Hoover council approves hiring of general manager for Hoover Metropolitan Complex

The Hoover City Council tonight approved the hiring of a general manager for the Hoover Metropolitan Complex, which includes Hoover Metropolitan Stadium and the adjoining sports complex under construction.

The council voted 6-0 to approve the recommendation of Sports Facilities Management, the Florida company hired to manage the complex in July.

They went with Monty Jones Jr., who has 18 years experience in the facility, event, trade show, convention, sports and entertainment business.

Jones most recently managed the Macon Centreplex, a facility in Macon, Georgia, that includes a 9,000-seat arena that was home to the Southern Professional Hockey League’s Macon Mayhem and a 2,700-seat multipurpose Macon City Auditorium.

He also in past years has managed the 19,000-seat Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona, that was home to the National Hockey League’s Arizona Coyotes, and the Augusta Entertainment Complex in Augusta, Georgia, which includes an 8,800-seat arena, 2,800-seat auditorium, 14,570-square-foot exhibit hall and seven meeting rooms.

Jones also served a year as executive director for a new facility at Chicago State University that was home to the university’s men’s and women’s basketball teams but also served as an event center that brought in concerts and other events.

He also worked as director of operations for the Carolina Cobras Arena Football League team in Raleigh, North Carolina, and assistant director of game-day operations for the Cape Fear Wildcats, a minor league arena football team in Fayetteville, North Carolina.

In his new job, he will oversee management and day-to-day operations of Hoover Metropolitan Stadium, the 155,000-square-foot Finley Center and a sports complex that includes five NCAA regulation-size soccer/football/lacrosse fields, five NCAA regulation-size baseball (or softball) fields, 16 tennis courts with a pro shop, a 2-mile walking track, playground, splash pad and large event lawn.

He is an employee of Sports Facilities Management, but the city's contract with the firm requires City Council approval for the hiring of the general manager for the complex.

During his interview with the City Council Thursday night, Councilman John Greene asked Jones whether he is up to the task of managing a complex this large. Jones replied that he is.

Jones said his varied experience with sports teams, universities and governmental entities each has helped prepare him for this job.

John McDonald, a regional director for SFM, said more than 125 people applied for the job of managing the Hoover Metropolitan Complex and Jones was the most qualified and seemed like the best fit for the job.

Jones has a track record of turning around mismanaged facilities and improving their ability to bring in revenues and decrease expenditures, McDonald said.

“He knows what he’s doing. He’s a quality person,” McDonald said.

When Jones took over management of the Augusta Entertainment Complex, the authority board overseeing the complex was having to subsidize the facility with $1.4 million to $1.6 million a year, Jones said. After a year with Jones, he had reduced the amount the authority had to contribute to $1.1 million, and after five years, the subsidy was down to $700,000, he said.

When he was at the Gila River Arena in Arizona, he was able to raise revenues by $2.8 million, he said.

Tim Westhoven, Hoover’s chief operations officer, was among city staff who met with Jones and said he felt Jones has the realm of experience the city is seeking and was a very personable man who would represent the city well.

Hoover Parks and Recreation Director Craig Moss met with Jones also and said he likes Jones’ expertise, education, demeanor and personality and thinks Jones will fit in really well in Hoover.

Jones, whose father was in the military, was born in Guam but raised in North Carolina. He graduated from North Carolina University in August 2002 with a bachelor’s degree in parks, recreation and tourism management with a concentration in sports management.

He said he plans to find temporary housing in Hoover until he move his family here and is looking forward to the job.

“We’re going to do our best to make sure we exceed your expectations for this project,” he said.

SFM already has started the process of getting other staff in place for the complex, Jones said. The goal is to open the Finley Center by May 2017 and the outdoor sports complex by February 2018.