In recent Board of Trustee meetings, talks of outsourcing the Nutter Center have taken place.
Chief Real Estate Officer and CEO of Double Bowler Properties, Greg Sample, said there has been a decline in outside programs.
There are fours groups who regularly utilize the Nutter Center, according to Sample.
“One is academic; we have classes there and faculty. Second is our athletics. Third is open recreation with the gym and other components of the building. The fourth is the external facing Nutter Center, like concerts," Sample said.
Even though the Nutter Center is used on a daily basis, the number of external events booked at the Nutter Center left the facility unused for 160 days.
“The outsourcing of the Nutter Center could provide the ability to draw more events to the facility," said Becky Sparks, Business Manager at Nutter Center. "If an outside company could help to maximize the arenas productivity, while preserving the usage of the facility by academia, athletics, and open recreation, it could be a positive change."
Over the course of the Nutter Center’s 26 years, the way promoters and events are planned has changed, according to Sample.
“Open Rec, kinesiology, and athletics are priority and will remain," Sample said. "The creativity and unique part of vendor management is figuring out how to enter into a relationship with an outside party so we don’t damage the other three components, but still maximize the Nutter Center from a revenue generation standpoint."
According to Sample, it is common for universities to seek a third party to work with on venues and events.
“A growing number of universities have moved toward outside venue management of their facilities,” Sample said.
The Nutter Center offers students and the community a wide variety of uses between the classes or recreational uses to the events and concerts that are held throughout the year.
Sparks has worked with the Nutter Center for seven years. “The Nutter Center is very lucky to have the opportunity to touch the lives of not only the students at Wright State but also the community around us,” Sparks said. “It is a great feeling to witness the happiness of WSU students at graduation, watch the Raider’s bring home a win, and seeing happy patrons in the seats.”
The conversations are still in the process of assessing the facility and contacting venue managers to find out what can be done during this phase.
