Business offers vendors space ahead of Monroeville Convention Center's closure

MONROEVILLE, Pa. (KDKA) -- A local business is offering to help ahead of the closure of the Monroeville Convention Center. 

The business is offering event space for smaller shows. Meanwhile, the mayor of Monroeville says he's not giving up trying to keep the convention center open.

"We now have a space that we think they can fill," said Hunter Homistek, the GM of 247 Fighting Championships.

The sting over the surprise announcement that the Monroeville Convention Center will permanently close on June 1 and reopen as a Hobby Lobby is still being felt.

The news has left a lot of vendors scrambling to find alternate venues to accommodate. And just when it seems all hope was lost, a local business has swooped in for the rescue.

"We just finalized a lease in North Versailles for our own event space," Homistek said.

247 Fighting Championship, a combat sports promotion, is transforming the former Phoenix Theatre into Sunny Days Arena at the venue -- a 27,000-square-foot space that will be available for small to mid-size events such as concerts and gun and craft shows when it's not hosting MMA or grappling.

"What makes this one unique is that it's two levels. So there's an upper balcony that will have prime viewing of the cage or whatever event is going on downstairs then also you add in the food and alcohol component around the edges," Homistek said. 

Monroeville Mayor Nick Gresock isn't going down without a fight. He tells KDKA-TV he and council are prepared to do whatever it takes to keep the convention center doors open. 

"We're really dedicated to finding a solution here to try to keep the convention center in Monroeville," Gresock said.

While he welcomes all new businesses to Monroeville, including Hobby Lobby, he says there's room for both and is willing to help the arts and crafts store find another spot in the municipality. 

"It's a staggering number, how much money and revenue and economics is driven by the convention center and to lose it in Monroeville would be devastating," Gresock said.

247 Fighting Championship says they're working with the convention center now to get in touch with the vendors who will be affected by the impending closure.