Miller signs on as Town Toyota Center’s new general manager
Posted on 05. Nov, 2009 by yvettedavis in News
by Yvette Davis
Mark Miller of Forney, Texas, stepped into the general manager position at the Town Toyota Center in early October following a three-month search for a new manager by the arena’s owner, the Public Facilities District. The PFD voted to terminate the contract with former arena manager Global Entertainment Corp. on June 3 after a budget analysis showed the arena was not on track for the fiscal year 2009. Miller will report to the PFD.
Click here for information on the Town Toyota Center. Click here for a roundtable discussion with the transition committee that helped determine a new management model for the center.
Just two weeks after his arrival, he shared his thoughts on the work ahead of him.
On his salary:
“Yes, it is $95,000.”
His first priority:
“Get indoctrinated into the community. Meet the key people, city officials and user groups as well as the anchor tenants and the media. Learn how the arena functions and get in touch with the community.”
On the center’s staff:
“The staff here has kept this arena going under not so perfect conditions and I’m very impressed with what they’ve accomplished given limited resources.”
Miller, who will report to the Public Facilities District board, said he found no surprises in the hiring process. Since he has been here he’s been treated well, he said.
“It seems that everyone I’ve met is excited about the possibilities for the center and finding things that will work here.”
On the budget:
“We are working through the 2009 budget and will start work on the 2010 budget and look at what the actuals were for expenses as we move forward.”
Miller said he isn’t sure when the new budget will be ready.
On local control of the arena:
“Local control can be good for arenas and with a town this size and the way the financial situation is right now the city needs to have its hand on it. Larger companies do work and it can be done but you have to have the local influence as well,” he said.
On the industry itself:
“Very large arenas with both NHL and NBA teams do very well, but our arena would like to go from break even to making a little money. I think if we did that, we would be doing fairly well.”
Miller said the formula for success at the arena is a constantly moving target. How many acts of what kind to book and at what ticket price will depend on what the community wants to see, he said.
Miller said he is looking at ways to gather community input.
“Never book what you like is an old adage in this business. Make sure you book what the community wants.”
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