“Hair and Botox are the two things that I haven’t been able to successfully transition to Tulsa.”
– Sarah Haertl, formerly of Intrust Bank Arena, who now is director of marketing for Tulsa’s BOK Center and the Tulsa Convention Center but still returns to Wichita for salon services
WICHITA — Aerosmith front man and former “American Idol” judge Steven Tyler did an interview from Kansas City, Mo., today with the syndicated “Bobby Bones Show.”
“Do you travel so much that you forget where you are at times?” Bones asked.
“Absolutely, absolutely,” Tyler said before unintentionally going on to prove it.
“I was on the set the other night in … Wichita, Kansas,” Tyler said.
That part was true. Aerosmith played Intrust Bank Arena Sunday night.
“Just so happened ‘Idol’ was there,” Tyler said. He went on to explain that he called up his former “Idol” buddies Randy Jackson and Ryan Seacrest, who said they wanted to come to his show.
“Of course, I dragged them both out on stage, which was a hoot for me. That was my coup de grace, getting them both out on stage in my world and not on the set of ‘Idol’ was a grand finale for me.”
A grand finale it may have been, but it didn’t happen in Wichita. “Idol” was taping in Oklahoma City.
WICHITA — Sarah Haertl says there’s only one arena she would have left Intrust Bank Arena for, and now that’s what she’s doing.
“My original dream job was Intrust Bank Arena,” says Haertl, who has been the director of sales and marketing since October 2009, three months before the arena opened.
As of Sept. 10, Haertl will be the director of marketing for Tulsa’s BOK Center and the Tulsa Convention Center.
“It’s just a dream opportunity for me,” she says. “The BOK is just one of those special buildings that for whatever reason continues to exceed expectations.”
Haertl is married to Bruce Haertl, sports director for KWCH, Channel 12.
“At this point I plan to come back on weekends … and one night during the week and commute as well as we possibly can,” Sarah Haertl says. “I do not have this all figured out yet.”
The Haertls have two older children and two younger ones, and Sarah Haertl says they’re all right with her move.
“The 10-year-old is really excited because the BOK Center has a Justin Bieber date.”
“I was hoping to come out with some fog and a laser light show.”
— Walter Berry, president of Berry Cos., speaking onstage at Intrust Bank Arena during Thursday’s chamber Chairman’s Lunch
WICHITA — Wichita City Council member Michael O’Donnell II has a new job.
After more than six years of working in sales for Clear Channel Radio, O’Donnell is going to work for Wink Hartman Sr. He’s done some past work for Hartman, but never full time.
“He’s spread so thin,” O’Donnell says. “He owns over 50 companies. I don’t know how he does it.”
O’Donnell will handle public relations, communications and government affairs for Hartman, which includes his Hartman Arena, restaurants and other companies.
“Everything,” O’Donnell says.
Although Hartman occasionally has a zoning issue that comes before the planning commission, O’Donnell says he’s not a regular in front of City Council, so he doesn’t expect a conflict of interest to arise.
“He never asks for any sort of incentives,” O’Donnell says. “Wink’s a do-it-yourself kind of guy.”
He adds, “If there ever was an issue … I would obviously recuse myself from that.”
WICHITA — Intrust Bank Arena assistant general manager Scott Neal – the longest-serving employee at the arena – is leaving to become general manager of Rabobank Arena, Theater & Convention Center in Bakersfield, Calif.
“It’s kind of the natural process within our company,” says A.J. Boleski, Intrust Bank Arena general manager.
Both arenas are SMG properties.
According to the Bakersfield Californian, the last Rabobank Arena general manager left in September amid a decline in bookings.
Intrust Bank Arena has had its own issues, including being $219,417 in the red through September.
Boleski says that has nothing to do with Neal’s departure.
“He’s done a phenomenal job.”
WICHITA — Intrust Bank Arena has proven to be a good test kitchen for Carlos O’Kelly’s Mexican Cafe.
Jon Rolph says dishes prepared at his family’s chain of restaurants usually take about seven-to-10 minutes of prep time.
“When you’re at an arena, you’ve got to do it in about 20 seconds.”
That’s what led to the invention of the Baja Chicken Wrap.
“We played around with a bunch of different (dishes), and this rose to the top,” Rolph says.
“We were really surprised at how many people would be at the arena and then come in (our restaurants) and request it.”
So now, the wrap will be on the Carlos O’Kelly’s menu along with the cilantro lime rice that’s used to make it.
“I wouldn’t be surprised . . . if we don’t discover some new opportunities,” Rolph says of other menu items born at the arena.
The wide range of customers helps, he says.
“You get to see rockers, you get to see country music lovers and hockey moms all in one place throughout the year.”
“I’m on a strict diet of red bull and Hershey miniatures until today is done.”
— An e-mail from Hartman Arena’s Jared Estes, who is dealing with the cancellation of Nickelodeon star Miranda Cosgrove’s show tonight due to a bus accident and is fielding calls from people who “don’t want a refund, they want us to uncrash Miranda’s bus so they don’t have to tell their 6 year old she’s not coming this weekend”
WICHITA — Intrust Bank Arena has laid off five workers, which leaves 41 employees.
General manager A.J. Boleski calls it “obviously, a difficult decision to make.”
Cuts came from engineering, security, marketing and finance.
Last year, the new arena’s net operating income was $2,010,106.
It’s not on track to do that well this year.
“You know . . . it’s a tighter year,” Boleski says. “2011 is a different year than 2010 as it relates to the arena.”
Part of the issue, he says, is that last year was the arena’s inaugural year. That meant a big kickoff and more acts.
Also, Boleski says, the industry in general is slower right now.
“Therefore we need to tighten up expenses.”
“As long as he doesn’t limit my midday 30 minute Spongebob break I’m sure we will get along fine.”
— Hartman Arena marketing director Jared Estes in an e-mail about new general manager James Snodgrass