When Merrill Eckstein accepted the position of executive director of Finley Stadium in June 2009, he did so after a 17-year run as head of the Greater Chattanooga Sports and Events Committee. Why the change? He simply relishes a challenge.
During his tenure at the Sports and Events Committee, Eckstein coordinated an effort which included the 13-year stay for the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision title game, Southern Conference basketball tournaments, and the National Softball Association Girls Fast Pitch World Series, which grew from 265 teams to 593 during six years in Chattanooga. The NCAA championship game alone has been estimated to have generated $20 million in revenue in the area during that time.
Finley Stadium, First Tennessee Pavilion, the Stadium Club, and the surrounding facilities offer excellent venues for athletic events, social functions, concerts, and meetings. Finding the formula to put Finley in the black and keep it there has been a top priority for Eckstein. After years of profit shortfalls, he recently submitted a budget for fiscal 2010 which began July 1 and projects a $10,000 profit.
“I feel like I have been known for putting together pretty conservative budgets,” says Merrill. “We are confident that a lot of things can be done well this year, and we feel good about the prospects for 2010. I am managing all the facilities, and the campus includes the stadium, pavilion, the parking lots in our possession, and the Stadium Club, where we have hosted a myriad of events, including wedding rehearsals, fundraisers, Christmas parties, and a Super Bowl party. Three organizations have their weekly or monthly meetings at the Stadium Club now as well.”
Future revenue will be driven by other venue events and the additional funds generated by parking and concessions. Today, there is reason for optimism as the number, quality, and support of events continue to grow. The primary catalyst for a surge in Finley Stadium attendance is the renewed popularity of UTC football, which attracted 14,000 fans to the Mocs’ home opener last fall. Additionally, the widening appeal of soccer has added attendance. Recently, more than 3,400 spectators watched the Chattanooga Futbol Club take on a team from Tulsa, Oklahoma.
“We have been fortunate in also building the number of events at the Stadium Club and the pavilion,” comments Eckstein, “particularly in conferences, meetings and charitable events, and the Chattanooga Market is going gangbusters. I would like to bring more concerts in, and we are working toward that now.”
Eckstein credits an outstanding board of directors with shaping the positive future for Finley Stadium. The dedicated group includes Chairman and President Bryan Patten, Vice President Rickie Pierce, Secretary Jerry Summers, Treasurer Ryan Crimmins, Gordon Davenport, Frank Kinser, Patsy Hazlewood, Gerald Webb, Mike Davis and Jerre Haskew.
As for the future, the vision shared by Eckstein and all those associated with Finley Stadium is to generate surplus revenue consistently and to maintain and improve the visitors’ quality of experience. “People who have come here in the last year have seen a clean, bright facility in which everything is working as it should,” he concludes.
For Merrill Eckstein, making the most of these first-class facilities in an outstanding atmosphere is an appealing opportunity. Most believe that the current momentum is only the beginning towards a vast array of entertainment and activities that will continue to attract people and revenue to Chattanooga while profitably filling the venues overseen by Eckstein.