Intrust Bank Arena may soon see big changes.
At this morning’s Sedgwick County Commission meeting, the board was presented a plan to extend its current contract with the arena and SMG Management until 2020.
However, commissioners tabled discussion for a $200,000 promotional fund. SMG has committed to pay for the fund, which would be used to recruit entertainers who would not naturally perform in the area.
“They would not consider Wichita without a financial inducement, so this was to give them a tool to get larger acts to get them to come to Wichita,” said assistant county manager Ron Holt.
Holt said taxpayers would not pay anything with these funds, which would be used until they are exhausted.
However, some worry how this plan would influence other competitors. It has the potential to pull business away from smaller venues, and it’s a time where many are struggling financially, said Morrie Sheets, Hartman Arena director of operations.
“We’re paying premium already,” Sheets said. “We don’t need to have another $200,000 slush fund when we’re already paying top dollar.”
Sheets said he’d like to see the county invest money in multiple venues, giving each funds to attract more talent on stage.
“We don’t need the city or the county to be competing with us when we’re also paying taxes and we would like their support too,” he said.
SMG representatives said it has no ill-intent with competitors. Residents have been critical of the arena’s performers. The goal is to give people what they want, Holt said.
“We have a segment of the community that says, ‘Our tax dollars helped build that arena as well. We would love to see acts that we would want to go to,’ which would be non-country [music], is what we’ve heard,” Holt said. “It gives us a voice in the conversation about more diversified acts.”
The Sedgwick County Commission will vote on the Intrust Bank Arena promotional fund at its first meeting in December.