RALSTON, Neb. (CelebrityAccess) Spectra officially took over operations of Ralston Arena in Ralston, Neb., April 1.
Following a competitive procurement process that concluded in February, Ralston City Council awarded Spectra a multi-year contract to take over venue management, food services & hospitality, and partnerships at Ralston Arena. To oversee operations, Spectra has named industry pro Brian Krajewski as the venue’s new general manager.
“Spectra looks forward to fully developing Ralston Arena’s versatility as an event space. We are especially excited to work with the arena’s energetic tenant teams including the Omaha Lancers and Omaha Beef. ” John Page, president of Spectra’s Venue Management and Partnerships divisions, said. “From sporting events and concerts to a variety of private rentals, we will strive to increase the number of events annually while focusing on lowering the subsidy to benefit the local taxpayer. With Brian leading the charge, Spectra will be a true partner to the City of Ralston and its residents.”
As general manager, Mr. Krajewski will oversee all aspects of facility management, including: booking, partnerships, daily operations, financial planning, contract negotiations, marketing initiatives and tenant relations. He was most recently General Manager at The Railyard in Lincoln.
“I’m excited for the new challenge and look forward to working with everyone at Ralston Arena,” Krajewski said. “Nebraska has become my family’s home over the last year, and our team is ready to provide fun and entertainment for the community by offering a diverse event calendar, while increasing partnerships and being active in the Ralston community.”
Don Groesser, Mayor of Ralston, added, “Spectra is a great company that will bring new ideas and energy not only to the venue but to the city, too. I’m looking forward to working with Spectra and the venue’s leader Brian Krajewski to do some amazing things for the Ralston Arena.”
The building is just more than five years old and has never made money.
The arena has never been a moneymaker, which in itself may not be the most shocking of facility news, but it was built with a promise by then-Mayor Don Groesser that the arena would not only pay for itself but even lower property taxes. Instead, in 2015, Groesser considered a slew of options to cover the costs of the arena, including raising property taxes and city sales taxes, raising prices at Ralston Arena, and instituting a restaurant tax to pay for an upcoming $3.5 million bond payment installment. He also asked the mayor of nearby Omaha to shutter an ice rink to bring skaters to Ralston.
