The Roanoke Civic Center will soon have a new name: “The Berglund Center.” Roanoke City Council voted unanimously to sell the naming rights to the facility to the Berglund Management Group for $1.75 million over 10 years with a $500,000 payment due the first year.
A similar effort to sell the naming rights for the building failed in 2009. This time around there were two bids, Berglund and Haley Toyota. Haley bid $1.55 million over 10 years with a $300,000 payment the first year. The City had requested a minimum bid of $1.4 billion with a $300,000 payment the first year.
Part of the perks for Berglund include the company’s name placed on interior and exterior signs. The company will also have use of the Center and the parking lot free for two days a year for private use. No word, though, on when the signs will be changed and the name change will become official.
Assistant City Manager Sherman Stovall stated this is unique.
“The Roanoke Civic Center will be one of the first public facilities in the Commonwealth of Virginia to award commercial naming rights.”
“(I) just want to say thank you to two corporate citizens. You sponsor very many charitable events, important events that take place in the city of Roanoke”, said Councilman Ray Ferris, while Councilman Bill Bestpitch eluded to the fact that this might not be the only naming opportunity available. To Haley Toyota General Manager Chuck Baker he quipped, “So I hope that you’ll continue to be interested in that sort of thing and that you’ll get some. . . you just might not get it for less,” prompting laughter from the crowd.
In other news, Council voted 4 to 2 (with Mayor Dave Bowers absent) to permit alcohol to be served during certain events at Preston Park. Sherman Lea and Anita Price voted no. Three residents spoke during the public hearing and all were against the ordinance. They were worried about the additional traffic and about patrons getting drunk and causing problems after the event ended. City Councilman Chris Morrill said non-profit groups could hold events at the park selling only beer and wine. They’d need ABC approval and City approval. And he said if there were any problems during or following the event, the group’s request could be denied in the future.
City Council unanimously approved an ordinance selling a building on Wiley Drive near Wasena Park. The former transportation building has been vacant since about 1985
Morrill said, “Another great step forward for Wasena and for redevelopment in the city.” The former transportation building was abandoned after the flood and Morrill says the city used it for storage but with the Greenway, the Ice House being turned into the River House and a resurgence in the area, “the area is really booming.”
Last year, a proposal to sell the building fell through because the developer couldn’t get flood insurance. Morrill says the exterior will be restored to its original train depot design, and the developer will then “divide the interior of the structure to accommodate some kind of tasting room, meeting facility, some type of food service-coffee shop” and a kayak store or other uses for the Greenway.
– Beverly Amsler
