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.
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