LEWISTON – The Colisee’s success will depend on the bottom line at the concession stand as well as the ticket office, in the new general manager’s opinion.
“Arenas don’t make that much money off of the ticket sales, and most people don’t realize that,” said Jeff Schumacher, the new general manager for the Colisee. “Most of that goes to the band and the promoter. The venue gets money from food and beverage sales, from parking and then from rent of the building.”
City officials introduced Schumacher to the local media Monday. He has plenty of ideas, for bringing more events to Lewiston as well as getting more out of each event.
He comes to Lewiston, most recently as acting general manager of the Global Spectrum-managed Dodge Arena in Texas, one of the 45 the Comcast/Spectator subsidiary manages throughout the county.
Lewiston hired Global Spectrum this spring to take over day-to-day management of Colisee operations, as well as marketing and event promotion. The city pays Global Spectrum a fee to manage the Colisee with incentives to bring in more events and acts.
The Colisee has already nabbed its first summer concert: the band Weezer, scheduled for July 12. Schumacher has others in the works, and he’s in talks to bring World Wrestling Entertainment events in December or January, as well as pro-bull riding and the Moscow Circus on Ice.
He knows that concession sales – food and beer sales, specifically – are where arenas like Lewiston’s Colisee get the most profits. He has some ideas of his own to pep things up, and he has Global Spectrum’s resources to fall back on. He’s already talked to company experts about Lewiston.
The first order of business? Beer sales at concerts and other events.
“I couldn’t believe it when I first got here – no beer sales at concerts,” he said.
That will change for July 12’s Weezer concert, he said.
“If we’re not selling beer, why are we even having the concert?” he said. “That right there is most of the profit we’re going to see.”
The Colisee’s new concession stand will change as well, he said. He plans to scrap the current “cafeteria” style service.
“It’s too slow,” he said. “People get stuck behind one person, that slows down the whole line.”
He currently favors a fast food-style delivery – two lines, two cashiers and employees running to get the food. More people faster means more food sales and better customer service.
“Two lines, or whatever. We have to do it more quickly,” he said.
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