SF City Council Delays Naming Rights Vote

SIOUX FALLS, SD - The city council listened to a firm Monday night that could help them hone in on exactly how much businesses in Sioux Falls will pay for naming rights on a new Events Center.
 
The administration wants to spend $65,000 on a consultant who will calculate the amount of money businesses will pay.

The Superlative Group from Cleveland, Ohio, proposes to not only look at naming rights for the Events Center but also the Sioux Falls Convention Center, Washington Pavilion and the Zoo.

The President of the company answered questions from the council, but because two of the council members weren't at Monday night's meeting, the final vote has been delayed.

But it's not just the name on the outside of the facility that the firm is going to research; it's all the names on the inside of a new facility as well.

"In other words, you're identifying just about everything from naming seats, to what the pouring rights might be for soda, to whether there might be money for a pizza stand," city council member Jim Entenman said.

"When you do sponsorships often it includes something if you do a sponsorship for a Coke, or a Pepsi, or a Dr. Pepper/Snapple group, and soft drinks. It will include that they're the only soft drink that can be poured in the venue," Superlative Group President Myles Gallagher said.

If the council signs off on the deal at their next meeting, the group will also research all the naming rights possibilities for other facilities in town. When their work is done they will give the city a list of businesses that will be interested in putting their name in and on buildings.

"So, we'll call it a target list. We'll list how likely they are to buy naming rights for the entire facility, a concourse, an entry plaza, things of that nature," Gallagher said.

And if they are hired, the Superlative Group promises to bring experience. Right now they are working on naming rights for one of the largest sporting events in the world.

"We've been hired by the London Olympics, actually by the Lee Valley Park Authority that controls the London Olympic venues.  Once the Olympics are over in London, this park authority has to maintain the buildings for 30 years. They don't have any budget," Gallagher said.

Now the Sioux Falls City Council has to decide if they want to hire the Ohio company. The council hopes to make that decision at their next council meeting on May 2.