West Valley City, UT sent out 375 mailings to corporate
execs around the country asking them to buy the naming rights for
the West Valley Event Center, according to Van Eyck & Roche of
the DESERET NEWS. The complex, still under construction,
includes a $54.2M hockey arena that will be the home of the IHL
Grizzlies and the site of Olympic hockey and speed-skating during
the 2002 Winter Games. Although the city's "slick promotional
package" features a flattering portrayal of the community, Van
Eyck & Roche note it could be promising more than can be
delivered in exchange for a sponsorship of $7M or more. By
reading the mailing potential naming-rights sponsors "might get
the idea" that their company's name would be broadcast throughout
the world during TV coverage of the 2002 Olympics. But SLOC
officials say the IOC doesn't allow advertising in venues and
Olympic carrier NBC will only be able to refer to the Event
Center complex as "Ice Arena No.1" or some other similar term.
SLOC attorney Kelly Flint: "The official broadcast won't do that,
and the name signage will be covered during the Games. They're
not buying that (Olympic association) when they buy the name of
the building. That's not something West Valley has the right to
grant" (DESERET NEWS, 11/9).