WILKES-BARRE — It’s hard to imagine Northeastern Pennsylvania without our wonderful Mohegan Arena. We now have an entire generation of area residents that have literally grown up attending events at the venue. I have photos of my children there, attending “Sesame Street Live,” when they were only six and four years old. For them, it has simply always been a part of life. But for many of us, that wasn’t always the case. Throughout our youth and young adulthood, we didn’t have an arena, and thus when we wanted to attend major events, we had to leave town. And for me, personally, that was the inspiration – back in the mid-’90s – for supporting the “Arena Yes” movement.
As the arena notes its 25th anniversary, it’s also hard to imagine anyone opposed to its construction. But there were plenty of naysayers 30 years ago, when the idea of building the arena first began to gain traction. Of course, it was all a bunch of nonsense, fueled by unfounded scare tactics, designed to make people believe the construction of the arena would lead to a heavy tax burden on local residents. I don’t even recall the basis for all of the false proclamations, but as a young music columnist for The Times Leader at the time, I tried to do my part to squash them. I wrote an editorial for the paper, titled “The arena will bring it all back home for us,” outlining the importance of the construction of the arena, and how it was important to bring major attractions here and, in turn, keep those entertainment dollars here. I also did some guest-bartending at the former Market Street Square nightclub and donated all of my tips to “Arena Yes.”
Thankfully, we won the battle. And the rest is history.
The early days of the arena were exciting. I recall walking around the building, wearing a hard hat, while working on a story about its construction. It was around that time that I first got to know some of the great people that worked there over the years, such as former general manager, the late Andy Long, and former marketing director Kathleen Bird. Bob Nocek, Will Beekman and former marketing director and current general manager Steve Poremba all became trusted and respected colleagues. And the arena, right from day-one, has always been a well-run facility and the home of world-class entertainment.
The first concert was Neil Diamond. I remember the day the show was announced, with a big press conference at the Ramada on Public Square. And I remember Diamond christening the stage with a great show a short while later. Since 1999, everyone from Elton John to Prince, Sting, AC/DC, Bon Jovi, Stone Temple Pilots, Def Leppard, The Eagles, Foo Fighters, Cher, John Mellencamp, Janet Jackson and Simon & Garfunkel have graced its stage. I was fortunate enough to have covered them all, and to see firsthand how much joy they brought to the people of our community, and to those that travelled here just for those shows. For families, the arena has presented shows such as Disney On Ice, The Harlem Globetrotters, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and Monster Trucks. There’s been WWE Wrestling, the annual holiday performances by Trans-Siberian Orchestra, and legendary comedians. And, of course, it is the home of our Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
It truly is hard to imagine NEPA without it.
A few personal memories …
When I covered the Sting show in 2001, I took my late mother with me as my “+1.” She was a big fan of the former lead singer of The Police. After we got to our seats, I told her that I had forgotten that there was someone at the arena that I wanted to introduce her to. She said, “OK,” as she knew that I knew a lot of people that worked there, and she always liked to meet my friends and colleagues. But I could tell as we were heading downstairs, towards the arena offices, that she was also concerned about missing the start of the concert.
“Alan,” she said, “who do you want me to meet? The show will be starting soon.”
“Sting” I said.
Mom – a bit stunned – immediately went into the restroom to adjust her hair and makeup.
On another occasion, I was seated in The Times Leader’s box, taking in a Penguins game, and was chatting with the late Jerry Kellar, our fine sportswriter known best for his superb coverage of Penn State football. The box was usually reserved for advertisers, but would sometimes be opened up for employees. This was in the fall of 1999, very early in the Penguins inaugural season. At that point, I had only been to one prior game, and it was Jerry’s very first game.
“This guy likes to fight,” I said to Jerry, as a young, big, strong Penguin entered the rink.
Jerry seemed puzzled. The team was brand new to the area and the season had just begun.
“Just watch,” I said.
Within less than a minute, fists were flying, and the player was scuffling with an opponent.
The player was Dennis Bonvie.
Looking back, I guess it didn’t take very long for any of us to realize that Dennis was the team’s “enforcer.” I later got to know him a bit, and off the ice, he’s one of the nicest guys you’ll ever meet. Perhaps the most popular player in team history, he is now a member of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Hall of Fame.
On a few other occasions, some of the legendary musical acts that performed at the arena were kind enough to help support “Concert For A Cause,” a local charity event that was held each year and benefited local United Way programs. Elton John autographed a keyboard. John Mellencamp signed a guitar. Both knew exactly why they were doing it – to support local human-service programs – and those items brought in some big bucks at the annual “Concert For A Cause” rock auction. The arena staff helped make that happen, and I’ve never forgotten that.
These days, I serve as Executive Director of Visit Luzerne County, also known as the Luzerne County Convention & Visitors Bureau. And our office fully recognizes the importance of the Mohegan Arena. It is, of course, one of the county’s major attractions. Big shows at the arena often help fill our hotels and pack nearby restaurants. Several shopping areas, including the Arena Hub and Wilkes-Barre Township Marketplace, would not exist if it were not for the arena. It has had an incredibly positive economic impact on the region and has improved our quality of life. Twenty-five years later, it’s still hard to imagine why anyone would have opposed it.
As many know, the office of Visit Luzerne County relocated, two and a half years ago, into the historic train station in Wilkes-Barre. For many years, the building also served as the Market Street Square nightclub, and one morning, shortly before we opened our doors for the first time, I was up on a ladder, decorating our lobby. I was hanging up some framed images of the major attractions from throughout the county, and as I hung a framed poster of one of our true crown jewels – the Mohegan Arena – I had a little flashback to the time I was bartending – in that exact same room – more than 25 years prior, trying to support “Arena Yes.”
I smiled at the irony.
We did it. We all did it. The answer was, “Arena Yes.” And thanks to the continued hard work of the arena staff and the Luzerne County Convention Center Authority, it continues to enrich our lives.
Congratulations, Mohegan Arena, on 25 wonderful years.