Posted by Dick Hall & Joe Gray

Matt Herpick has been the General Manager for the past two and half years of the Cross Insurance Arena, formerly known as Cumberland County Civic Center, which transitioned from public to private management with Global Spectrum, now Spectacor managing the facility. Spectacor is a national events management company headquartered in Philadelphia and currently manages over 160 areas and centers throughout the United States.

Four years ago the Cross Insurance Arena underwent a $33 million dollar renovation which included new seats, suites and system upgrades. While Portland lost its AHL hockey franchise, the Portland Pirates, Matt pointed out that the arena was able to attract a new Eastern league franchise with a traditional Maine name, the Maine Mariners, starting next October and was recently awarded a new arena football franchise, the Maine Mammoths, which will be offering exciting indoor football beginning this April with a season extending to August.

Matt told us how being part of the larger Spectra Comcast organization, he is able to attract first quality performances. His organization manages several venues, provides food service, and sells tickets. He says that of 10 date-holds which are requested for Portland, only one turns into an event, so there is lots of work done with no benefit.

The Cross Arena will still honor all the special shows already booked, and all the graduation and other local events. The sports teams have agreed to work around these schedules.

When asked about UMaine hockey, he responded that one game is scheduled and he is trying for a second. Last year two games had great attendance, but a third was poorly attended. He invited us to watch for announcements of some great shows coming in the fall and winter next year.

 

(Photo L-R: Joe Gray, Matt Herpick and 1st Vice President John Curran.)