“At any one time during those two days we could have as many as 500 people on staff,” said John Cox, Nutter Center assistant director for operations. The university-owned sports and entertainment complex has 15 full-time employees.
The Kid Rock show is sold out at a 10,500-seat capacity, according to Nutter Center officials. Rascal Flatts is expected to draw 8,500 to 9,000 fans.
“The economic impact, when you take a look at those people who may be renting a hotel room, to dinner out at different restaurants, it’s going to be very significant,” said Jim Brown, the Nutter Center’s executive director.
Brown declined to project revenues from the concerts and overall economic impact on the area because of such variables as weather and audience spending. Average Nutter Center revenue for a major concert event is about $40,000, Brown said. Full-arena rental for ticketed events is $6,000 versus 10.5 percent of gross ticket sales, plus all reimbursable fees, according to the venue’s promoter guide.
The concerts are bracketed by a Wright State women’s basketball game on Thursday night and a COA Cheer & Dance championship on Sunday.
The Nutter Center will use about 80 local stagehands each day, in addition to the 50 to 60 road staff traveling with each tour. The front of the house crew, including ushers, ticket-takers and parking attendants, will number about 100 people “at the height of the event,” Cox said.
The concession and catering staff will require about 90 people each day, according to Tim Smith, the Nutter Center’s general manager for food services.
The crowd each night will consume an estimated 400 hot dogs, 1,000 bottles of water and 5,000 bottles of beer, Smith said.
A housekeeping staff of about 35 people will start cleaning the arena as soon as the lights come up after each show and work until 7 a.m. to have it ready for the next event.
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