May 21, 2009 - Three Rivers Campus Renews Contract
For Immediate Release: May 21, 2009
Contact: Tammy Koolbeck 319-929-5755
The Kennewick Public Facilities District (KPFD) board of directors has extended its contract with VenuWorks to manage the Three Rivers campus facilities in Kennewick, Washington, VenuWorks President Steve Peters announced Wednesday, May 13. The Three Rivers campus includes the Three Rivers Convention Center, Toyota Center and Toyota Arena. The contract extension is for a five-year term.
The initial contract and the extension called for Venuworks to internally manage or provide contractual management for the food and beverage component for all facilities. With the expiration of the contract between Venuworks and Centerplate, the food and beverage services will be taken in-house according to Peters.
"We are glad to be able to continue our relationship with VenuWorks and look forward to continued success in the future," KPFD board President Dean Strawn said. "These facilities are vital to the continued development of the Tri-Cities area."
The Three Rivers facilities serve approximately 225,000 people in south Central Washington, including the Tri-Cities communities of Kennewick, Pasco and Richland.
"We are happy to continue our partnership with the KPFD and its excellent facilities," Peters said. "We look forward to continuing and expanding our service to the Tri-Cities area."
The Three Rivers Convention Center will celebrate its fifth anniversary in June. It has 75,000 square feet of available space. It includes a 14,000 square-foot foyer, 21,600 square-foot Great Hall and nine meeting rooms. It is home to the Mid-Columbia Symphony, Three Rivers Bridal Show, Three Rivers Senior Life Show and Mid-Columbia Christmas. The facility hosts events ranging from wedding receptions to association meetings to banquets/fundraisers to school dances. The Washington Association of Wine Grape Growers, the WA State Potato Conference and Expo and the Washington State Hay Growers Association are a sampling of conventions hosted by the Three Rivers Convention Center. VenuWorks worked with the KPDF to open the Convention Center and bring it to its current level of financial sustainability.
The Toyota Center is a multi-purpose facility that seats 5,000 to 7,000 people in six configurations. It is home to the Tri-Cities Americans of the Western Hockey League and the Fever of the af2 arena football league. The Center also hosts a Broadway musical series each year presented by Jam Theatricals in partnership with VenuWorks. It hosts concerts, trade shows, conventions, family shows, meetings and more. It also has a banquet area that can accommodate up to 250 people. Over the past five years, working with the City of Kennewick and the KPFD Board, VenuWorks has more than doubled the number of events hosted annually in the Center, while improving the facility's bottom line by more than $450,000.
The Toyota Arena, a recreational ice facility, with seating for 400, is the third facility on the Three Rivers Campus. It is home to the Tri-City Titans of the NOR-PAC Junior Hockey League, and can be used to provide an additional 17,000 sq ft of exhibition space for clients of the Three Rivers Campus. The Toyota Area offers hockey, figure skating and public skate programs year around.
The KPFD owns the convention center and the board of directors developed, designed and provided oversight in the construction of the facility. The KPFD Board through a contractual relationship with the City of Kennewick was given the responsibility of management oversight of the Toyota Center and Arena. VenuWorks is employed by the KPFD to manage the three facilities that comprise the Three Rivers Campus.
The newly hired Executive Director of the Three Rivers campus, Corey A. Pearson, is scheduled to begin his duties on June 8. Pearson comes to Kennewick from the Rockford MetroCentre.
BACKGROUND
VenuWorks is well known for its success in providing full management services for arenas, theaters, and convention centers, which are primarily under the governance of municipalities, counties, colleges, and universities. VenuWorks, headquartered in Ames, Iowa, serves 27 facilities in 16 communities throughout the US. It also manages food and beverage operations and provides event booking and promotion services. VenuWorks also performs feasibility studies and consulting work for clients with existing and prospective public assembly facilities.
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