Thomas Assemble Center

[Tech XXIX]

I am in New Orleans for work and was reading a article about how UNO utilizes Lakefront Arena to generate over $600,000 a year in revenue from hosting events other than UNO athletics.

Now I know that the Wiggles aren't coming to Ruston anytime soon, but we don't have concerts, trade shows, religious gatherings or anything else that could generate some revenue that we need.

My question is, why is this and who is in charge of bringing those things in?

Is this just another wasted opportunity for Tech athletics?

[Tech XXIX]

This is the link to the article.

http://www.nola.com/search/index.ssf...ml?SPSP&coll=1

[qng001]

Last time I remember seeing a trade show at TAC was in 2001 for a Outdoor Expo...i worked the concession stand for it. Had a good turnout.

[Abominable Gorilla]

We do have the occassional religious gathering and concert. I think those would be scheduled by the Union Board. There has been some difficulty in getting top quality groups to come to Ruston, but I think the potential is there. This is why I think it's better to have a basketball court floor that is put down in tiles. Unfortunately, Rabbs is going to continue to get most of the bands in Ruston as long as they can sell alcohol and we can't.

Trade shows would be nice and while this seems like it would be a prime area for it, I think I can see why there would be some hesitation to have a gun show in the TAC.

[Dirtydawg]

We do have the occassional religious gathering and concert. I think those would be scheduled by the Union Board. There has been some difficulty in getting top quality groups to come to Ruston, but I think the potential is there. This is why I think it's better to have a basketball court floor that is put down in tiles. Unfortunately, Rabbs is going to continue to get most of the bands in Ruston as long as they can sell alcohol and we can't.

Trade shows would be nice and while this seems like it would be a prime area for it, I think I can see why there would be some hesitation to have a gun show in the TAC.

If I'm not mistaken, you can get an exemption to sell alcohol at concerts. However, alot of it depends on how big of an act as to whether or not alcohol sales would even be a factor. Let's say someone had the money to promote (put on a concert) a concert with whoever the biggest act is in country or pop. The money you would have to pay to get them would be prohibitive for a Rabbs to get because they wouldn't have the seating to make up for the cost of hiring the entertainment. A place like the STAC would be more feasible because you would sell more tickets as well as the concessions. People have no problem sneaking in alcohol to mix with their cokes at a dry concert. It happens all the time. In fact, I thought about trying to do something like this at one time, but life got in the way.

[LaTechRandy]

I remember seeing Chicago & Bryan Adams at the STAC when I was in school. As AG said the Union Board arranged it. I think the Mavs & Jazz had an exhibition game there too, maybe the year Randy White was drafted by the Mavs and of course Karl was with the Jazz.

[oledawg66]

Thinking outside the box. I really don't think that's allowed.

[Tech XXIX]

I am just thinking that if we could host 3 events there a month in addition to our basketball schedule, it would get the community use to coming to the TAC and make the athletic venue a bigger part of the Ruston community

[qng001]

Host a Gun Show, all the hunters from N Louisiana and South Arkansas would come....they can all see me flex my biceps.

[TECH88]

I think we need to utilize the new field at JAS as well. I'd like for Tech to host a huge hs jamboree each year as well as a hs playoff game or two. In the past, JO and Co have made it entirely too expensive to host anything at the TAC or JAS. The problem is not that we can't attract an event here, the problem is Tech not doing their part to make it happen.

[inudesu]

I think we need to utilize the new field at JAS as well. I'd like for Tech to host a huge hs jamboree each year as well as a hs playoff game or two.

Great idea. No reason for this not to happen. Get some local kids fired up about playing at Tech.

[qng001]

You can do many thing with JAS...jamborees, football camps, marching competition, etc

[WWDog]

Good ideas. Anything to get people used to comming to Tech for any event builds on the stature of the school and sets a trend. The more you involve high school athletics and academics, the more future students and athletes you attract. With events like this Tech becomes a comunity resource and cultural center. When cities are rated for living quality, a university as a cultural center is a big plus in the rating!

[roughedge]

A lot of these things are already taking place at the TAC. There is a sportsman's jamboree every fall that brings in 2,000-3,000. Each year there are youth conferences and camps that use the TAC. Since there is a lack of meeting space in Ruston, the law enforcement agencies and other governmental units use the meeting rooms at the TAC for training seminars. Granted, this probably is not bringing in much $$ because they are mostly nonprofit groups, but it is getting people onto the campus.

[CARTEK]

Ronny Walker tried to get JO to use the TAC for other revenue raising events while he worked at TECH. Tommy Sisemore would always come up with some lame ass excuse about why it couldn't be done, and JO would say...yeah, what he said.

If done right the TAC could have brought $100,000 annually into the athletic cofers without much more use than it now gets.