BANGOR, Maine — Global Spectrum, operator of the Cross Insurance Center now under construction, has named Mike Dyer as the first general manager of the soon-to-open multipurpose arena.
A 40-year veteran of operating public assembly facilities, Dyer joins Global Spectrum with nearly 25 years of experience running the nearby Bass Park Complex for the city of Bangor.
“We are fortunate to have such an experienced, veteran facility manager join our company to oversee the Cross Insurance Center,” said Global Spectrum Chief Operating Officer John Page. “Mike is extremely talented and we are confident he will help us bring top-notch entertainment in the most comfortable environment as possible to the region.”
Dyer joined the Bass Park Complex in 1988 and has been its director since 1993. The complex currently consists of a 5,400-seat auditorium and 20,000-square-foot civic center and is host to the annual Bangor State Fair and Bangor Raceway. The Cross Insurance Center is being built adjacent to the property.
In his role as Bass Park director, Dyer has been responsible for booking all concerts and events at the facility as well as handling many of the related marketing and promotional duties. He also has been active in creating special events and programs for the venue and has played a vital role in the planning and logistics for the Bangor State Fair.
Dyer also has served as Bass Park’s spokesman on public relations matters and with the Bangor City Council, while reporting directly to Bangor’s city manager on operation of the park.
“I am really looking forward to working with what I consider the best team in the industry and I think the collaboration between the Cross Insurance Center and the city is going to be a sure home run,” Dyer said in a brief interview late Wednesday afternoon.
“People are going to be amazed at the building, the shows and the level of entertainment here,” he said, adding, “There certainly will be some big names coming in September 2013.
“We’ll be seeing quite a few [acts] that could never play Bangor — like indoor motocross — because [the Bangor Auditorium] wasn’t big enough and didn’t have adequate ventilation. If people see it in TD Garden or Madison Square Garden, if it fits the market, it could play here,” Dyer said.
Dyer has been heavily involved in several business groups in Bangor. He was the ex-officio director of the Bangor Region Chamber of Commerce and serves on the boards of the Bangor Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Bangor Garden Show.
A native of West Orange, N.J., who attended Rutgers University, Dyer spent 16 years in management roles at two ice rink facilities in his home state before coming to Bangor.
Cross Insurance Center is a $65 million, 8,000-seat arena for concerts, sports and other special events. It will have an adjacent convention center with a large ballroom, prefunction space and meeting rooms. Currently under construction, the building is slated to open in the fall of 2013.
In addition to the Cross Insurance Center, Global Spectrum manages more than 100 other public assembly facilities around the world. Nearly 20 million people attended more than 11,000 events in Global Spectrum venues last year. Based in Philadelphia, Global Spectrum is part of Comcast-Spectacor, one of the world’s largest sports and entertainment companies.
You got to be kidding, In 20 plus years of running Bass Park he has run it into the ground. What a mistake. Some things never change in Bangor.
Well, then let us hope that he continues his “winning streak”
Not to mention his people skills leave a lot to be desired.
Everyone knows how this went down. Global came to the table with the proposal to run the show for the city. A few of the “concerned” at city hall asked them what they planned to do with the existing staff if they were awarded the contract. They kind of have to ask that question. They could have answered it a couple of ways.
A. We are going to fire everybody and bring in our own talent.
B. We will try to retain as many current employees as possible.
Which one would the city be more interested in hearing. This is common during these type of takeovers. What else is very common is that the people that stay employed typically have a very hard time conforming to the new company rules and policies and are either asked to leave, forced out the door or fired. Either way Global knows what they are doing and will have someone very talented running the show as soon as they feel their timing is right. They know how to get very productive labor and will. They also know the right things to say to land a contract with a municipality. Good for them.
You forgot its all lepages fault
An excellent choice. Mike Dyer is a class act. And, having survived the general dysfunctionality of the City of Bangor for many years as an employee he is best suited to navigate the Cross Center into the forefront as a major player in the State and the economy of Bangor.
what a joke
What a joke
Man you can’t make this stuff up.. How much more are we paying a company to hire the man that was already doing the job? LOL!. hahaha!!!
This is a bad mistake on there part. I would reconsider that decision or he will run this in to the ground too
Very good for him. My question, while we’re on the subject of the new arena is: will there be any chance of finally doing away with the annual filth-fest that is the Bangor State Fair this year? It’s time to declare that thing dead and buried.
One has to wonder whether the paper has an agenda, what with its pretending to portray the seating capacity of the Bangor Auditorium as being less than that of the Cross Insurance Center.
The Bangor Auditorium has a seating capacity of 5,948. The Cross Insurance Center’s seating capacity will be 5,800.
I thought the same thing here, Ryan. I would not be surprised if the BDN has an agenda, as they clearly do on other issues. I’m as pro-arena as they come, but your facts are correct. It shouldn’t be that hard for the BDN staff to get accurate figures.
Also, I continue to wonder how total capacity will be 8000 for concerts when there are only 5800 fixed seats? That means 2200 floor seats? That’s quite a few. As much as I like the new arena, questioning its size (or lack thereof) should be an area of concern.
The market survey, which was quite good overall, imo overlooked the draw that Bangor provides. When you are using data from B and C grade acts coming to the lovable but antiquated BA how can you accurately measure demand? More accurately would have been the Waterfront Concert Series. Obviously, they didn’t exist when the survey was taken. I would argue though that 75% of acts that have come to the Waterfront would have sold out the new arena and then some. I realize that concerts are not the only consideration here. At this time, there is no tenant here. Hockey should be considered and hopefully will be. 5800 seats would be enough in that instance. Time will tell.
Great, now we can look forward to Roger Whitaker and Barry Manlow coming to Bangor annually!
I’m sorry I have never posted on this before, but I am very disappointed as an avid read of the BDN online, that these discussion boards become so off topic. I suppose that I’m stooping to your level, “bunyan1” by even replying here, but your sarcasm and personal agenda to drag others into this comment section and elicit personal attacks is so exhausting. The real irony would be if you were on the inside, considering the convenience of some stories to break at an interesting timeline. I’d like to still have faith in people. and the media. Don’t ruin it.
Interesting. I post my reply and then suddenly Bunyan’s comment dragging irrelevant names into this board goes bye-bye. Call me paranoid, but that’s quite a quick reaction to revoke the comment from the page when I introduce the idea ‘bunyan’ could have internal connection…unless of course my suspicious is true…and bunyan ‘and friends’ would be quick ability to delete from the site. No wonder I never posted on here before, there is far too much scheming.
Jim Ring would have been the answer to run Cross Arena.
Mike will make sure that no reprints of Marx and Lenin are sold during games. Bless him for his patriotism and ability to find Communists. A great choice.
Let us hope that with Dyer running the complex the seats won’t have half an inch of dust on them like the current Bass Park. Maintaining a new complex such as this means cleaning to military standards and nothing less, or it will become just another fairground s***hole.
I don’t think the general public is aware that other than Mike Dyer, the rest of the employees’ do not have jobs. What about those people? Not to mention they need to apply with Global to even be considered.