On October 18, 1997 Finley Stadium opened with UTC’s record attendance of 22,446 fans. Today, on the 25th anniversary, to the day, of its opening, at the Finley Stadium board of directors meeting, the next 25 years were being planned. It has become a venue for more than sports and Executive Director Brian Wright is envisioning ways to make it desirable and usable for 365 days a year. He is exploring using infrastructure that is already there just by tweaking it.
The calendar for the stadium and pavilion is filled much of the year, but there are unused and underused areas in the facility that can be updated for private events with crowds of between 50-250 people. Use now is booked primarily with large, annual returning events and sports events. Mr. Wright has done a survey of venues in the area, which have significantly higher rental fees than Finley, but have few dedicated parking spots. He said he would like to explore the creation of new event spaces in existing areas of the stadium.
The 4,000 square foot Stadium Club, which has 300 parking spaces, has not been updated since Finley Stadium was built. To make it more desirable and current, Mr. Wright has plans to look into redesigning the space with an industrial feel. It is already there, he said, just behind the existing walls. Dedicated restrooms that do not need to be winterized, and a nearby catering kitchen would be needed. This space can handle up to about 250 people.
Creating a rooftop bar will need very little renovation, primarily the addition of safety railings. With a 360-degree view of the city, he visualizes this as a good venue for game days or for private events. It could accommodate 50-100 people.
The Stadium Club alone has the potential of producing $320,000 in revenue annually. High-level assumptions are that the Rooftop Bar could produce $185,000 in annual revenue.
The Finley Stadium complex had a successful last year, ending with an excess of $100,000. That will be transferred into a new Capital Reserves Fund which will be used for capital projects going forward. And excesses in the future will be put there. Chairman of the Board Mike Davis is establishing a capital improvements committee that will make suggestions to the board for approval.
There are 50 capital projects that have been identified for returning Finley Stadium to “the cutting edge.” Estimates for the work are from $5 million-$8 million. The stadium corporation plans to reinvest operating surpluses into capital projects without significant public and private financial support. Some of the most immediate repairs needed include waterproofing the locker room elevated plaza, converting field lights to LED for energy efficiency, and renovating the water system. Some of the 25-year-old boilers will be replaced with efficient water heaters. EPB is in the process of doing a full building audit to find ways to reduce energy costs.
Other surveys that Mr. Wright has taken have provided both good and bad information that will be considered when determining where improvements will be made. Only good reports have been heard about the new Skybox caterer, Chatttown Catering, and with the website and social media, skybox owners now are able to order menus online and fans will know what concessions are available. The surveys showed that improvements are needed to the layout and offerings of concession stands and bars. This year, a change in security protocol has also been in place. Safety measures at all events are being enforced consistently now. This includes permitting only clear bags being brought inside and no outside food or beverages being allowed. Five walk-through metal detectors have been purchased to check people as they enter the stadium.
Moving forward, the executive director said he is most proud that the stadium in three months collected and recycled 10,000 aluminum cans. The $300 made from those sales was donated to Habitat for Humanity.
And a new position that has been created is an event booking manager for finding other types of events to bring to Finley. The stadium is also aiming to have more of a presence in the community, said Mr. Wright. In researching other uses for the stadium, he has participated in a music census and in the Chattanooga Sports summit that involves various sports teams in Chattanooga. There are also plans to enter into an agreement with a music booking agent or consultant, after the success that came with the Kane Brown Concert this year.
Unused property behind the pavilion will soon have an Electrify America charging station with six spaces. The same contract has been offered to Tesla for locating another charging station, but no response has been received.