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Sunday, August 19, 2007

FedEx Forum Reaching for Heights

Forum reaching for heights
Teams have lofty hopes for fans in upper deck

By David Williams, Memphis Commercial Appeal
Sunday, August 19, 2007

It's called the "terrace level," which is a fancy way of saying "rafters."

FedExForum is, after all, a pretty fancy place as basketball gyms go, with its luxury suites and fine dining.

But the rafters are, well, the rafters. They're far, far from the court. They're not particularly luxurious -- what, no cup holders? A fan can feel so removed from the game as to be forgotten.

The University of Memphis, in its push for a season-ticket sellout of the 18,400-seat building, is trying to change that. The Tigers are seriously courting upper-deck fans, with $100 season ticket packages and promises of nightly giveaways -- not just T-shirts but grander prizes, coach John Calipari said, such as flat-screen TVs.

"We want to tell them, 'We appreciate you,'" Calipari said. "We know there are people who have been moved up there. ... We've got to try to make that upper deck excited."

Angela McCarter, director of marketing and promotions in the athletic department, wouldn't confirm the plan to give away flat-screen TVs and other prizes to upper-deck fans. "That's a promotion we're working on with a national retailer," she said, adding that all details haven't been finalized.

But an announcement could come soon and will be testament to the Tigers' aggressive stance on a challenging issue -- selling upper-deck seats in a market that was spoiled by The Pyramid's much more spacious lower bowl.

The Pyramid's lower bowl held about 12,000, with some 7,000 seats upstairs.

FedExForum has about 9,700 seats on the lower levels and 8,700 on the terrace level.

"At The Pyramid, to be honest, there was one concourse," said Dennis O'Connor, vice president of ticket sales and service for the Grizzlies, who likewise are working to overcome the upper-deck challenge.

"So if you were sitting in the lower level or the upper level, there was the perception that everyone was the same."

FedExForum, however, was built with a serious nod -- if not a bow -- to the economic realities of major league sports, with luxury suites closer to the court than in The Pyramid.

As for the Forum's upper deck, well ...

"It's big," O'Connor said. "As much as we say there are great seats, it's still, 'Hey, but I'm upstairs.'"

The U of M has heard the same thing, especially from season ticket-holders who were downstairs at The Pyramid.

"I've actually sat in the upper deck, watching a game. I understand where the fans are coming from," McCarter said.

Thus, the Tigers are planning the Chuck Hutton Fun Patrol, a group of 10 students who will roam the upper deck, giving away T-shirts and other items.

"They'll take some band members and cheerleaders up there with them," McCarter said, "just to try to get the fans to feel like they're more into the excitement of the game."

Also planned is a youth-oriented upstairs concession initiative -- focusing on kid-friendly menu items and parent-friendly prices.

Along with the giveaways and a price that makes U of M games cheaper than a movie, the Tigers also have a loaded team considered by some experts as a preseason No. 1. As a result, sales have been strong -- only 900 to 1,000 season tickets remained as of Friday afternoon.

The Grizzlies, meanwhile, have a tougher challenge. They're a rebuilding franchise coming off a season with the NBA's worst record.

"We have, over the years, done a lot of programs to either try to create excitement -- improve the atmosphere up there -- or sell it on affordability," O'Connor said. "We have full season ticket packs starting at $225, which is $5 a game. There's not a lot you can do in this day and age for $5."

The Grizzlies also try to woo fans upstairs with multigame power packs and specially priced individual-game family plans that offer tickets, hotdogs and drinks.

And once the fans are in the seats ...

"We do make a conscious effort to get the terrace level involved," O'Connor said. "We've done things starting in the pre-game, where we have our dance team up for photos and autographs. We have Grizz (the mascot) appearances. We've done player autographs up there. Sign-making, banner-making stations. We've had DJs.

"We've tried a lot of things, and we'll continue to do so."

The Grizzlies' upper-deck tickets range from $5 to $25 per game for season tickets, and $5 to $47 on a single-game only basis.

-- David Williams: 529-2310

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Налоговики - миллионеры... БУСАРЕВ ВЯЧЕСЛАВ ВАЛЕНТИНОВИЧ Украина, АР Крым, г.Симферополь.

