Visitors to the Center for the Performing Arts will notice new signage above the box office at the Palladium and the James Building, home to The Tarkington and Studio Theater.
The Center and Fifth Third Bank have reached a partnership to name it the Fifth Third Bank Box Office.
“Our box office is the first impression many people have of the Center for the Performing Arts,” Center President/CEO Jeffrey C. McDermott said.
McDermott said box office staff is devoted to service.
“We’re equally thrilled our partner for the naming of the box office is hugely dedicated to service of not just their customers but the entire community,” he said. “That is measured by the fact that they have chosen to partner with us in such a front-facing way. We’re thrilled about that.”
The partnership is for five years. The financial terms of the deal were not disclosed
“(Carmel) Mayor (Jim) Brainard is on the record that the Palladium will be here for 500 years, so we hope we can renew a number of times,” McDermott said.
The partnership includes ticket discounts for Fifth Third Bank cardholders.
“This is a world-class facility and there are very few places in the world that have something like this,” Fifth Third Bank Regional President Michael Ash said.
Ash said Fifth Third Bank wanted to create a partnership in the arts community and determined that the Center for the Performing Arts would be an ideal fit. Ash said Fifth Third was especially impressed with the educational and community outreach the Center conducts.
Ash said those values align directly with Fifth Third Bank in terms of giving back to the community.
A ribbon cutting was conducted after the announcement.
McDermott said he hopes there will be more naming opportunities.
“We’ve got a number of assets that we’ve looked to find partners for, and we want to make sure each asset is the right fit for the partners,” he said. “This is one we’ve looked to find the exact right partner, and I think we did with Fifth Third Bank.”
McDermott said an effort was launched before the COVID-19 pandemic to name the entire Center.
“We were well down the road with a corporate partner and the pandemic hit (in March 2020), and I think very appropriately decided it had to pull back on it,” McDermott said. “We hope that will come back around, but at the same time, we’re also looking for corporate partners for that and any number of other things that a corporate partner can name, whether it be the building, the hall itself (or) other hospitality rooms within the building.”
