Expanding La Crosse Center main arena not a priority

Expanding might overbuild the market, says Center manager

In the multi-million-dollar plans to renovate the La Crosse Center, expanding the size of the main arena is not high on the list.

The size of the market counts more in attracting entertainers than the size of an auditorium.  

For example, a popular rock band like Metallica may have played shows in La Crosse on its way up, but now it’s too big an act for the La Crosse Center stage.

Center manager Art Fahey says the philosophy of ‘if you build it, they will come’ is no way to run a concert venue.

“You double the size of this arena, (and) you could overbuild the market pretty quickly,” he said. “The city population of 50,000 and you build an arena with 15,000 seats. How many times could you fill that with the artists coming though? 

“I know there’s a lot of demand and you could do a number of things but, frankly, that’s probably overbuilding for our size market.”

Fahey says with a few exceptions, the big-name performers are more attracted to the places that pay more and may have stage shows that would not fit in a building the size of the La Crosse Center.

“When they can play Vikings stadium and draw 50,000, it has to be a special situation for them to play 7,000-8,000 people in our venue,” Fahey said.

So, many of the performers you might see in the Twin Cities or Milwaukee aren’t likely coming to La Crosse. On occasion, it has attracted performers at the level of Bob Dylan or Elton John.

“That can happen,” Fahey said. “If they take me somewhere I’ve never been before, and that’s exaclty what happened with Elton John. Doesn’t mean these artists won’t do it but they have oppoturnites and venues to make more money.”

The center recently did host a rock concert by Kiss, though it did not sell out. In December, Kenny Rogers final christmas tour heads to the La Crosse Center.