When Merrill Eckstein became Finley Stadium's executive director, the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga had one of the worst programs in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision.
The Chattanooga Football Club soccer team was hoping for some support in its infancy, and the 20,668-seat facility was entrenched as the home of the FCS title game. A lot has changed as the first fiscal year with Eckstein as Finley operator ends next Wednesday.
"It's been crazy, but it's been a fun crazy," Eckstein said following Tuesday's Stadium Corp. meeting.
Eckstein left his job as Greater Chattanooga Sports and Events Committee president to replace Frank Burke, who for four years added the task of overseeing Finley with his primary role as Chattanooga Lookouts owner. The Stadium Corp. hired Eckstein to a two-year contract with an option for a third at $88,000 annually.
Stadium Corp. board members believe Eckstein so far has earned his keep.
"Given the unknowns, I thought we had a good year," Gordon Davenport said. "We have had no significant problems or surprises, and the feedback we get from the users of the facilities has been very good, so I think we've had as good a year as we could have hoped for. Merrill is off to a great start and has done a lot that we can build on."
Eckstein got an immediate boost last spring when former McCallie School quarterback B.J. Coleman left Tennessee and transferred to UTC, which had gone 1-11 in 2008 with its win over Cumberland University, an NAIA member. The Mocs already had somewhat of a buzz going after hiring Richmond defensive coordinator and UTC alum Russ Huesman as head coach.
UTC drew more than 14,000 fans to its opener last season and more than 50,000 to its five-game home schedule.
"Quite frankly, I've been blessed," Eckstein said. "It's not my genius that has put us in a position to where I'm looking at a potential surplus for the next fiscal year. It has been the things that have happened here that have made that possible, most particularly the emergence of UTC's football team.
"There were games in 2008 where they may have announced 4,000 or 5,000 fans, but I guarantee there weren't 1,500."
Eckstein is projecting a loss of $14,671 for this fiscal year -- there is one more gas/electric bill that must be added to a $135,743 tally -- but he proposed a 2010-11 budget Tuesday that calls for a $10,800 surplus. His proposal passed after only a couple of minutes of deliberation, an obvious sign of support Eckstein has entering year two.
"He's done a great job in presenting accurate and up-to-date financials, and he's doing a great job of keeping this facility occupied," Ryan Crimmins said. "That's what we need. We need the community using it."
Said Davenport: "Merrill is very good at not allowing financial surprises to jump up on us."
Eckstein expects a surplus next year not only because of UTC football and CFC soccer but increased use of the First Tennessee Pavilion and Finley's Stadium Club. The Stadium Club, he added, has hosted two rehearsal dinners and is the new home for the Chattanooga Transportation Club's monthly luncheons.
There are 120 events now scheduled for the stadium, Stadium Club and pavilion this year, so is there anything on the horizon in which to worry?
"B.J. Coleman getting hurt," Crimmins said. "That would be a big concern right there."
More info needed
Dan Thornton, the manager of real property for the city of Chattanooga, was not in attendance but asked the board to consider allowing temporary use of several lots to the outside developers seeking to renovate Parkway Towers. Desired space sought by the developers includes the dog park and the skate park.
Board members agreed much more information would be needed before considering the request. Crimmins wants to hear if city and county leaders share the same enthusiasm for the renovation that they did for the two parks, while Davenport cautioned against anything that would serve as an aesthetic hindrance.
"We can't have building projects going on during a football game," Davenport said.
Fourth prep game
Boyd-Buchanan and Copper Basin have agreed to meet Thursday, Oct. 28, at Finley, giving the facility four high school football games this season. The previously announced matchups are Central-Sequatchie County (Aug. 27), Baylor-McCallie (Oct. 1) and Brainerd-Tyner (Oct. 29).