Demand high for suites in Save Mart Center

Three quarters of the 32 luxury suites available for lease in Fresno State's planned event center have been spoken for, roughly six weeks after the university began accepting formal reservations.

Lease prices for suites in the university's planned Save Mart Center range from $45,000 to $63,000 per year, depending on location and the term of the lease. Lease terms are five, seven or 10 years.

As of mid-October, 24 of the suites had been reserved. All of the suites are designed with

14 seats in the seating bowl and four more inside, a private rest room, refrigerator, wet bar, television monitors and Internet access.

When all of the suites are leased, they will generate about $1.5 million annually for construction and operation of the event center on the southeast corner of campus.

The university also began its "Arena Builder" campaign early this month, seeking donors

who will contribute $15,000 or $25,000 to secure premium seats over a 10-year term and permanent recognition in the event center. Arena Builder seats come with such amenities as extra leg room, more comfortable seats, and access to exclusive hospitality areas during events.

The campaign mirrors the "Stadium Builder" campaign which 20 years ago funded the construction of Bulldog Stadium.

The university's goal is to sell at least 500 Arena Builder seat licenses, raising another $7.5 million or more for the event center.

The Arena Builder campaign is expected to conclude in late December. Then in early spring the sale of personal seat licenses (PSLs) will begin. PSLs will range in price from $500 to $3,000 per 10-year license, depending on location within the arena.

The Save Mart Center is designed for about 16,000 seats. Plans call for 2,000 of these to be reserved for student seating sections.

Information about event center seats is available by phoning (559) 278-8140.