Early in Mich Sauers’ career signing on new venues for private/contract management, he learned a valuable lesson.
“This was in the beginning, my formative years,” Sauers said, setting the stage.
He was in charge of business development for what was SMI at the time (Spectacor Management Inc.). Allen Flexor was president of the Philadelphia firm which numbered the Philadelphia Spectrum as its flagship venue, and the Centrum in Worcester, Mass., as proof it was in the business of managing multiple venues. Steve Greenberg, Sauers and a secretary rounded out the staff.
Sauers canvased his contacts, checking for new buildings under construction and calling on friends at the Harlem Globetrotters and Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. “Which buildings do you guys go into that could really use our kind of assistance?” he asked. “It was my task to identify opportunities where we could provide the services.”
When he learned Pensacola, Fla., was building a new arena, he kicked it into gear.
First, he called the city manager and sold the concept. He was successful.
The city manager said, “Great, we’ll put out an RFP. We’ll look into this.”
They put out an RFP and Sauers answered. So did Ogden, a concessionaire which was getting into the venue management business, and FMG, where the “door opener” was Denzil Skinner’s Louisiana Superdome and the Pritzkers’ Hyatt Hotels.
Sauers and Tim Murphy and Tony Tavares, who managed the Centrum at the time, went to Pensacola and talked to the city manager and got the lay of the land. “We thought we were in good shape,” Sauers said. “The city manager was predisposed to us. He said he was going to recommend the City Council approve us.”
The same trio returned to Pensacola the night before the City Council was to meet, had a nice dinner and practically patted themselves on their collective backs. The next day, they went to the meeting.
“We’re sitting there waiting our turn to be voted on. And there is John Lamkin, the personable Englishman who was with Ogden. He goes up to meet everybody on the City Council, talking with them, chatting with them, good-seeing-you stuff.”
“And I’m thinking I don’t know any of these people he’s talking to. It turns out, I don’t know the process.”
As expected, the city manager makes his recommendation to hire SMI. And the City Council says, “No, we think we’ll go with Ogden.”
“We were flabbergasted. We thought the city manager called the shots. We didn’t know the the system; we didn’t know anything.”
The city manager says, “Let’s pause on this and we’ll reconvene in a couple of days.”
Two days later, Murphy and Sauers are in Kansas City, Mo., because the American Royal needs some help. Pensacola’s city manager calls and says, “I couldn’t change it. They wanted to go with Ogden. Sorry, but thank you very much.”
The valuable lesson learned: You have to count the votes.
“That’s served me well all the years since. If we didn’t know the vote before it was taken, we’d probably lose. The city manager recommends, the city council executes,” Sauers said.
Sauers eventually talked to Lamkin about it. Lamkin recalled taking several folks from the Pensacola City Council to the nearby Louisiana Superdome in New Orleans, where Ogden did food and drink. That made an impression. Lamkin got to know the people involved and pitched them and got the job.
You have to count the votes. — Based on a true story as told to Linda Deckard
TOP PHOTO: Mich Sauers, right, well past his “formative years” with Tony Tavares, left, and Jim Riordan.
Since his formative days, Mich has opened many new business doors for SMI, SMG, Comcast Spectacor and Globe Facility Services (GFS). He certainly did learn a lesson in Pensacola. He also has opened many doors for young men and women seeking employment in the arena management business.
Mich in his career opened many business doors for SMI, SMG, Comcast Spectacor and Globe Facility Services (GFS). He also opened doors for many young people looking to enter the arena management business. He certainly learned and excelled since that learning lesson in Pensacola.