Hoffman Estates expected to take Sears Centre deed Wednesday

Hoffman Estates officials have called a special meeting for Wednesday night, when they're expected to take official control of the deed to the Sears Centre.

The village is also expected to approve a deal with Global Spectrum so the Philadelphia-based arena management company could begin running the Sears Centre Jan. 1.

Trustees are to vote on paying Global $420,000 in January while terms of a longer contract are worked out. The village estimated that running the 11,000-seat arena will cost $1.2 million to $1.9 million in 2010.

The short-term agreement will allow the arena to put on events such as the Shillelagh college hockey tournament, slated to start on Jan. 2.

Global runs arenas all over the country and is a division of Comcast Spectacor, which recently announced plans to buy NBC Universal.

The board is also slated to vote on paying off a $2.1 million bank loan the Sears Centre's owners took out for furniture, fixtures and other equipment. The village agreed to repay the loan as part of a deal with the Ryan Companies, the arena's primary owner, to keep it open through the end of the year.

Village Trustee Gary Pilafas last week said the deal, which allowed for scheduled events to take place, saved the village $7.6 million.

The village is also to vote on paying its arena consultant a maximum $175,000.

The meeting is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. at village hall, 1900 Hassell Road.