KENT, Wash. - The ShoWare Center is a man piece of the Kent revitalization. It's also losing money.
The $84.5 million arena opened last year in the midst of the economic recession.
ShoWare's GM Tim Higgins says revenues were $433,000 short of projections, and is already off $141,000 this year.
The losses have to be absorbed by the city's capital budget, which take care of Kent's maintenance of roads, and facilities.
"The concert show industry have gone upside down," says Higgins, as he explains what caused the losses. "We need three or four more shows to help."
He called Thursday night's concert by 90's pop band, The Backstreet Boys, "the biggest concert of the year".
That's because, he says, the city needs to show the industry how it can handle a large show. He believes it's also important because it brings people into Kent, who may have otherwise never ventured into the Valley.
"We came to see the Backstreet Boys, all the way from Bellevue," says fan Megan Pitzen. "We'll stay all night."
Concerts are a big moneymaker for arenas, because of the revenue generated by concessions.
Kent's ShoWare Center competes with the likes of Everett's Comcast Center, Seattle's Key Arena, and the Tacoma Dome in the local indoor concert business.
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