Hartman Arena | Have You Heard? | Wichita Eagle Blogs

Prairie Polo rezoning is approved by planning commission

Dec. 17, 20094:19 p.m.

WICHITA — A rezoning request Jack Shelton first sought in Summer 2008 for his Prairie Polo at 95th Street South and Broadway has now been approved and is on its way to the county commission for final approval.

“We got a lot of slack the first time we went through it,” Shelton says.

Part of the problem was he needed approval from the city of Haysville first, which he now has.

More than a decade ago, Shelton put two polo fields on his 125 acres.

More recently, his goal was to attract people for lessons.

Shelton is former chairman of the United States Polo Association.

This year, the association approved Prairie Polo as a regional training center for the Midwest.

But Shelton ran into difficulties when he erected signs to attract potential students.

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: Hartman Arena, Jack Shelton, Prairie Polo, United States Polo Association, Wink Hartman Sr. Filed under Zoning | Comments Off

Brooks & Dunn coming to Wichita in May

Dec. 7, 20097:54 a.m.

brooks WICHITA — According to the Brooks & Dunn Web site, the duo is bringing its “Last Rodeo” tour here on May 27.

But most of the country act’s 47 dates for its farewell tour don’t have announced venues yet. So will Kix Brooks and Ronnie Dunn play Intrust Bank Arena or Hartman Arena?

Hartman is known for having some top country acts. For instance, Alan Jackson was the arena’s debut concert earlier this year, and Martina McBride played there Friday night.

But Intrust already has country acts booked for next year, including the popular Taylor Swift, whose show sold out in 15 minutes on Friday.

Intrust spokeswoman Beth King gave her standard, “I can neither confirm nor deny,” response. But, as it turns out, her oldest brother, Scott Edwards, is the tour manager for Brooks & Dunn. Surely he wouldn’t risk upsetting his sister and going to Hartman, right?

“Oh,” King says, “I don’t have any control over that.”

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: Alan Jackson, Beth King, Brooks & Dunn, Hartman Arena, Intrust Bank Arena, Kix Brooks, Martina McBride, Ronnie Dunn, Scott Edwards, Taylor Swift Filed under Uncategorized | Comments

PR exec longs to be a Cubs bat girl

Dec. 4, 20093:04 p.m.

cubs WICHITA — Wichita native Susan Howe is president of the Chicago office of the international PR firm Weber Shandwick, but her true passion seems to be baseball.

That’s why she’s flying in for Koyie Hill’s Big Wish gala fund-raiser for Make-A-Wish on Saturday at Hartman Arena.

Hill is a catcher for Howe’s beloved Chicago Cubs, and one of the auction items for the evening is to be a bat boy for the Cubs one day at spring training.

“Spring training is almost a holiday for my family because it’s celebrating the return of baseball,” Howe says.

Her father, Al Vargo, is a die-hard Shocker fan, and Howe and her husband wear their Shocker hats every time Hill is catching for the Cubs.

“I don’t think anyone knows what the WuShock is,” she says.

Howe strategized for how she’d win the auction. She liked that it was for spring training instead of a game at Wrigley Field so there would be less pressure.

But then Howe learned the devastating news that no one over 18 can be a bat boy.

She’s now regrouped and decided to bid on throwing out the first pitch for a Cub’s game.

“But the bat boy or girl on that day had better watch out!”

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: Al Vargo, Chicago Cubs, Hartman Arena, Koyie Hill's Big Wish, Susan Howe, Weber Shandwick, Wrigley Field, Wu Shock Filed under Uncategorized | Comments

You don’t say

Nov. 20, 20094:08 p.m.

“I’m very happy because the first thing those folks thought of was Hartman Arena.”

— Wink Hartman Sr. on how some people wanting Intrust Bank Arena tickets are calling his Park City arena

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: Hartman Arena, Intrust Bank Arena, Wink Hartman Sr. Filed under Arenas, Intrust Bank Arena, You don't say | Comments

John Nath is out as general manager of Hartman Arena

July 23, 20092:01 p.m.

nath2 WICHITA — On the heels of Jacque Wedel’s departure from Hartman Arena, general manager John Nath (pictured left) is now gone, too.

“Effective today, John Nath is no longer associated with the Hartman Arena,” says Wink Hartman Sr. “Arena management has decided to go in a new direction at this time.”

Nath couldn’t be reached for comment.

Wedel, who was marketing and advertising manager, and Nath used to be in similar positions at the Kansas Coliseum and joined Hartman Arena in 2008 before its March 2009 opening.

