{"id":62078,"date":"2016-04-20T18:53:47","date_gmt":"2016-04-20T18:53:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/community\/?p=4343"},"modified":"2016-04-20T18:53:47","modified_gmt":"2016-04-20T18:53:47","slug":"stage-of-excitement-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/2016\/04\/20\/stage-of-excitement-2\/","title":{"rendered":"Stage of Excitement"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"16828<\/a><\/p>\n

As the Wright State\u00a0University Nutter Center celebrates 25 years of operation, Executive Director Jim Brown needs only one word to describe the facility\u2019s impact on the region\u2014\u201chuge.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat is the Nutter Center? We\u2019re everything,\u201d Brown says.<\/p>\n

For the past quarter century, the Nutter Center has served as a stage for spectacular concerts, shows, and political events. But it also stands on Wright State\u2019s front porch and has become a beacon and ambassador for the university.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe are a key component of the university; we are Wright State,\u201d said Brown. \u201cPart of our mission is to be involved in the community. And I think we do a good job of helping with economic growth.\u201d<\/p>\n

The $34 million, university-owned Nutter Center\u2014an 11,000-seat sports and entertainment complex\u2014opened December 15, 1990, with a show by the Boston Pops Esplanade Orchestra.<\/p>\n

It has since become an economic engine for the region, putting money into the pockets of hotels, shops,\u00a0and restaurants.<\/p>\n

\"Elton<\/a>

Elton John<\/p><\/div>\n

In 2013, the Nutter Center was third in the nation in attendance and gross sales for medium-sized venues at colleges and universities, according to Venues Today <\/i>magazine.<\/p>\n

From July 1, 2014, to June 30, 2015, the Nutter Center had 275 event days, hosting 457 events in the arena, Berry Room, McLin Gymnasium, and the concourse. About 350,000 people passed through Nutter Center doors for those events.<\/p>\n

When the Nutter Center hosted the Winter Guard World Championships, the Air Force Marathon Expo, and the Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses\u2019 district convention a few years ago, those three events alone had a $42 million economic impact to the region.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re an economic enhancer not only for Greene County, but for the state of Ohio,\u201d said Brown. \u201cWe\u2019re the\u00a0economic enhancer and the\u00a0quality-of-life enhancer.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Nutter Center takes its name from the late Ervin J. Nutter, a Beavercreek industrialist and university trustee who donated more than $1.5 million for its construction.<\/p>\n

The first rock concert at the Nutter Center was held January 10, 1991, and featured ZZ Top with the Black Crowes. Over the years, the Nutter Center has played host to such top performers as Frank Sinatra, Elton John, Paul Simon, Tina Turner, Garth Brooks, Cher, and Jay-Z.<\/p>\n

The Eagles concert in July had gross sales of $1.3 million, the most the Nutter Center has ever had. Other popular events included concerts by Florida-Georgia Line and the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, as well as regular appearances by the Harlem Globetrotters and Disney on Ice.<\/i><\/p>\n

The facility also hosts Division I college basketball games and practices, color guard championships, car shows, job fairs, religious conventions, graduations, science fairs, sports expos, state volleyball and high school wrestling, and basketball tournaments.<\/p>\n

Over the years, the Nutter Center has been home to soccer, hockey, and indoor football teams.<\/p>\n

\"Disney<\/a>

Disney on Ice<\/p><\/div>\n

In 2008, the Nutter Center hosted rallies for presidential contenders Barack Obama and John McCain,\u00a0who announced running mate Sarah Palin. In September, the Nutter Center will host the first of the three presidential debates.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a tremendous opportunity not only for Wright State, but for the community, the region, the state,\u201d said Brown. \u201cThe presidential debate is going to impact the world; it is a world event. The economic impact from that will be huge.\u201d<\/p>\n

For 18 years, Jehovah\u2019s Witnesses from Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky came to the Nutter Center for their annual district convention. They filled the arena on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday over four weekends. In 2012, for example, the convention drew an estimated 30,000 people and pumped $14.1 million into the local economy.<\/p>\n

The Winter Guard World\u00a0Championships are usually held at the Nutter Center for two weekends each year, drawing an estimated 2,000 people from as far away as California.<\/p>\n

The Nutter Center also enjoys spinoff from the annual Air Force Marathon, hosting both a 5K run and the Sport and Fitness Expo featuring scores of exhibitors displaying the latest developments in sports, fitness, and nutrition. The marathon and related races attract more than 35,000 runners and supporters from around the world and make a $14 million splash in the local economy.<\/p>\n

Brown said the 5K and expo demonstrate Wright State\u2019s involvement with the military and help recruit both traditional and non-traditional students by introducing people with a wide range of ages, backgrounds, and hometowns to the campus.<\/p>\n

Some of the events at the Nutter Center, such as the Military Vehicle Preservation Society Conference and the Pontiac GTO Convention, last for days.<\/p>\n

For the public announcement of Wright State\u2019s $150 million Rise. Shine. <\/i>fundraising campaign in 2014, the arena floor of the Nutter Center was transformed into a dazzling landscape that included a glittering chandelier and a kaleidoscope of towering video screens, one of which featured a message from Hollywood superstar Tom Hanks.<\/p>\n

The Nutter Center also hosts academic events such as Science Olympiad, as well as robot, trebuchet, and Lego competitions.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s outreach for prospective students,\u201d said Brown. \u201cAny time we can help the university, colleges, and departments bring in potential students, that\u2019s an awesome thing.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Jason<\/a>

Jason Derulo and Fly Panda<\/p><\/div>\n

In addition, the Nutter Center plays host to more than a dozen high school graduations annually, showcasing the university to potential students and delivering celebrants to local hotels and restaurants.<\/p>\n

\u201cTry to go to a restaurant after graduation sometime,\u201d Brown said. \u201cThe folks over at Bob Evans get on my case sometimes, telling me, \u2018Man, you\u2019ve got to let us know ahead of time.\u2019 \u201d<\/p>\n

Brown, who was hired as associate director in 1999, works days, nights, weekends, holidays\u2014sometimes up to 60 hours a week. There have been times when he has worked from 7 a.m. one day until 1 a.m. the next.<\/p>\n

The Nutter Center staff includes 10 full-time employees, four part-time employees, and 300 to 400 event workers, depending on the size of the event.<\/p>\n

The Nutter Center operators are very community minded. They work with promoters on certain events to have some of the proceeds from ticket sales help local charities for everything from children\u2019s hospitals to cancer victims.<\/p>\n

The Bob Seger, Jason Aldean, Rascal Flatts, and Zac Brown bands have all autographed guitars that were donated as part of the Nutter Center\u2019s charitable work. On one particular day, two guitars signed by country music star Darius Rucker and destined for charities were leaning up against one of Brown\u2019s office cabinets.<\/p>\n

Even with all of the concerts, shows, graduations, and athletic competitions at the Nutter Center, there is room for more. For example, the facility is getting a lot more inquiries about hosting large banquets\u2014of 600 to 700 people.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe future of the Nutter Center looks very bright,\u201d Brown said.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As the Wright State\u00a0University Nutter Center celebrates 25 years of operation, Executive Director Jim Brown needs only one word to describe the facility\u2019s impact on the region\u2014\u201chuge.\u201d \u201cWhat is the Nutter Center? We\u2019re everything,\u201d Brown says. For the past quarter … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":61486,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4827,715],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-62078","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-magazine","category-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62078","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=62078"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62078\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/61486"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=62078"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=62078"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/webapp2.wright.edu\/web1\/newsroom\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=62078"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}