[Made in the USA]

Army of One, surely you are gonna buy a luxury box for your good old DodgeBoard buddies to come visit--aren't you??


Six suites left to lease in arena
BY BILL WILSON
The Wichita Eagle

Companies snapping up luxury seating deals

Wanted: Six more companies to sign long-term leases for luxury suites at Intrust Bank Arena.

Then Lorien Parry will set a Superlative Group record for the quickest sellout of a new arena.

Fourteen of the downtown arena's 20 suites have been leased, at $37,500 a year for deals ranging from three to 10 years.

"And if six more companies commit this week, then I'll have that company record," Parry said, chuckling. "The response has been very, very strong. It's the new hot thing in town."

Superlative's suite sales office at 515 E. Douglas features an actual 16-seat suite, including stadium seating facing the arena, a four-seat bar, 48-inch LCD television monitor and kitchen facilities.

The suite mockup has worked for Superlative in other cities, Parry said.

"We've had 13 companies through in about three days, and 11 have signed up," she said.

"We think it's a pretty effective sales tool, especially in a market where suites are a new commodity."

Parry said several local companies have suites in other venues, such as at the University of Kansas, Kansas City's Sprint Center, Oklahoma City's Ford Center and the new Tulsa arena.

"Many of them are pretty thrilled about not having to drive clients two hours to them," she said.

Event tickets are extra, including a required purchase of 12 season tickets for the arena's signature tenant, the Wichita Thunder.

Intrust Bank, Spirit AeroSystems and Cessna got suites as part of their naming rights purchases announced in January.

Cox Communications and Emprise Bank are two of the more recent companies to sign on for suites.

"We've been strong supporters of the arena from the beginning," Emprise president Tom Page said.

"We think the suite will offer tremendous customer entertainment and business development value to us. And apparently, so do a lot of folks."

The pre-sale is Superlative's specialty: Parry said the company "helps city and county governments offset building costs with pre-sale of sponsorships and premium seating."

Companies interested in suites get the model suite tour, then a trip down the street to don hard hats and "see and smell the construction," Parry said.

Superlative will continue its partnership with arena operator SMG until opening day, still unscheduled with construction slated to end in January 2010.