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Just in case Bradley had any serious thought about actually leaving the Civic Center, the mayor and Civic Center officials felt the need to call a meeting with the Peoria Journal Star staff (Kirk Wessler and Dave Reynolds) to explain why they think it's a bad idea.
When told of some of Bradley’s Carver Arena issues — a feeling of low priority for game date preferences, high rental costs, no share of concessions revenues, lack of available practice time and poor building upkeep — (Civic Center Authority chairman Bob) Manning said he was unaware of the complaints.
“I’ve been on the board five years and this is the first time I’ve heard that Bradley has these grievances,” Manning said.
So Bradley has had all the concerns we've seen about playing in the Civic Center, but somehow, they never bothered to tell anyone at the Civic Center about them?
IMO, this is much ado about nothing. The only 2 people in the entire city who said they wanted to move games to the Renaissance Coliseum were Joanne Glasser and Geno Ford, and they are out of the picture now or soon will be.
So it's nice to know Mayor Ardis and Bob Manning can pick up the phone any time they want, and get a private audience with Kirk Wessler and Dave Reynolds, regardless of how irrelevant the issue. But once the Bradley program gets into a new set of hands, and begins the inevitable turnaround, we will look back and realize this was all a meaningless exercise in self-promotion.
When told of some of Bradley’s Carver Arena issues — a feeling of low priority for game date preferences, high rental costs, no share of concessions revenues, lack of available practice time and poor building upkeep — (Civic Center Authority chairman Bob) Manning said he was unaware of the complaints.
“I’ve been on the board five years and this is the first time I’ve heard that Bradley has these grievances,” Manning said.
So Bradley has had all the concerns we've seen about playing in the Civic Center, but somehow, they never bothered to tell anyone at the Civic Center about them?
IMO, this is much ado about nothing. The only 2 people in the entire city who said they wanted to move games to the Renaissance Coliseum were Joanne Glasser and Geno Ford, and they are out of the picture now or soon will be.
So it's nice to know Mayor Ardis and Bob Manning can pick up the phone any time they want, and get a private audience with Kirk Wessler and Dave Reynolds, regardless of how irrelevant the issue. But once the Bradley program gets into a new set of hands, and begins the inevitable turnaround, we will look back and realize this was all a meaningless exercise in self-promotion.
and likely no quick fixes on the horizon & attendance going further south next year...it seems to me that it would truly behoove us to move back on campus next year as we are going thru this down period--s save a LOT of money--get some new revenue from parking/concessions/ etc--no scheduling issues/travel etc and play in a packed environment for a year or 2 and see what happens. IF we (hopefully) recover--then perhaps explore adding seats to the RC on campus--OR--perhaps the CC will realize they need/want us back and would offer us an "offer we could not refuse" to return? Just my perspective.
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