Are the Skyboxes and Premium Seats in the Evansville Arena Really Sold?

Multiple Moles, people, and business owners have come to the City County Observer after hearing the sales pitch for premium seating in the new Arena. The most recent sales pitch was heard in mid July, a full 2 months since the head of VenuWorks Evansville operation was congratulated by Mayor Weinzapfel for selling “ALL” of the Skyboxes.

According to our sources the sales pitch is a page right out of the marketing manual for time shares and bubble gum machines with the premium seats becoming the exclusive territory where there is always only one remaining. Here is an overview of the pitch as it has been described to the City County Observer. The pitchman in every case that the CCO has been advised of has been the project manager of the Arena construction project, Mr. John Kish. In some cases Mr. Kish was approached by a business and in others the businesses were approached by Mr. Kish. The sales song remains the same.

The Pitch: We are so happy that you have expressed an interest in the premium seating in the Arena. It just so happens that we only have one left and it is currently under consideration by another business so you need to make your decision quickly. You also need to know that the list of companies that have already committed to the premium seating that you would like to have includes the prestigious list right here.

In one case our source said that he was shown a rendering of the inside of the Arena with names of businesses on the skybox ad aprons. In this case our source excused himself and made a few calls to the businesses that were represented to have already secured the skyboxes. The results will surprise you as some of these businesses have been box holders at Roberts Stadium for a number of years. Some of the calls resulted in the business owners stating that they had been served the same sales pitch by Mr. Kish but that they could not afford the rates that were quoted and would not be buying the premium seating at the offer price. All were told that there was only one left.

The Facts: VenuWorks does not have a contract. The Evansville IceMen are in meltdown mode with the negotiations and may not be in the new Arena at all. Mr. Kish is now on record as saying that the IceMen who are projected to make up 28% of all of the events in the Arena are not necessary. The University of Evansville Aces have been reported to have no contract. The Evansville Redevelopment Commission has not authorized even one long term agreement in a public meeting yet VenuWorks was congratulated by Mayor Weinzapfel for a sell-out 2 months before they were authorized to sell anything. The Freedom of Information Act request filed by the City County Observer requesting all contracts yielded exactly ZERO signed contracts. We did receive blank agreements for both Loge seating and Skyboxes.

So let us ask the question, “what business person in their right mind would contractually commit to expensive premium seating in an arena that does not have contracts with any long term tenant?”

The Reality: The reality given the set of facts that have been established is that there has never been authority granted until July 19th for long term contracts for premium seating to be sold by VenuWorks. People have been subjected to a sales pitch that is misleading at best. There is a reasonable probability that the whole “we are sold out” announcements are really just a sales pitch of a different form. There may be an opportunity for the general public to have a shot at the premium seating if the facts are supported by the reality of the situation.

The Rewards: The City County Observer will offer a 1 month tower ad free of charge to any business or person that will come forward with a signed agreement for the purchase of a skybox in the new Arena that is dated prior to June 1st and signed by representatives of the company and a surrogate for the City of Evansville or VenuWorks.

The City County Observer will also offer a 1 month tower ad free of charge to the first three businesses or people that come forward with a story similar to “the Pitch” that we have outlined above provided that we are granted the rights to interview and publish the account of what your particular case entailed.

What do you think Evansville? Are the premium seats really sold at the $55,000 price that has been widely reported?