Here are highlights from today's Coliseum Commission at the BancorpSouth Arena:

•  Director Todd Hunt just returned from a trip to the Arena Management Convention in Las Vegas. He said he met with the same promoter who brought in Eric Church, the Avett Brothers and Dierks Bentley, as well as promoters who brought in Keith Urban and the Zac Brown Band. Hunt said it was a "productive meeting."
  
  He said that, with the exception of one building in Little Rock, all other arenas are also experiencing a quiet fall/winter, just like the arena is experiencing now. The arena is using this down time to freshen up the backstage area. The dressing rooms have been repainted and they've ordered a curtain to go up around the stage.
  
  "The first quarter of next year will be strong and should carry on into the next quarter," Hunt said.
  
  The arena turns 20 next October, and they're already making plans to mark its anniversary.
• The 2012-2013 fiscal year for the arena wraps at the end of September, and to-date the arena has had 253,254 folks through its doors or on its grounds. That means that, so far, it's still second place behind its most successful year to date, which was the 1998-99 year, with 256,549 folks in attendance. The Tupelo Fair is next weekend, so if that goes well, this year could beat out the 98-99 total.
• The resurfacing in the bowl part of the arena is complete. "The steps look 100 percent better," Hunt said. The city council approved the arena's proposed budget, so things can get moving on the arena's renovation. The coliseum commission will have at least two work sessions soon to get a few details finalized before moving on.
• The storms that blew through over Labor Day weekend caused some damage to the building. Lightning apparently struck the one chiller that has been working – the other one is being rebuilt, and should be complete in a few weeks – so the building's been without AC. The Coliseum Commission approved an emergency declaration to get the chiller fixed ASAP.
• Upcoming events at the arena include the Tupelo Fair (Sept. 27-30) and Sesame St. Live on Oct. 2-3, with two shows on Oct. 3.