Wednesday, February 25, 2004
Arena offers ‘suite’ view
Convocation Center rents out luxury spaces for events
Article by:
Mark Pietrowski - Staff Reporter
• mpietrowski@northernstar.info
Luxury suites at the Convocation Center are one way to upgrade the viewing
experience at athletic and other events.
The arena is home to six suites, three of which are available to rent
out for events.
The other three suites are owned corporately by National Bank and Trust
of Sycamore; Ideal Industries; and Jim and Linda Mason and are not available
to rent out, said Kevin Selover, marketing manager for the Convocation
Center.
Suites can hold 25 people and offer many amenities, such as a personal
suite attendant, wet bar, refrigerator, television, contemporary furniture
and 22 plush seats to watch the game. There also are a variety of food
choices, Selover said. The suites also have several round tables with
stool seating where the event can be viewed.
While most suites hold 25 people, the Nelson suite can seat 70 people,
with the option of dividing it into two separate suites to hold 35 people
each.
Selover said the Nelson suite always is offered first to NIU President
John Peters. If Peters declines use of it, they rent it out, he said.
“The suite is fantastic; everyone who uses it just raves about
it. But I haven’t had the time to use it all that much,” Peters
said.
Peters said he used the suite during a rock concert last year and invited
all the university student leaders to use it.
Selover said the suites were all rented out in advance for the O.A.R.
and Staind concerts earlier this month.
As soon as events are announced, the suites typically get rented out,
Selover said, which is what happened when the Brooks & Dunn concert
was announced last month.
Although suites are rented out for concerts at the arena, people also
rent them out to watch NIU basketball games.
The price for renting a suite during a men’s basketball game is
$1,250 and $800 during women’s games, Selover said.
Selover said businesses rent out the majority of suites at athletic
events, while private parties rent out the majority of suites for other
events.
He also said they have had many alumni rent out the suites.
“For concerts and other events, we have the price varies,”
he said. “But the general rule of thumb, for an all-inclusive package,
you’re looking anywhere between $60 and $100 per person.”
Selover said the price varies for events depending on ticket prices
and what food and drinks are chosen.
In the distant future, the Convocation Center would like to continue
the concourse all the way around the building, Selover said. If that
renovation happens, the addition of more suites would be looked at closely,
he said.
“If we could do it all over again, I’m sure that we would
have added more suites,” Selover said.
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