Global Spectrum selected to run arena for UMass

The University of Massachusetts in Amherst has selected Global Spectrum to operate the Mullins Center. The two parties will negotiate a five-year deal that would take effect July 1.

The Mullins Center is the school’s 10,000-seat arena for men’s and women’s basketball and ice hockey.

As part of the contract, the arena manager will be a guest lecturer for facility management classes at Mullins Center that are part of the school’s Department of Sports Management.

The requirement has been part of the operations agreement since the university opted for private management of the building in 1994, a year after it opened.

Frank Russo, Global Spectrum senior vice president, taught at UMass 1982-1990 while general manager of the Hartford (Conn.) Civic Center and later was an event producer and executive with Ogden Entertainment.

Global Spectrum will invest $75,000 to install a debit card system for students to buy food concessions at the Mullins Center.

— Don Muret