LITTLE ROCK, Ark.-Alltel Corp. has acquired the naming rights to two sports facilities, the renovated Gatorbowl stadium in Jacksonville, Fla., and a new Civic Center that will be built in Little Rock.
The cellular carrier said both will provide brand-name exposure, particularly the Jacksonville stadium, where Jacksonville Jaguars football games are televised.
Alltel paid nearly $13 million, or $11.63 per pop, for the Jacksonville E-block license at auction, then put down $6.2 million to have the stadium named Alltel Stadium. The company is working out the details of its Jacksonville wireless offering, but expects to launch in that region with a complete package of services.
The stadium name “gives the company instant name recognition in a key growth area,” said Alltel Chairman Joe T. Ford.
In Pulaski County, Arkansas, Alltel made a $7 million contribution to acquire the naming rights for the new $9 million multi-purpose Civic Center; the money will be used in the arena project, Alltel said. The company said it also committed $1 million for a skybox.
The arena will be home to the University of Arkansas at Little Rock basketball team. The Civic Center board hopes to acquire a minor league ice hockey team. Alltel offers cellular, long-distance and Internet access services in Little Rock, and is building a fiber optic loop around the city.
Several other telecommunications companies have applied their names to stadiums around the country as well.
