Save Mart Center No. 24 arena in the world

By MAURICE O. NDOLE

The Save Mart Center is officially among the best arenas in the world.

One year after opening, the Save Mart Center has been ranked 24th in ticket sales in the world and came first when compared to other college arenas and halls.

The concert-industry trade publication Pollstar Magazine, which tracks all ticket sales in venues worldwide, recorded a total of 279,890 ticket sales in the Save Mart Center, which did not include the ticket sales for sporting events.

Steve Tadlock, general manager of SMG, the group that manages the Save Mart Center, said the ranking was great news for the arena and the university.

“The Save Mart Center is clearly regarded by promoters as an important venue for national show tours.

Thanks to the support by our Valley residents and residents throughout California, ticket sales continue to exceed market expectations,” Tadlock said in a press release. “We continue to sustain interest, and bookings for 2005 will continue to bring top entertainment to the Save Mart Center.”

Accounting major Dustin Hofmann said he thinks the arena deserves the ranking.

“I think it’s up there. It’s big, spaced out and you can see everything,” Hofmann said.

Hofmann said the arena was good for Fresno.

“I think the city itself owns the center. That is good because it attracts lots of people,” he said.

Child development major Tiffany Jost said the ranking was good for Fresno.

“It makes people more aware of Fresno, we didn’t have many people come [to Fresno] when we just had the Selland Arena,” Jost said.

In its first year, the arena hosted Prince, Shania Twain, Britney Spears and the ten finalists of the hit TV show, ‘American Idol,’ among other big names in entertainment.