Officials prepare for Sears Centre interviews

Hoffman Estates officials are preparing for Friday's meetings with two arena-management firms interested in running the Sears Centre arena.

Both interview sessions will be closed to the public. The morning session will be between village officials and SMG Global, the West Conshohocken, Penn. firm which manages Soldier Field in Chicago. The afternoon interview will be with Philadelphia-based Global Spectrum, which is part of cable giant Comcast Corp.'s family of companies.

Trustee Gary Pilafas said the village is eager to meet with the groups. The village continues to be in negotiations with the parent company of the Sears Centre's current owners, the Ryan Companies, over control of the 11,000-seat arena off I-90 and Rt. 59.

The village solicited requests from four firms and SMG and Global Spectrum where the only ones to contact the village. Pilafas said the submitted proposals are similar, but village officials won't know all the specifics until Friday.

A relaunch with a series of concerts like what was held in 2006 could be forthcoming after a firm is hired. Duran Duran, Bob Dylan and Lionel Richie performed separately on three dates to mark the arena's opening. A marketing plan for the building is one of the items village officials will weigh in hiring a company. Ways to lure sports teams to the arena, like a minor-league hockey squad, also are of importance. Sports teams provide an arena with a tenant which they can rely on to bring in fans for several dates a season.

The village is targeting a Jan. 1 takeover date when either SMG or Global Spectrum would be hired and ready to run the arena. Pilafas said Ryan is also eager for the deal to happen, asking the village if they could take over on Dec. 1. That's not likely.

"The planets would have to line up properly for that to happen," Pilafas said.

Construction of the building was paid for with a $55 million village-backed loan in 2006. Under a provision of their contract, Ryan could exit as the owner and operator if the arena struggled, as the Sears Centre has during the slumping economy. That would make the village owner, and responsible for the loan's repayment. The village board has already filed foreclosure papers against the current arena ownership, which is one way the village may take control of the facility.

Talks surrounding the Sears Centre have taken up much of village staff time since the village board announced they were going to take control of the building. Even Assistant Village Manager Mark Koplin, who was recognized for celebrating 20 years with the village, was the target of a joke on Monday.

"For your 20-years' anniversary present we're going to give you an arena" Pilafas joked.