Arena’s name put up for sale

The Spokane Public Facilities District is looking for corporate sponsors willing to pay to have the Spokane Convention Center, Opera House or Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena named for them.

Faced with maintenance costs beyond what revenues will deliver, the facilities district is looking to potential corporate sponsorships to help keep the buildings in top shape.

The Opera House will need $8 million worth of maintenance over the next 10 years, but revenues will provide only $4 million, said facilities district Executive Director Kevin Twohig. The Arena will need $12 million worth of work by the end of next year, but revenues will cover only about $9 million, he said.

“It is common in the industry,” Twohig said of corporate naming rights. “We have not done that in Spokane, and it is something the district ought to look at.”

However, the idea drew concern from one local veteran who said naming the Arena for a corporation would be an insult to those who have served in the nation’s wars.

“You’re getting something you can be proud of, then here comes some weird name being tacked onto the thing,” said Roy Behm of Cheney, who fought in the Korean War. “I don’t think it adds any class to the town.”

Twohig countered that the facilities district has worked hard to honor veterans with a memorial at the Arena that includes displays for prisoners of war and Purple Heart recipients.

Brett Sports proposed the corporate naming idea and has a contract to market it, Twohig said. Brett Sports already has mentioned some interested parties, but Twohig would not disclose them. Brett Sports would receive 13 percent of the sponsorship fee for the Arena and 15 percent for the Convention Center, Twohig said.

“When competing with other buildings, we want to be not ‘as good,’ but better,” said Dave Pier, vice president of Brett Sports.

Behm expressed concern that the name of a corporate sponsor would knock the word “Veterans” off the Arena, but PFD board members said that wouldn’t be the case.

“That is not even open to discussion,” said board member Mick McDowell.

The Arena was completed in 1995 at a cost of $44.8 million. A bond issue repaid by local sales and hotel-motel taxes paid $44 million of that and $500,000 came from the state’s general fund. The Arena replaced the Spokane Veterans Memorial Coliseum, and officials said at the time they’d retain the name to honor veterans and respect the community’s wishes.

Though corporate sponsorships are not widespread in Spokane, the Spokane Indians ballpark is named for Avista Corp. That sponsorship has allowed for a host of improvements to the stadium, including a new scoreboard, seating areas and a new entry plaza, said Otto Klein, the Indians’ vice president of sponsorships. Avista pays between $70,000 and $80,000 annually for its sponsorship of the stadium, said Pat Lynch, Avista’s corporate communications director.

“Most of that money goes to stadium improvements,” said Andrew Billig, president of the Indians. “That’s evidenced by the great improvements we’ve done. It’s an unbelievable positive.”

But naming public facilities in downtown Spokane after corporations would set a bad precedent, Behm said.

“We could have the Conoco Riverfront Park. We could have the Safeco Spokane Falls Boulevard,” Behm said. “There’s gotta be a place where this all stops.”