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Alltel Arena may get new name Thursday, Jun 5, 2008 By John Lyon Arkansas News Bureau LITTLE ROCK - The purchase of Little-Rock based Alltel by Verizon may mean a name change for one of Arkansas' largest arenas. Michael Marion, general manager of Alltel Arena in North Little Rock, says the 18,000-seat arena is likely to get a new name after Verizon carries out its announced plans to purchase Alltel. "Alltel bought naming rights for 20 years, and they paid for it all in advance. There's about 11 years left on the contract, so I would expect that Verizon would want to make that change," Marion said. Marion said he had not been contacted by Alltel or Verizon since the planned purchase was announced. "I have a feeling they've got bigger fish to fry today than to worry about the name of the building," he said. Alltel paid $7 million for the arena's naming rights. The money went toward construction of the $83 million facility, which opened in October 1999. "They paid us in advance and we used that money for construction, which was a real nice thing for them to do, to help us have a nicer building," Marion said. The arena is owned by the Multi-Purpose Civic Center Facilities Board for Pulaski County. It has provided a venue for performers such as Elton John, Britney Spears, Tim McGraw and Bruce Springsteen, as well as sports events, banquets and conventions. Other facilities that Alltel owns naming rights for include Alltel Center in Mankato, Minn.; Alltel Ice Den in Scottsdale, Ariz.; Alltel Pavilion at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va.; and Alltel Stadium at Winona State University in Winona, Minn. Burt Lyman, executive director of Alltel Center, said Thursday he was waiting to hear from Alltel or Verizon about the future of that facility. "For me right now it's just a little premature to get really concerned about it," he said. Facilities that Verizon owns naming rights for include Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.; Verizon IMAX theaters in Natlick, Mass., and Reading, Mass.; Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester, N.H.; and amphitheaters and music centers in several cities across the country. |
