The Skybox is the Limit

Business and pleasure are inseparable in the luxury suites at Reynolds Razorback Stadium. On University of Arkansas football game days, corporate and private skyboxes give super fans the ultimate mix of elegance and entertainment.

This year 70 suites were added to the east stands and south end zone as part of a $106 million renovation that grew the stadium from 50,000 seats to 72,400. That gave the facility a total of 134 skyboxes in and around which clients and affluent families can pig out on fine food and watch today’s society pages come to life.

In past years, the Northwest Arkansas Business Journal has explored the hottest suites at the former Razorback Stadium —which originally had 44 skyboxes before 20 were added in 2000— and the 35 suites at Bud Walton Arena. So longtime readers already know that Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones and Tyson Foods Inc. of Springdale have two of the hippest suites — Jones at Reynolds Stadium and Tyson at Bud Walton Arena.

But after a season of suite-hopping around Reynolds Stadium, it was time again to quiz some of our readers about the newest hot spots. Two of the new suites were the overwhelming favorites of Reynolds’ fourth-floor aficionados — the boxes held by Greenwood & Associates Inc. of Fayetteville and Arvest Bank Group Inc. of Bentonville.

The Business Journal visited both boxes Nov. 17 for the Razorbacks’ 24-21 home finale victory over Mississippi State. Both spots lived up to their billing.

Other posh suites could also be mentioned as “happening” venues to view a game — including the ones held by Landers of Little Rock, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette and Jim Lindsey. But we’re convinced the hottest ticket this season was Reed and Mary Ann Greenwood’s 24-seat party pad.

“This is just part of our development contribution to the university,” said Mary Ann Greenwood, president of Greenwood & Associates. “I’m on the steering committee for the capital campaign that’s trying to raise $500 million to help make this a better school. We’re building friendships and getting people up on campus to see what’s going on.

“Fayetteville and the university have been so good to us and our business. Reed and I just feel very fortunate to live in Fayetteville and give back to this great part of the state.”

Reed Greenwood is dean of the UA College of Education and serves on the advisory board for the UA’s Walton College of Business. In addition to running her investment firm, Mary Ann Greenwood is a board member of the National Association for Business Economics. Both are UA alums.

Worth Every Penny

Expected UA athletic department revenue from the five games played this year in Fayetteville is $11.5 million. Final totals for concessions and novelty sales are not yet available, but UA Senior Associate Athletic Director Katie Hill said the $11.5 million figure should be very close.

Of that amount, 20 percent or about $2.3 million will come from skybox leases. The boxes are priced at $250 per seat per game. Based on five home games like the Hogs had this year, a box like the Greenwoods’ costs $30,000. There are only 19 24-seat skyboxes, the largest size available. By comparison, there are 62 12-seaters and the curvature of the stadium dictated that the boxes come in numerous other shapes and sizes.

There’s also a sizable waiting list with the Razorback Foundation to lease a skybox.

“Whether or not leasing a suite would be good for every business I can’t say,” Mary Ann Greenwood said. “But I know it’s been great for us. It’s wholesome entertainment, and great fun. Our clients always enjoy being a part of the games, and it’s just a great tool for entertaining both current and prospective clients and for Reed to entertain friends of the College of Education.”

What makes the Greenwoods’ plush box unique is it’s position at the far north corner of the east side stands. From there, the view of the field is excellent and the stadium’s giant SmartVision screen gives the suite a home theater feel. The suite is roomy, and when the game gets tight, fairly raucous for a bunch of university and investment professionals.

“The Auburn game was really wild,” Mary Ann Greenwood said. “We really like that you can raise the windows of the box up, and everyone got into screaming and yelling and out of their seats. We had a wonderful time and I get excited just thinking about it.”

The Greenwoods’ delicate finger foods were a nice touch and an amusing contrast to Mary Ann Greenwood’s intensity for the game. An Arkansas defensive player hit an MSU player especially hard, and she pumped her fist in the air and belted out, “Yeah, did you see the way he cleaned that guy’s plow?”

The 12-seat Arvest Bank Group box, by comparison, was only slightly more rowdy and crowded. Local celebrities and bank big wigs dropped by to work the crowd and sample Arvest’s smoked ham and boiled shrimp. The party there spilled out into the fourth floor lounge, but thanks to an assortment of TVs that Best Buy would have envied, no one had to miss much of the game.

“We do use our suite for business, but really it’s more than business to us,” Mary Ann Greenwood said. “We’re proud to be Arkansas natives. Reed grew up in Little Rock, and I’m from Pocahontas. We’ve enjoyed building a business here and whether it’s supporting athletics or the Walton Arts Center or the Northwest Arkansas Symphony, we just feel lucky to get to be a part of it.”