Glenn Beck, Right Nation make $102K for Sears Centre

RightNation, the political rally featuring Glenn Beck held at the Sears Centre Arena on Sept. 18, made $102,000 in profits for the building.

Arena General Manager Ben Gibbs shared the number on Monday night with the Hoffman Estates village board.

Beck, the controversial entertainer and Fox News host, delivered the event's keynote at the event his first public appearance in the Chicago area, organizers said.

The profits were good news for the village of Hoffman Estates, which owns the Sears Centre. Since opening in 2006, it's never made a profit. But with a new management team, Comcast Corp.'s Global Spectrum, village officials remain positive.

"There has quite a bit of money made (at the Sears Centre) this year," Trustee Raymond Kincaid said. "I understand that Glenn Beck with all the suites and everything else, with all the high-dollar amounts that went out there, (it brought in) a large number."

The arena holds a capacity of 11,000. The event, which drew conservatives and tea party members, brought in a crowd of 5,416, according to event organizers.

Despite having a crowd of less than half capacity, the profit margin was driven by food and beverage sales, suite sales and VIP sales that topped out at $1,202 per ticket.

Arena and village officials said the Sears Centre should be available for all types of events and they would look forward to working with a left-leaning political group as well.

The event was organized by the United Republican Fund which claims it is the oldest independent GOP group in the state.