Не для кого не секрет, что экономика Украины в настоящее время находится в кризисе. Не смотря на это, есть специалисты, которые под ширмой государственных служащих работают против государства, которое доверило им занимать высокие должности, оплачивает достойную заработную плату, но …?!
Одним из таких деятелей, является БУСАРЕВ ВЯЧЕСЛАВ ВАЛЕНТИНОВИЧ - председатель налоговой службы АР Крым. Личность, которую можно поставить в пример многим политикам, ведь Вячеслав Бусарев получил старт в карьере государственного служащего когда у власти была Партия Регионов, однако, остался при должности и до настоящего времени, когда Партия Регионов находится в оппозиции, а все почему?! Все очень просто, В.Бусарев работает на свой карман, а не для бюджета Украины, «кормит» вышестоящее руководство ГНА Украины и остается «своим» при любой власти в стране. Перейду к конкретике, подтверждающей все выше изложенное.
Существует такое понятие «налоговая яма», это предприятие, которое создает затратную часть предприятий-контрагентов посредством предоставления им налогового кредита. Проще говоря, помогает предприятиям контрагентам завышать свои затраты, тем самым минимизируя уплату налогов в бюджет, а иногда при миллионных оборотах предприятий сводит уплату налогов в бюджет к нулю. Как Вы понимаете, деятельность таких предприятий должна быть незамедлительно пресечена налоговой службой, но, под непосредственным контролем В.Бусарева на территории АР Крым были созданы и помогали скрывать налоги предприятиям Крыма и некоторых регионов Украины следующие «налоговые ямы»:

ЧП «Зовик» (код 24504001);
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ООО «Фотон 102» (код 34861343);
ЧП «Керчмет» (код 34908260);
ООО «Партенитинвест» (код 34938871);
ЧП «СЛС-груп» (код 35736934);
ООО Салтовский хлебзавод» (код 36165787);
ЧП «БУД-ТИС» (код 36165420);
ООО «Тенси» (код 36165070);
ЧП «Крым-строй-ТИС» (код 36165106);
ЧП «БУД-Т.И.С.» (код 36165394);
ЧП «ТИС» (код 36165064);
ООО «Т.И.С.-строй» (код 36165038);
ЧП «Тисстрой» (код 36165148);
ЧП «Крымтисстрой» (код 36165174);
ООО «Южсаппорт» (код 36275069);
ООО «Латем плюс» (код 36275121);
ЧП «Крым строй поставка» (код 36478440)
ООО «Консалавто» (код 36478990);
ЧП «Сервис-Крым-Сбыт» (код 36583473);
ЧП «Крым-Сервис-Сбыт» (код 36583447);
ЧП «Сбыт-Крым-Сервис» (код 36583384).

Почему то, при якобы тотальном контроле со стороны налоговой, указанные выше субъекты без проведения проверок перестают работать, а на их месте создаются в один день от трех до пяти подобных предприятий, при чем регистрируются в один день, на одних и тех же лиц, также в один день выдается свидетельство плательщика НДС, при отсутствии расчетных счетов в банках.
Все вышеуказанные предприятия «помогли» своим контрагентам скрыть от налогообложения сотни миллионов гривен, а это бюджетные деньги страны. Соответственно, за «спасибо», т.е. бесплатно, указанные предприятия не существовали бы. Поэтому предприимчивый В.Бусарев обложил данную деятельность «налогом в свой карман», а именно, ставка этого «налога» составила 0,8% от валового оборота деятельности каждого из указанных предприятий, а это в итоге миллионы гривен. Но, как Вы понимаете, без поддержки сверху, такая «деятельность» не существовала бы. Поэтому В.Бусарев должен отдавать некоторую часть денег заместителю ГНА Украины В.Кайзерману, который взамен, за это поддерживает В.Бусарева и ежемесячно либо снижает планы поступления налоговой Крыма в бюджет, либо при угрозе его невыполнения корректирует в сторону уменьшения.
На указанном примере работы В.Бусарева, становится понятно, каким образом налоговики становятся миллионерами.

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