In the spring of 2013 the Amsoil Arenacross didn’t have Reno on its schedule as the series pulled back to the eastern part of the country. In fact Denver was the furthest west it came that year.
With the 2014 Arenacross canceled the Livestock Events Center won’t echo or have high flying motocross action this November.
Seeing an opportunity promoter Robert Hansen decided the time was right to breath new life into his ArenOcross event that he created over 20-years ago. It was the first indoor motocross event at the Livestock Events Center.
Eventually the ArenOcross event was absorbed into the Arenacross series and moved from its traditional November date to February.
Bringing his event back to life, Hansen used its traditional date in November.
“After the event I was optimistic about the future,” he said.
Then he realized something had gone wrong.
Hansen said when he set the date for last November the company that produces the Arenacross series, Feld Entertainment, wasn’t in sight. Then a month later they announced their series would return to Reno and started selling tickets and advertising for their event three weeks before his.
“So there were two competing events selling tickets at the same time,” he said. “The bottom line is that the Biggest Little City can only handle one of these events a year so when tickets for both went online with Ticketmaster people had two choices. And when you give someone a choice you’re bound to lose ticket sales because you have people that are used to going in February.”
He felt with the holidays coming up a person that might be a bit short of funds would probably put off buying tickets and then only for the February event.
The result was a loss of ticket sales.
He believes those lost ticket sales cost him the ability to break even on the event. Hansen added he understands the position of the center’s managers, as their job is to rent the facility when they can.
So ever since last November, he’s been working to erase the debts he incurred. Still he had hoped to have ArenOcross back this year but after taking a hard look at the costs and finances he’s had to cancel the event.
“It’s one of those things as I took a pretty good hit and in order for me to come back I need some good sponsorships. I can’t do it on my own money so I need it to be paid for,” he said.
“I love the city and everything about it but I’m going in next year to find someone willing to finance the event. Then I’ll jump right in,” he said. “I’d like to get a corporation to buy the whole show and I hope by March of next year I’ll be caught up.”
He mentioned the event is a good way for a company to easily reach from 5 to 7 thousand people with some pretty good demographics.
Another option might be a one-night show with either motocross or flat track racing but only time will tell about this idea.
His focus now is to eliminate the red ink left over from last year then he’ll begin to look at his options for 2015. If nothing turns up he won’t continue and the event will be lost, probably forever.
For the events center, they now get neither event. When the 2015 Arenacross schedule was posted Reno wasn’t included.
So it’s an economic hit as the center loses money from parking fees, from their vendors and rental on the building for both dates. As will Reno’s hotels, motels and casinos due to lost room nights these events usually bring with them.
While it would take something extraordinary, especially at this late date, to bring the event back for this November he’s cautiously optimistic about next year. Hansen indicated he does have some sponsors that are interested but they’re waiting to see what happens.
“I still believe it could happen but it has to happen with someone else’s money,” he said.
