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<p>WILKES-BARRE TWP. &#8212; With negotiations toward an extension on the contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins minor league affiliate progressing, The Luzerne County Convention Center Authority announced the Mohegan Sun Arena&#8217;s general manager has departed.</p><p>Sipe, who was named general manager of the local venue in October 2014, has been named director of booking at the Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky., it was announced Wednesday at The Luzerne County Convention Center Authority board meeting.</p><p>Sipe started working at his new post on April 1, authority officials said.</p><p>Rupp Arena is a 23,000 seat capacity arena that serves as the home of the University of Kentucky basketball program.</p><p>Sipe worked for SMG &#8212; Service Management Group, Inc. &#8212; the company that provides management services at the arena. Bob Cavalieri, SMG regional vice president, was at the board meeting and he praised Sipe&#8217;s performance, vowing to one day &#8220;steal him back.&#8221;</p><p>SMG will handle the hiring process to find Sipe&#8217;s replacement.</p><p>Carrie Grantuskas was named acting general manager. Grantuskas has been the assistant general manager at the arena, and has worked at the facility since it opened in 1999.</p><p>Sipe attended Wednesday&#8217;s meeting, during which the board presented him with a proclamation.</p><p>&#8220;My wife and I love this area,&#8221; Sipe said after the meeting. &#8220;We are really sad to go.&#8221;</p><p>During his tenure here, Sipe booked some monumental performances for the venue including sold-out performances from Elton John, Blake Shelton, Eric Church, Florida Georgia Line, Kevin Hart, Jeff Dunham, WWE Raw and Thomas Rhett.</p><p>&#8220;And we recently had our fastest sell-out ever &#8212; Kenny Chesney &#8212; who sold out within 10 minuets after it as announced,&#8221; Sipe said. &#8220;And we have been ranked third in the state in ticket sales.&#8221;</p><p>Sipe also was instrumental in working with the PIAA District II committee to bring the high school District 2 Basketball Championships to the venue. The venue also hosted three rallies featuring President Donald Trump during Sipe&#8217;s tenure which brought global recognition to the Greater Wilkes-Barre area.</p><p>In addition to managing the arena, Sipe has been active in the region and an advocate of its economic progress. He was named the 2017 Young Professional of the Year by the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce. Sipe is a graduate of the Leadership Wilkes-Barre Executive program and served as a board member of the NEPA Alliance and Wilkes-Barre YMCA. He also served as a member of the Mountain Top Rotary.</p><p>Gary Zingaretti, chairman of the arena authority board, said Sipe&#8217;s contributions have been significant to the success of the arena.</p><p>&#8220;We&#8217;ve been the beneficiary of Brian&#8217;s time here,&#8221; Zingaretti said. &#8220;He&#8217;s booked some great shows.&#8221;</p><p><strong>Penguins deal near?</strong></p><p>Zingaretti said negotiations for a 10-year extension on the contract with the Penguins are &#8220;getting there.&#8221; He said he is confident an agreement could be reached soon.</p><p>&#8220;We are waiting to hear back from the Penguins,&#8221; Zingaretti said. &#8220;We hope to hear something shortly.&#8221;</p><p>Zingaretti said both sides have been working together, exchanging offers, He said the Penguins are expected to respond to the latest offer soon.</p><p>&#8220;It&#8217;s in their court,&#8221; Zingaretti said.</p><p>The arena board is also close to finalizing a new management contract with SMG. Zingaretti said negotiations are &#8220;on the 1-yard line.&#8221;</p><p>The board voted to authorize execution of the SMG management contract with the committee handling the negotiations, providing all remaining issues are resolved and pending final approval of the board.</p><style>
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<div class="neCaption">Brian Sipe is seen outside Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza in 2015. Sipe, who had been general manager since October 2014, has left to take a position with the Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky. </div></div><div class="metaInfo"><photo0>https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/web1_TTL110915Behindthebiz1-1.jpg</photo0><caption0>Brian Sipe is seen outside Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza in 2015. Sipe, who had been general manager since October 2014, has left to take a position with the Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky. </caption0><photoCredit0>Times Leader file photo </photoCredit0></div></div>
<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>By Bill O&#8217;Boyle</p><p>boboyle@www.timesleader.com</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Reach Bill O&#8217;Boyle at 570-991-6118 or on Twitter @TLBillOBoyle.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Sipe leaves Mohegan Sun Arena