Frew Meets with Edit Board

John Frew, whose firm, Frew Nations Group, is leading Cedar Rapids' Events Center project, sat down with The Gazette's editorial board today. Mayor Ron Corbett, Council member Chuck Swore and interim City Manager Allan Thoms were also in the house.

Frew said three architect-construction firm teams are vying for the project, with interviews on July 8 and a council pick set for July 27. So things are moving along.

A couple things he said stood out for me.

First, no matter which firms are hired, Frew said the U.S. Cellular Center and its new, attached convention halls, will look "dramatically different" from what we see today.  That's good news, unless you like drab concrete bunkers.

The new look may be ultra modern with lots of glass, or more "retro," to tie it in with the historic Roosevelt building. Or it could be a mix. We'll see the first schematic drawings about 60 days after the council hires a team.

Beyond exterior changes, Frew said the arena could be reconfigured inside to make room for events such as rodeos, monster trucks, etc. The current floor is too small for many events.

Swore said mixed martial arts matches are also a possibility.

The current Crowne Plaza ballroom will be demolished to make way for convention space. I hope they create some sort of monument to all the city open houses held there. Maybe a bronze placard on an easel.

The U.S. Cell center will have to "go dark" for a period of time during construction. Depending on pace and timing of construction, that could mean moving the state high school volleyball tournament in 2012. It's not certain whether the hotel will have to close.

Second, Frew said U.S. Cellular's naming rights contract expires in 18 months or so. The company will certainly have an opportunity to bid for renewal, but Frew made it clear that he and city leaders expect the sale of naming rights for the improved center to raise considerable bucks.

It's possible that multiple companies could buy rights, such as in Des Moines, home to the Iowa Events Center, which includes both Wells Fargo Arena and HyVee Hall.

"That's a very valuable piece of real estate," said Frew, pointing to the cell center's visibility downtown and along I-380. He said the naming rights biz fell off during the recession, but is rebounding.

I asked whether 24-Hour Dorman might explore naming rights for a coat rack, water fountain or a potted plant etc. Frew said he envisions some sort of flashy LED set up. I said we'll have to talk.

This is how the big deals are made, folks.

Speaking of deals, like buying a hotel, the city has yet to make an official bid, but will soon, Thoms said. Frew said the federal Economic Development Administration, or EDA, which awarded a $35 million grant for the events center project, considers it "essential" for the city to take control of the hotel.