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Old Jan 13, 2012, 2:42 am
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Will Frontier Airlines Center be renamed?

FOX 6 News in Milwaukee has a story about the on-going discussions between Frontier Airlines and the Wisconsin Center District regarding the renewal of naming rights for the convention center.

From the story:

"The chairman of the District, Frank Gimbel, tells the Business Journal preliminary discussions with Frontier about renewing the naming rights agreement "have not left the District feeling very secure." He says by mid-year, the District plans to identify potential candidates to "step up to the plate" to replace Frontier if necessary."

http://www.fox6now.com/news/witi-201...,3226176.story

I would be very surprised if Frontier renews the naming rights deal.
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Old Jan 13, 2012, 6:48 am
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We still refer to it as the Midwest Express Center, just out of habit! Just like that tall white building is still the First Wisconsin building!!
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Old Jan 13, 2012, 7:29 am
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Originally Posted by BlueHorseShoe2000
I would be very surprised if Frontier renews the naming rights deal.
I doubt it too. They also mentioned on the news last night that they may talk to Southwest about naming rights.
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Old Jan 13, 2012, 7:44 am
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With 20/20 hindsight, they should have let the naming rights go in 2009.

Would SWA even be interested? AirTran as a stand alone would have been.
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Old Jan 13, 2012, 8:23 am
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Another of Gimbel's quotes in the Business Journal, regarding the naming rights:

'We have concerns about Frontier’s willingness and ability to re-up.'
The naming rights may need to be passed to another corporate entity, other than an airline, especially with the shrinking presence of carriers at MKE.

Perhaps a company like Kohl's, HD, Manpower, or NML, whose Milwaukee ties are more concrete, will be a more likely option.

Last edited by mke9499; Jan 13, 2012 at 8:35 am
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Old Jan 13, 2012, 4:40 pm
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Usinger's or Klement's maybe.
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Old May 1, 2012, 2:55 pm
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http://www.jsonline.com/business/con...149679985.html
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Old May 1, 2012, 3:43 pm
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"Grave concerns", really? The thought process is probably something like "The check is in the mail. Actually, it's being sent out on one of F9's planes to MKE. Oh wait, but F9 doesn't fly to MKE anymore?".
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Old May 4, 2012, 7:26 pm
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It will probably end up being the WN centre, or another local company will step up.
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Old May 4, 2012, 7:55 pm
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Originally Posted by WIRunner
It will probably end up being the WN centre, or another local company will step up.
I'd guess the latter... at a reported price that F9 signed of $500K per year I doubt an airline with current oil price uncertainty would be in the frontrunners.

BTW I still liked the old MECCA... It was a good facility IMO they should have instead torn down the arena and built a good hotel with more meeting/conference rooms and connection to MECCA.
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Old Aug 15, 2012, 11:36 am
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New airline partner for convention center in Milwaukee?

From BizTimes:

Delta Airlines has reportedly reached an agreement to purchase the naming rights for the Frontier Airlines Center in downtown Milwaukee.
Franklyn Gimbel, board chairman of the Wisconsin Center District, said the district has reached an agreement with an entity to take over the last year of Frontier Airlines' naming rights deal for the downtown Milwaukee convention center. That deal expires at the end of June 2013.
The district is in negotiations with that entity, which Gimbel declined to name, for a five-year extension of the naming rights deal, he said.
Sources said the Wisconsin Center District has been in negotiations with an airline for the naming rights, but they could not confirm that Delta is that airline.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported today that the airline in the negotiations is Atlanta-based Delta.
A Delta spokesperson was not available to confirm the report.
Frontier Airlines has dramatically cut back its presence in Milwaukee, significantly reducing service and employment at Mitchell International Airport.
Meanwhile, Delta has expanded in Milwaukee and recently added service from Mitchell to New York.
The downtown Milwaukee convention center was originally named the Midwest Express Center. The name was later changed to Midwest Airlines Center when the company changed its name. The convention center's name was later changed to Frontier Airlines Center after Republic Airways Holdings Inc. purchased Midwest and combined it with Frontier.
From JSOnline:

Delta has bought facility naming rights in other communities.

In 2000, Delta agreed to buy the naming rights for Cincinnati's convention center, which was being expanded. But Delta two years later backed out of that agreement after the airline fell into financial trouble.

Financial difficulties also led Delta in 2006 to not renew its naming rights agreement for the Salt Lake City arena, where the National Basketball Association's Utah Jazz play.

However, Delta is now profitable after reorganizing its finances under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

Last edited by mke9499; Aug 15, 2012 at 12:27 pm
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Old Aug 15, 2012, 2:22 pm
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Well, it looks like Delta is upping its profile. Helps solidify its base and capture more business flyers.
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Old Aug 15, 2012, 4:25 pm
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Originally Posted by tvnwz
Well, it looks like Delta is upping its profile. Helps solidify its base and capture more business flyers.
Will we see more flights? Are they ready to do battle with Southwest?
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Old Aug 15, 2012, 5:26 pm
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Originally Posted by RSVP
Will we see more flights? Are they ready to do battle with Southwest?
Smart move on DL's part. They've had a foothold in the MKE market from back in the NW days, and this will only help keep it at the forefront of people's minds.

As for doing battle. I'm sure that DL will do its best to ensure that WN is kept in line, at all their major hubs, and several of the smaller hublette types.
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Old Aug 15, 2012, 7:50 pm
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I really didn't expect any airline to buy naming rights....it's not common for airlines to buy naming rights for convention centers. But Delta must have had interest equal to or greater than the price they are paying.
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