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Despite news stories, print ads and bid invitations mailed to about 75 of the largest companies in the region, only the Pepsi Bottling Group submitted a proposal to the Town of Amherst to keep its name on the well-known ice rink complex.
Both Pepsi and Coca-Cola Bottling also submitted separate bids for the pouring rights to the facility, which would give one company exclusive rights to sell non-alcoholic beverages in the building. Obviously, Coca- Cola would not hold the pouring rights in a building named for its competitor.
"We may decide not to do a naming contract at the current moment," said Lawrence Graner, purchasing director for the Town of Amherst.
The naming rights and pouring rights proposals will go before a committee for review, with a recommendation to the Town Board expected by mid- November, Graner said Thursday.
The committee may choose to award the naming and pouring rights, award just the pouring rights for now or make no award at all and issue another request for proposals, Graner said.
"My initial reaction is not to award," he said.
He added that the town may need to consider hiring a marketing firm to bring in more bid proposals for the naming rights. Any decision to rebid would likely derail plans to have the Pepsi Center renamed by Jan. 1, as was originally hoped.
Graner declined to provide details on the bids submitted by Pepsi and Coke, saying that if a request for proposals is reissued, the two companies should not be placed at a competitive disadvantage.
The bid requests were for 10- year contracts with the town. Graner said he didn't believe the length of the contract was as much of a factor in the lackluster response as the current economic climate.
Hopes were high at the beginning of the process that more businesses would be interested in attaching their name to the center, which is best known as the practice home for the Buffalo Sabres but also has attracted numerous regional and national tournaments over the years.
Graner said five companies directly expressed an interest in receiving a bid package early on. Those companies include Coca-Cola Bottling, Tim Hortons, Pepsi Bottling Group, Northtown Automotive Companies and Showcase Sports Marketing, a local sports marketing and promotions agency.
A subsequent, prebid meeting with interested bidders was held Sept. 24 in the Pepsi Center. That was attended by Showcase Sports; Empire Sports Solutions, a sports venue marketing company based in Rochester; Northtown Automotive; Bijou Cafe, which already has a presence inside the facility; and the two soft-drink companies.
But only Pepsi submitted a naming rights bid to the town by Wednesday's deadline.
Pepsi has had its name on the heavily used ice rink complex for 11 years, after sealing an agreement for both naming and exclusive pouring rights at the facility for $550,000 over the contract period.
This year, the town chose to separate the naming and pouring rights in its request for proposals, hoping to generate more overall revenue for the sports complex.
stan@buffnews.com
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