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City of Rochester 'comfortable' with working with Pegula Sports and Entertainment

Pegula Sports and Entertainment manages the Blue Cross Arena for the City of Rochester.
Pegula Sports and Entertainment
Pegula Sports and Entertainment manages the Blue Cross Arena for the City of Rochester.

The City of Rochester says that the Blue Cross Arena’s loss of a large Jehovah’s Witness convention this year is unfortunate. Visit Rochester said the annual convention brought nearly 9,000 people to Downtown Rochester and filled over 5,000 hotel rooms last year. 

Despite the lost revenue, the city’s Department of Environmental Services commissioner, Norman Jones, says the city is comfortable with its relationship with arena operator Pegula Sports and Entertainment. He said the city attempted to save the deal with the convention but the parties still couldn’t come to an agreement. Despite this loss, Jones said that the relationship with Pegula Sports and Entertainment has already provided dividends for the city and its taxpayers. 

“Pegula Sports and Entertainment invested $1.5 million of their money, out of their pocket, to replace the actual scoreboard in the arena,” said Jones. “And they’ve done other things to increase the fan experience and to impact the positivity of the actual arena.”

Jones called working with PSE owners Kim and Terry Pegula, who also own the Buffalo Bills, Buffalo Sabres, and Rochester Americans “a win for the City of Rochester.” 

“It's an opportunity to expand the use of the arena,” said Jones. “It assures that the Rochester Amerks stay in Rochester for the terms of the contract.”

He said that the city has options if they disagree with how Pegula Sports and Entertainment manages the arena, but, he says, they’re comfortable with the results so far. 

Visit Rochester is attempting to attract the convention back next summer, potentially over three weekends at the convention center. This year’s convention moved to Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania.

James Brown is a reporter with WXXI News. James previously spent a decade in marketing communications, while freelance writing for CITY Newspaper. While at CITY, his reporting focused primarily on arts and entertainment.