Convocation Center becoming
entertainment destination

by Joe King

When the laughing and the cheering for Larry the Cable Guy finally died down last Thursday, it marked the end of the most successful semester to date for the NIU Convocation Center.

Between January and May, the facility played host to sold out concerts for rocker John Mayer, country-western superstars Sugarland, alt-rockers the Goo Goo Dolls and performance artists Blue Man Group.

Not too shabby for an arena that sprung up from a former corn field just a little more than five years ago.

“Five years is not that long, and we have come a long way,” says John Gordon, director of the Convocation Center. “Back then, we were out knocking on doors asking promoters to give us a shot. Now they’re calling us with some of their best acts. We are averaging more than 200 events a year.”

Helping the arena take its place as an entertainment destination is its flexibility, Gordon says.

“Acts today are looking for venues like the Convocation Center. Few performers can fill 20,000 seats; they want places than can accommodate 5,000 to 10,000 people. We provide that,” Gordon says. “The flexibility of the facility means we can accommodate shows throughout that range and provide them an appropriate venue, from a fairly intimate entertainment experience to arena rock spectacle.”

The spring line-up demonstrates that quality. The John Mayer show drew 8,000 fans, while Sugarland brought in 5,000 and the Goo Goo Dolls and Blue Man Group about 4,200 each.

The Convocation Center is also very adaptable as far as the type of acts it recruits.

In addition to big name bands, there have been events such as the Lipizzaner Stallions, circuses and even Sesame Street Live.

In one memorable weekend, the Convocation Center hosted a Monster Truck rally on Friday night, cleared out the trucks and the crushed cars in time to set up for a women’s basketball game on Saturday afternoon and set up for a second Monster Truck event Saturday night. “That weekend was a true testament to the quality of our staff,” Gordon says.

That weekend also illustrates how those who run the facility strive to satisfy a wide range of entertainment tastes, which NIU Student Trustee Andrew Nelms says makes it popular with students.

“With 25,000 students, they have a broad base of people to appeal to and please,” Nelms says. “I think they do a great job of scheduling diverse acts.”

A less-known use of the venue is large-scale conferences. For instance, the Jehovah’s Witnesses of Chicago book several events at the Convocation Center each summer, drawing more than 6,000 people to the facility for multi-day conferences.

Such events are an important source of revenue, not only for the Convocation Center, but also for area hotels and restaurants.

“Naturally, we love it when they book events like that. When you have 6,000 people in town and only 800 rooms, business is good for everyone,” says Vicky Torres, chair of the DeKalb Sycamore Hotel Association, who names the annual Farm Show as another event that fills local hotels. 

“The arena has been a wonderful addition to the city,” agrees DeKalb City Manager Mark Biernacki. “It is one of the things that make DeKalb a destination point. Events at the Convocation Center mean increased spending at hotels, restaurants, bars and gas stations, and that helps keep our local economy strong. It’s good for the entire community.”

The facility is also fulfilling its primary role as a central headquarters and showcase venue for Huskie Athletics. The building hosts men’s and women’s basketball games, wrestling and volleyball matches and gymnastic meets. It is also home to the offices of all Huskie sports except football.

“The Convocation Center has an immeasurable impact on all 486 of our student athletes, who use it on a daily basis,” says Jim Phillips, associate vice president/director of athletics at NIU. “It has certainly been the crown jewel of our athletics facilities and it represents our commitment to excellence, not just in athletics, but for the university as a whole.”

It is also a popular venue for high school sports. Events such as the annual grudge match between the basketball teams of DeKalb High School and Sycamore High School draw more than 5,000 spectators. This year’s Illinois High School Supersectional games drew a rafter-rattling crowd of 8,000 screaming fans.

Of all of the events the Convocation Center hosts over the course of a year, it takes special pride in putting on a good show for commencement exercises.

“People enter the building that day as students and leave as alumni. We like to make that final student experience a special one,” says Gordon.

For this weekend’s spring commencement, when most students graduate, the Convocation Center staff coordinates three ceremonies, each hosting about 7,000 people, over the course of a single day.

“That third group has no idea that 14,000 people have already been through the facility that day. We really pride ourselves on making it a special day,” says Kevin Selover, the assistant director in charge of marketing.

“The Convocation Center is a wonderful venue for commencement,” says Vice Provost Earl “Gip” Seaver. “It has allowed us to make commencement more of a university-wide event. As the families of students come into the building, I hear a lot of people saying, ‘Wow, I never knew there was anything like this at NIU.’ I hear the same thing at job fairs and high school sporting events. It’s just a terrific facility.”

5-7-07