the season before that, when the arena had 16 major concerts.
Meanwhile, the venues’ attendance has been nearly level over the past four years.
But General Manager Zane Collings of SMG Management, which operates the two venues, said attendance is likely to start growing again because of the extra concerts and many new or expanded events.
The fact that people made 450,000 trips downtown to the events made it easier to convince promoters to bring their acts to Reading, he said.
"SMG is talking with promoters about successful markets, and Reading is one of them," Collings said. "That’s why SMG is able to get them (events)."
Promoter Bill Rogers agrees.
"I try to steer as much business as I can into Reading," said the president of BRE Presents in Haddonfield, N.J.
He’s brought dozens of shows to Reading, among them Bill Cosby and Kenny Rogers early on and Matchbox Twenty and Alan Jackson this year.
"I’m real appreciative of a market like Reading and the support the population has given these two venues," he said.
Besides more concerts, there are more basketball games as the Reading Railers’ season gets under way, Skate America came back in October, more high school graduations are slated for the spring, and the Jehovah’s Witnesses have booked more conventions.
Attendance at the Reading venues is in the top 10 percent of all facilities their size, said P. Michael Ehlerman, chairman of the Convention Center Authority.
The venues have offered everything from sports to concerts to wrestling to children’s programs to religious gatherings.
"I never could have dreamed we could bring religious groups in," Ehlerman said.
That mix is still on tap the rest of the season, from the Reading Symphony to Smackdown wrestling; from comedian Larry the Cable Guy to violinist Andre Rieu; from country singer Martina McBride to the Harlem Globetrotters.
Ehlerman said he’s pleased, but surprised, that the theater has come close to breaking even.
"With all the studies we did, I fully expected to lose $150,000 to $250,000 a year," he said.
But the losses over the past three years averaged only $49,000.
Despite the higher costs of maintaining the old building and more shows there — with SMG taking the risk for some — Ehlerman said the deficit hasn’t increased.
The civic center opened in 2001, and the new arena and renovations to the theater are now in their seventh season.
The two buildings have needed maintenance; renovations are ongoing at the theater, and the arena has gotten several systems replaced.
Collings said more major upgrades will be needed in about three years.
And sometime around year 15 or 20, Ehlerman said, the buildings will need refurbishing that likely will cost several million dollars.
The Reading arena and theater are $29,626 in the black for the season that ended June 30, the authority that oversees them says.
By Don Spatz
Reading Eagle
Reading, PA - The Sovereign Center and Sovereign Performing Arts Center ended their sixth season in the black — although barely, according to the Berks County Convention Center Authority.
The Sovereign Center arena had 10 concerts in its latest season, which ended June 30. That’s six fewer than the season before.
So far this season, the arena has booked 13 concerts and has six more in the works.
A new focus on Christian music began Dec. 1 with Michael W. Smith.
Figures from an audit completed three weeks ago show the gains from the Sovereign Center outweighed losses from the Performing Arts Center, which is the former Rajah Theatre.
The combined gain was $29,626 during the season.
That compares with a gain of $402,000 the season before that, when the arena had 16 major concerts.
Meanwhile, the venues’ attendance has been nearly level over the past four years.
But General Manager Zane Collings of SMG Management, which operates the two venues, said attendance is likely to start growing again because of the extra concerts and many new or expanded events.
The fact that people made 450,000 trips downtown to the events made it easier to convince promoters to bring their acts to Reading, he said.
"SMG is talking with promoters about successful markets, and Reading is one of them," Collings said. "That’s why SMG is able to get them (events)."
Promoter Bill Rogers agrees.
"I try to steer as much business as I can into Reading," said the president of BRE Presents in Haddonfield, N.J.
He’s brought dozens of shows to Reading, among them Bill Cosby and Kenny Rogers early on and Matchbox Twenty and Alan Jackson this year.
"I’m real appreciative of a market like Reading and the support the population has given these two venues," he said.
Besides more concerts, there are more basketball games as the Reading Railers’ season gets under way, Skate America came back in October, more high school graduations are slated for the spring, and the Jehovah’s Witnesses have booked more conventions.
Attendance at the Reading venues is in the top 10 percent of all facilities their size, said P. Michael Ehlerman, chairman of the Convention Center Authority.
The venues have offered everything from sports to concerts to wrestling to children’s programs to religious gatherings.
"I never could have dreamed we could bring religious groups in," Ehlerman said.
That mix is still on tap the rest of the season, from the Reading Symphony to Smackdown wrestling; from comedian Larry the Cable Guy to violinist Andre Rieu; from country singer Martina McBride to the Harlem Globetrotters.
Ehlerman said he’s pleased, but surprised, that the theater has come close to breaking even.
"With all the studies we did, I fully expected to lose $150,000 to $250,000 a year," he said.
But the losses over the past three years averaged only $49,000.
Despite the higher costs of maintaining the old building and more shows there — with SMG taking the risk for some — Ehlerman said the deficit hasn’t increased.
The civic center opened in 2001, and the new arena and renovations to the theater are now in their seventh season.
The two buildings have needed maintenance; renovations are ongoing at the theater, and the arena has gotten several systems replaced.
Collings said more major upgrades will be needed in about three years.
And sometime around year 15 or 20, Ehlerman said, the buildings will need refurbishing that likely will cost several million dollars.
