December 10, 2010 12:00:00 am

View from above: Budweiser Event Center luxury boxes mean business

By Eric Kidd

If the roar of the crowd rumbles underneath your feet at the Budweiser Events Center, then you’ve probably already realized that you’re in one of the most sought-after locations Northern Colorado has to offer the business community. Be it the next Colorado Eagles game, or Elmo’s latest appearance on Sesame Street Live, suite owners have a view that can only be described as, ahem, sweet.

“In our line of work, we work closely with a lot of dealerships, doing aftermarket work, so we like to use our (suite) tickets to show our appreciation for our partners,´ said Susan Butters of Bullhide 4×4. “We’ve also used our tickets to give back to the community through charities like Foothills Gateway.”

Bullhide 4×4 chose to split the luxury box between themselves with another business. “We’ve got tickets to every third game, and we work out what we do with special events and concerts,” Butters said.

McWhinney also shares its booth with another company, but Sherry Fuller, McWhinney’s Business Support Associate, worked out the ticket distribution well in advance to avoid any potential conflicts. “For sporting events we typically have the whole booth for ourselves and our clients, but for concerts we may only have four tickets,” she said. “It’s a nice, intimate way to attend an event. You can socialize freely without having to worry about going into the concourse during the breaks, and the employees do a great job of making sure we’re taken care of.”

Not only do the boxes provide a high level of service, they also give businesses the ability to extend their company’s branding beyond the realms that other ticket levels provide. “We love that the booth can be decorated with our stuff, that way people always know they’re in the McWhinney booth,” Fuller said.

The Ranch, the Larimer County-owned property where the Budweiser Events Center sits, has been through its fair share of tough financial times. Over the last few years, The Ranch has been operating at a deficit, and while committee members have been pulling money out of reserves during that period, the fund is expected to run out within the next year. With upcoming maintenance, very little ability to save money, and an expected deficit of $600,000 in 2011, The Ranch is looking into a few different options that will help with cash-flow problems, like raising facility fees, refinancing at current low interest rates, and renegotiating contracts with vendors and partners.

Still, those who have had long-term ties with the Budweiser Events Center, especially those who have owned luxury suites, are unlikely to be scared off. “The best part about the experience of owning a booth – and I’ve worked very closely with them over the last four to five years, is that the Budweiser Event Center is so willing to make it work for you,” Fuller said.