Business View Magazine | May 2020

76 BUSINESS VIEW MAGAZINE MAY 2020 into the inner concourse from the grand atrium you are surrounded by LED imagery – that can be the skyline of the city, Cavaliers related, Disney on Ice, you name it. But it creates a whole experience for fans. It also has surround sound audio.” BVM: How was the project funded? Komoroski: “We extended our lease to 2034 and with that deal we crafted an agreement to fund the project where $70 million was public and $70 million private money and we were responsible for any cost overruns. We have an eight percent admissions tax in the city of Cleveland and there is a cooperative agreement between the city and the county and roughly half of that tax generated by the FieldHouse is going towards the transformation. There was also a portion of the bed tax – the FieldHouse is the largest generator of heads and beds in downtown Cleveland – a small portion of that is going to fund the public portion. We’ve also had $45 million of additional investment in the FieldHouse from our Chairman, Dan Gilbert, as opportunities came up to make the transformation even more dramatic. Including being on the cutting edge from a technology standpoint.” BVM: What is most important for people to know about the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse? Komoroski: “We believe the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse sets a new standard as a holistic renovation for a major professional facility of this nature. The before and after of the interior and exterior is a total departure from what existed here previously. And the dramatic change of the fan experience, going from one that our fans tolerated to one that now rivals any arena in the world and speaks to the level of excitement and anticipation in the sports and entertainment space. We are the anchor of the sports/entertainment district in Cleveland. Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse is THE place to enjoy a night out with your family and friends, where good times happen and memories are always made!”