The Great Blizzard of ’78 highlighted the allure of the Providence Civic Center. After the treacherous storm, all avenues to the arena were closed, buried deep under feet of snow.
Still, days after the blizzard, an NCAA men’s basketball game between No. 1-rated North Carolina and worthy underdog Providence College drew thousands to the building. Faithful fans traveled downtown on foot from surrounding highways to watch their Friars upset the Tar Heels.
Beyond Cash Donations: How New Forms of Giving Are Transforming Not-for-Profit Accounting
Evolving Funding Landscape for Not-for-Profits Not-for-profit organizations are being asked to do more with less,…
Learn More
“The atmosphere then for college basketball was big time,” said David A. Duffy, chairman of the R.I. Convention Center Authority, recalling his fondest memory of the 32-year-old arena in a recent interview.
The time has come to update the deteriorating building, now named the Dunkin’ Donuts Center, and referred to as “The Dunk.” The Convention Center Authority is working to purchase the arena from the city of Providence for $28.5 million ($27.5 million of that to purchase the 5.7 acres and $1 million for the building), and invest another $60 million to restore its status as one of the city’s centerpieces.
“A prime mid-market city like Providence needs an arena,” said Duffy, a PC alumnus and retired founder of Providence ad firm Duffy & Shanley. “It wouldn’t be a prime mid-market city without an arena to attract events that appeal to all demographics.”
Duffy, who was appointed by Gov. Donald Carcieri to chair the Authority in 2003, lauded the General Assembly for authorizing the $90.5-million bond issue needed to purchase The Dunk and complete a three-year renovation project.
The featured renovations, according to plans drawn by Minneapolis-based architecture firm Ellerbe Becket, are as follows:
*Linking The Dunk to the convention center, the convention center garage and the Holiday Inn (which is undergoing renovations before becoming a Hilton Hotel) via three pedestrian “skywalks.”
*Expanding the existing building area from 280,000 square feet to 315,000 square feet, to make room for a new entry lobby on the northeast corner, two food courts, luxury boxes, team facilities, seating, an expanded team store, VIP lobby and sports bar.
*Enhancing the existing bar and event area to include four separate party suites and 198 ledge seats. Plans also call for 20 luxury boxes with access to private bathroom and kitchen facilities.
*Installing a new scoreboard with video screen and an updated sound system, and cushioned seats throughout the arena.
Still, project planners must finish administrative tasks such as gaining a purchase-and-sale agreement from the city, as well as finalizing plans and hiring contractors, before construction can begin.
Though Ellerbe Becket – the original designer and architect for the Civic Center – completed the preliminary designs, the Convention Center Authority has solicited credentials from about 15 firms to serve as the project architect, Duffy said. He added that the Authority could vote to hire a firm as early as its next meeting, on Aug. 25.
Meanwhile, the Authority’s Executive Director James P. McCarvill is working with the city to finalize the purchase. Before the deal goes through, the state wants the city to settle its more than $1 million in bills associated with The Dunk.
“A critical part of the agreement,” Duffy said, “is that the Mayor (David N. Cicilline) has said that they will deliver The Dunk free and clear of any bills or liens.”
Another objective of the Authority is to bring both the convention center and The Dunk under the management of a single company. Currently, Philadelphia-based SMG holds a contract effective until Oct. 31 to manage operations at the convention center, and Aramark has a month-to-month deal with the city to oversee The Dunk, Duffy said.
The Authority has yet to request bids from facility management contractors, but Duffy said “it’s a primary, blue-ribbon job for these folks, and we’re certainly going to get some action on this (request for proposals).”
Consolidating management would reduce staffing needs by 11 full-time employees, saving about $680,000 in compensation and payroll taxes, according to the Authority’s plans. It estimates that hiring a single management firm could also save $85,000 in administrative and legal fees.
The Authority plans to realize $79,000 in savings by updating the arena with more efficient utility systems, plus an additional $18,000 in “other” expenses no longer needed.
Once the facility enhancements and a common management firm are in place, the Authority believes The Dunk will turn a net profit of some $1.5 million, according to the group’s proposal.
The second RFP, yet completed, is for a financial underwriter for the $90.5 million undertaking.
The project would be financed through the issuance of taxable revenue bonds. About $2 million from the sale was budgeted to compensate the yet-named underwriter, Authority officials say.
The planned improvements have garnered strong support from the arena’s largest tenants, Providence College and the Providence Bruins, both of which have been involved in planning the project.
“The Bruins have said in public that they would even move some of their dates around to facilitate construction,” Duffy said.
“Providence College sent this Authority and the General Assembly letters that they are prepared to enter into a long-term contract with the Authority to continue using The Dunk,” he added.
Patrons attending events at The Dunk later this year can expect to find cleaner bathrooms, repaired seats and “possibly” a new scoreboard, Duffy said. Major improvements, however, are not slated to begin until next summer.