“Effective immediately, Mr. Eric Blockie will fill the general manager’s position at Hartman Arena,” Hartman says.

Earlier this month, Have You Heard? reported that Blockie joined Hartman Arena as director of financial and marketing development, which resulted in Wedel’s departure.

“I just felt when Eric came on board, it was time for her to pursue other opportunities,” Hartman said at the time.

Blockie is from the St. Louis area, where he worked for Live Nation, the world’s biggest promoter.

“Eric brings a diverse background in the industry to Hartman Arena,” Hartman says, “and will continue to bring a wide range of entertainment options to the community.”

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: Eric Blockie, Hartman Arena, Jacque Wedel, John Nath, Kansas Colisuem, Live Nation, Wink Hartman Sr. Filed under Arenas | Comments

Wink Hartman Sr. makes changes at Hartman Arena

July 6, 200911:22 a.m.

wink WICHITA — There are several changes at Hartman Arena, including the departure of one half of a well-known duo.

Jacque Wedel is no longer marketing and advertising manager.

Wedel and general manager John Nath both left the Kansas Coliseum to join Hartman Arena early last year prior to its opening in March of this year.

A few weeks before Wedel’s departure last week, Eric Blockie joined Hartman Arena as director of financial and marketing development.

Blockie is from the St. Louis area where he worked for Live Nation, the world’s biggest promoter.

“I just felt when Eric came on board, it was time for her to pursue other opportunities,” Wink Hartman Sr. says of Wedel.

Wedel couldn’t be reached for comment.

Hartman says Nath’s position isn’t affected.

“That’s what I hope,” he says.

Nath expresses the same sentiment when asked if he’s going anywhere.

“I hope not,” he says.

Hartman also is forming a new company, Hartmoor Concessions, to handle food and beverages at the arena.

He’s given Sodexo notice that he’ll be canceling his contract, effective in early September.

“We will have 100 percent control of the concessions,” Hartman says.

“It’s just my nature,” Hartman says of creating new companies to keep services in house.

“Yes, I will make more money,” he says. But he says he’ll also be able to offer better food and drink products. Hartman says he wants to expand the arena’s menu.

Sue Montalbano will run Hartmoor Concessions. She’s been pastry chef at Hartman’s Chester’s Chophouse for four years.

“So she’s got just a little bit of experience,” he says.

Hartman doesn’t have more changes to announce now, but that doesn’t mean he won’t in the future.

“We’re always trying to improve the arena,” he says. “We’re going to keep kicking it till we get it 100 percent right.

“I want it to be right.”

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: Chester's Chophouse, Eric Blockie, Hartman Arena, Hartmoor Concessions, Jacque Wedel, John Nath, Kansas Coliseum, Live Nation, Sodexo, Sue Montelbano, Wink Hartman Sr. Filed under Arenas | Comments

County courts Hartman Arena management

April 13, 200910:54 a.m.

Sedgwick County officials are interested in possibly having Hartman Arena managers also manage the pavilions near Kansas Coliseum.

“They need to deal with the situation up there,” arena owner Wink Hartman Sr. says. “We would be very happy to sit down and talk with whomever.” wink1

SMG, which runs the county’s new Intrust Bank Arena, is running the coliseum for now. But that’s not a long-term arrangement.

“We don’t want to run two arenas that are in competition with one another,” County Commissioner Dave Unruh says.

But Hartman isn’t interested in the coliseum itself.

“I want nothing to do with that,” he says.

“I don’t blame (him),” Unruh says. “That’s one of the problems we’ve got.”

Park City administrator Jack Whitson says Chris Chronis, the county’s chief financial officer, called to see if there would be any objection to Hartman Arena managers also managing the pavilions.

“We have no objection,” Whitson says. “We want those facilities to continue because the bulk of our benefit is those outbuildings.”

For instance, a horse show in those buildings attracts participants to Park City hotels for days.

“It’s a weeklong deal instead of just a one-night concert,” Whitson says.

“Anything to keep those facilities running up there, we’re in favor of,” he says.

In recent years, the county has spent close to $7 million on pavilion upgrades.

“We need to do our best to keep something viable,” Unruh says. “I’d be willing to talk about something that sounded (like) a win-win. That’s how deals are made — where everybody comes out a winner.”

Hartman says he’s always open to new deals.

“If somebody calls, we’ll talk to anybody.”

By Carrie Rengers | Tags: Chris Chronis, Hartman Arena, Jack Whitson, Kansas Coliseum, Wink Hartman Sr. Filed under County government | Comments

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