More than two-thirds of the seat licenses in the new Save Mart Center at Fresno State have already been reserved.
As of Nov. 3, more than 7000 seats had been secured with paid deposits.
The Save Mart Center will accommodate 16,000 spectators for Bulldog athletic events, including 2000 student seats, premium courtside “Arena Builder” seats, and 32 luxury suites.
“This is a phenomenal response by our community. People are eager to be part of the new Save Mart Center and Bulldog athletics,” said Richard Enns, coordinator of the seat license campaign.
The Save Mart Center has enjoyed great success in attracting major corporate sponsors and donors for the project, already raising more than $80 million. The seat license campaign has the potential to raise $10 million dollars, which will go towards the construction of the Center.
Commitments are in place for most of the 32 luxury suites and several multi-million dollar gifts have been received as well as over a thousand smaller gifts.
“We are extremely pleased with the success of the seat license campaign,” said Dr. Peter Smits, Fresno State’s vice president for advancement. “The support from the entire Central Valley community, combined with strong corporate support, sends a powerful message about the need for this kind of facility in the region.”
“This incredible response from the Valley during the Center’s fundraising effort sparks a lot of pride here on campus,” Smits said
Once completed, the Save Mart Center will be one of the largest multi purpose event facilities on the West Coast, with features that will rival similar buildings in the Bay Area and Los Angeles.
“The Save Mart Center will bring a variety of entertainment options to the Central Valley,” said Debbie Astone, project manager for the Center. “In addition to being the home court for Fresno State athletics, the Center will host concerts, family shows, sporting events, and large theatrical productions.
“Some think the Save Mart Center is just a basketball arena, but it’s much more than that—it will be one of the finest event centers in California,” Astone said.
The World Wide Web has played a key role in the sale of seat licenses for the Save Mart Center. More than 6,000 people have accessed information about the seat license campaign via the web site at www.savemartcenter.com.
“The Web has made it very easy for people to keep up-to-date about the latest news about the center, and since the Web is available 24 hours a day, people can register for a seat license and get more information when it’s convenient for them,” Enns said.
