PEORIA — Peoria Civic Center general manager Rik Edgar plans to resign to pursue a new opportunity in the arena management industry.
Edgar has already accepted a new position elsewhere. His eight-year run at the Civic Center will conclude June 20, after which he will exit the Peoria area.
Assistant general manager Beau Sutherland will take over as interim GM.
Civic Center management partner Legends Global will hire a full-time replacement in coordination with the Civic Center Authority board. They plan to have a new GM in place by August.
“He’s been a great leader to his team and a great asset to our community,” Civic Center Authority chairman Rick Semonis said of Edgar in a news release. “At the same time, we are happy for him and his new opportunity. The board celebrates our collective accomplishments and is proud to build upon the success Rik has helped us achieve.”
Edgar was at the helm during more than 500 days of the COVID-19 shutdown; increased the number of shows, concerts, conventions and sporting events; streamlined internal operations; secured the first naming rights agreement in facility history with the Prairie Home Alliance Theater; and won more than $47 million in capital improvement money from the city.
The renovations include the presently underway installation of a new ice-making plant in Carver Arena, a subject that was central in contentious lease agreement talks with the primary tenant Peoria Rivermen that concluded with a five-year agreement in November 2024.
“This has been the most rewarding eight years of my career and I am profoundly grateful for the time I was able to serve the Peoria community,” Edgar said in the release. “A life-changing offer presented itself and I could not pass on the opportunity. I love the team we have assembled at the PCC and I will miss seeing them every day.”
Dave Eminian is the Journal Star senior writer and sports columnist, and covers Bradley men’s basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on X.com @icetimecleve.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Peoria Civic Center general manager leaving for new job elsewhere
Reporting by Dave Eminian, Peoria Journal Star / Journal Star
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