While she may be new to the role of general manager, Cindy Creech is as knowledgeable as anyone when it comes to the inner workings at the Corbin Arena.
Creech began working at the Arena shortly after the facility first opened in 2009. She got her start as a member of the event staff, doing things like scanning tickets and helping visitors to find their seats. A short time later, the event staff supervisor decided to step down, and she was chosen to take his place.
Eventually, Creech was trained in how to take care of catering and other hospitality duties. In this role, she made sure that all contractual obligations were being met for the talent who performed at the Arena. Things like meals, refreshments, and supplies inside of dressing rooms and backstage areas became her responsibility.
“I have worked with a lot of good people over the years, and had a lot of help in doing that,” Creech said of her hospitality responsibilities, adding that, at times, she has had to pull double or triple duty while continuing to oversee event staff and even having to fill in as a security supervisor if the need arose.
The bottom line is that Creech’s extensive experience has given her firsthand knowledge in nearly all facets of operation at the Corbin Arena. This makes her an obvious pick to take the reins as the new general manager, a title that she was granted about two weeks ago.
When asked what her main priorities will be as the new GM, Creech said that she will be primarily responsible for maintaining and further developing relationships with talent agencies who have already been doing business with the Arena for many years. She said that she will be working every day to keep those lines of communication open to make sure that no potential opportunities fall through the cracks.
Creech said that she is also in the process of exploring some exciting new opportunities that she hopes will bear fruit in the coming year.
“I am hoping to maybe get a couple of things that we’ve never had before that will be a little different,” Creech explained.
As far as maintaining repeat business, Creech takes a great deal of pride in being able to say with certainty that she and others have gone to great lengths over the years to create a positive experience for the visiting talent. “They know that we treat them well,” she said. “They know they will get fed, and that we honor their contractual obligations. When you can give them a good meal, put their stuff in the dressing room and make it look appealing… you’d be surprised at how far that goes.”
“We’ve always prided ourselves on taking care of the talent,” Creech continued. “I have heard a lot of people say backstage that knew it would be a good experience when they come back here. They know they’ll be taken care of, and that really makes all the hard work worth it.”
In addition to continuing with current relationships and working to establish new ones, Creech is also learning the process of drawing up contracts for future shows at the Arena. This is a task that has most recently been handled by Box Office Manager and Interim General Manager Chelsie Chambers.
“Chelsie has been doing that since being named interim general manager, and I said I would only take this position if she promised to help me. I hope to be able to learn a lot from her going forward,” Creech said.
The next few months will be busy for Creech and everyone else at the Corbin Arena. On Saturday, Nov. 22, country megastars Dustin Lynch and Scotty McCreery performed live on stage when the “Two for the Road” tour made a stop in town.
The Harlem Globetrotters will also be back in Corbin early next year, as will the Monsters of Destruction monster truck rally, both of which continue to be fan favorite shows in the local area year after year.
Another popular event that has seen great success in recent years is the Christmas Crown Classic, presented by Royal Events. This annual cheer and dance showcase features performances by teams from all over the region, and this year’s classic is scheduled to take place on Dec. 13. Additional information can be found at www.5678royal.com.
Creech said there are several open dates for shows at the Corbin Arena in 2026, and she is excited to see how the schedule will shape up in the coming weeks and months.
For additional information and future announcements, she advised people to keep an eye on the Arena’s website, www.thecorbinarena.com, as well as the facility’s official Facebook page.
Information on scheduled activities at the Arena will also regularly appear in the pages of the News Journal, as well as online at thenewsjournal.net/.
Whenever purchasing tickets for a show, Creech advised going directly through the Corbin Arena box office or www.ticketmaster.com. The box office can be reached by phone at (606) 258-2020.
