When longtime Chattanoogan Brian Wright took over as executive director of Max Finley Stadium and the First Horizon Pavilion in 2022, he knew exactly what he was getting into.
"This was a 25-year-old building that had never had a substantial capital investment," says Wright, 32, who worked seven years at Finley while a student at Chattanooga School for the Arts and Sciences and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where he earned two degrees.
That's changed now, with the debut of the stadium's Ultra Club earlier this year. Wright says the former Stadium Club was renovated at a cost of $700,000 drawn from financing, capital reserves and corporate sponsorships, including what Tri-Star Beverage ponied up to name the new space.
"It's a critical piece," he says. "It's a national beer brand (Michelob Ultra), and there are Ultra Clubs at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles, Capital One Arena in D.C., and CityPark in St. Louis.
"Ultra Club (represents) a high-end stadium experience, and it's cool to be able to bring that to Chattanooga," he adds.
Wright says the 4,000-square-foot space accommodates up to 250 people standing, 150 seated and boasts "state-of-the-art AV," including a video wall, high-speed EPB internet, a full-service bar and in-house catering, all just steps from Finley's South VIP parking lot.
"It's the same walls, but we totally gutted and remade it," Wright says.
Alton Byrd, president/CEO of Chattanooga Football Club, says the Ultra Club gives CFC options beyond those involving home games at Finley.
"It's a great space for us to entertain season-ticket holders, other fans, players, partners and sponsors," Byrd says, "but we now know that we can host (other) events -- it's a good place for panel discussions, marketing and networking.
"For us, it's all positive," Byrd adds. "Brian (Wright) and the stadium folks have been super helpful to us, and we will help drive new business for them."
Wright says he started at Finley as a 17-year-old intern and worked "in kind of everything," including maintenance, guest services and management. He landed a management job at Atlanta's Mercedes-Benz stadium in 2016 and stayed six years, coming home in 2022 to take the top job at Finley.
"Full circle," says Wright, adding that the first thing on his to-do list was the Stadium Club, which he recalls looking familiar, but not in a warm and fuzzy sort of way.
"It hadn't been touched," he says. "The chairs were the same as in the grand opening photos in 1997. There was 1997 carpet and a drop ceiling."
Wright recalls that he worked with the stadium's Facilities Committee to come up with a plan, including a design by Bill Wilkerson, Finley's original lead architect. Wright says the result is an event space that "everyday Chattanoogans can rent to host big life moments."
"We've had events not typically hosted in the stadium or pavilion," he says. "Chamber (of Commerce) events, baby showers, birthday parties, graduation parties. It's been extremely popular, and it's a great way to give back to the community."
Wright adds that what's happening at Finley is typical of what stadiums nationwide are doing in an effort to "animate their schedules." He says his aim is to make the stadium and pavilion a "12-month venue" and reduce wintertime losses. He adds that Finley and the Pavilion logged more than 400 event days in 2023 and hopes Ultra Club activity will take that number to 500 in 2024.
"We typically have no events in January and February, which costs us about $70,000 in losses," he says. "If we can get holiday parties, keep some activity coming in during those winter months, we can cut into those losses."