No guarantee of success with Chevy Centre management company

YOUNGSTOWN — There’s no guarantee that the hiring of a management company to assist the city-owned Chevrolet Centre is going to guarantee success for the arena, Mayor Jay Williams said.

SMG manages more than 200 facilities worldwide. But having SMG involved with the facility will give the city-owned center its best opportunity to do well, Williams said.

The mayor said he’s sure the center will face additional problems, issues and challenges “though none in my mind that we can’t overcome.”

The center’s biggest problem since it opened in October 2007 is its failure to stay out of the red. City officials say hiring SMG, a Philadelphia company, can hopefully stop that problem.

City council unanimously approved a five-year-plus contract today with SMG and JAC Management Co., a Struthers company that’s handled the center’s day-to-day operations since October 2007.

The board of control will either approve the contract Thursday or hold a special meeting Friday, said Williams, chairman of that board.

For the complete story, read Thursday’s Vindicator or vindy.com