There is $1.4 million more this year over the amount available for the last two years to reinvest into Finley Stadium’s campus, said Executive Director Brian Wright. That includes $600,000 in contributions from Hamilton County and $30,000 from Benwood and Coca-Cola. Now there is $986,000 in a fund that is restricted for elevator modernization and lighting upgrades, the Finley Stadium board of directors was told.
The elevators were slated to be replaced before this year’s football season, however after the contract was signed, and parts were ordered, the delivery was delayed. Board Chairman Mike Davis said rather than working on one elevator at a time, which would leave the stadium with one working elevator during football season, a decision was made to delay the repairs to both so that two elevators will be functional during the season.
Field lighting will be updated to LED. Once the work begins, the switch will be done pole so by the end of the season the field should be lit to the standards needed for TV, if play-off games are held at Finley.
The sprinkler system in the First Horizon Pavilion is 27 years old and will be replaced before there are any problems due to age. There is only one period of eight consecutive days without an event in the pavilion, so replacing the main lines in the dry sprinkler system will be done during that brief window. That timing will keep the work from interfering with Ice on the Landing or any other activities in the pavilion.
Affecting revenue positively is the recent investment that has been made by converting the old Stadium Club into the Ultra Club, an updated venue. The revamped restaurant/bar is already paying off. Having the redecorated space there will give people something to do between games and keep them in the stadium for a longer time, such as the Blue Cross Bowl or during CFC matches. There is also interest in the space from groups and clubs that traditionally meet in downtown venues. Significant gains are expected in the fall from having the new club available.
This last fiscal year set a record for food and beverage sales at Finley. What customers wanted in the way of food and what they are willing to spend was identified. And having an in-house chef has upped the food being served in the Ultra Club, the skyboxes and for catered events.
Income from parking has about caught up with the income it generated last year, said Mr. Wright. And the increased revenue from parking should continue because the stadium will be increasing rates for daily and monthly parking in November. This is the first time the price has been increased since the lots have been used for paid parking.
Production revenue which includes the cost of supporting events such as increased staffing, was budgeted to be up 20 percent this year but those expenses were up more, to 21 percent.
In 2023-2024, the stadium’s net income was $185,000, up slightly from the year before, said Mr. Wright.
Guest experience is another metric that is being elevated, led by Melissa Ortiz, guest experience manager for the stadium and pavilion. Premium hospitality spaces such as the skyboxes have seen a dramatic increase in use and that has led to more requests for catering, said Ms. Ortiz. A family and friends event for about 600 people in July, hosted by Southern Champion Tray, proved to be the largest catered event ever held at Finley Stadium. Packages are now being offered to season ticket holders that includes catering. Ms. Ortiz has also been visiting some venues comparable to Finley to get ideas for things they do that could be beneficial at Finley Stadium.
Robin Derryberry has been working with the stadium to increase public relations. She has been publicizing all the things that Finley Stadium has to offer, and has been instrumental in getting the UTC College of Business to do a “venues impact study” for Finley Stadium. Information for the study is being collected now.
Event booking is impressive, said Mr. Wright, crediting Booking Manager Samantha Brennan. There are more bookings throughout the stadium campus than there are days in the year, he said, because sometimes there will be 8-10 events going on at the same time at different places. In 2024 there are 220 active days booked, which is an increase from 48 events in 2022.
The dog and skate parks are being redesigned to have more of a connection to the pavilion Those parks will bring more people to the campus daily making it truly a 365-day venue. And Ice on the Landing is a perfect fit, time-wise for the pavilion, said Executive Director Wright. It will be put in just as the Chattanooga Market closes for the winter. Last year Ice on the Landing drew 30,000 people. The stadium now has a three-year agreement to be located at the pavilion in winter.
The city of Chattanooga and the stadium corporation in 2018 renewed a 20-year lease agreement for the stadium that includes the pavilion, the skate park, dog park and parking lots. And now there is a spirit of cooperation with the city of Chattanooga, said attorney Kurt Faires. The city is making the upgrades to connect the parks to the pavilion, joining the sites. Lights in the parking lots have been changed to LEDs and a gate around parking areas has been installed for security aimed at keeping bad actors out at night, said Mr. Wright.