AP: The company founded by Gene Hallman and former grocery store chain executive Ronnie Bruno 15 years ago has carved a niche mainly in golfing, with Champions Tour, LPGA and United States Golf Association events such as the two July Opens.
But it also works everything from Alabama football games to an IndyCar Series race and soccer matches, and has helped bring both Fed Cup and Davis Cup tennis ties to Birmingham in the last 16 months.
… During Alabama’s spring game earlier this year, a train broke down during the game and blocked two major exiting points for traffic. A staffer hopped on a police helicopter to survey traffic and they called the Chicago railroad company to check on the possibility of getting the train moved remotely.
“You looked on the message boards and people didn’t really know what happened but they knew traffic was messed up and we were being trashed left and right,” Hallman said.
The reviews from university officials are much kinder, especially with a 10,000-seat addition opening up in the fall potentially creating more congestion.
“It has really been a positive thing for our fans,” said Gina Johnson, associate vice president for auxiliary services. “The bottom line was to take the hassle out of it and make it more enjoyable for fans.” (read the entire AP profile below)
6 thoughts on “Profile: Bruno Event Team”
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If you had the misfortune of Owning Bruno Stock – you decide if Ronnie was an big asset. How many “little people” was sold down the River by the Chicanery !
The thing that has bothered me for years is how this “Foundation” has been treated by the bought and paid for Media that covers their “Events”. Truly – I just marvel how Gene has bought everybody in this Town with Comps.
As far as the Charity Golf event held in Birmingham – I have asked this simple question for Years – what is your Fee for staging this Event?
I will let those that Park in Tuscaloosa on Game Day whether they are Happy.
One thing is certain – They ain’t happy with gene’s handling of the Magic City Classic.
But hell – all these problems will be solved by the Old Fashioned way by Gene.
Greasing that Sweaty Palm…..
I’ll answer that parking question, Pluto. That answer is a resounding NO.
I can think of several parking lots that used to be full of tailgaters that now stand empty on game-day, because they are blocked off for “privileged parking” (The Ferg lot and the lot behind Gorgas are but 2). Add to that the blocked off roads, and Parking is an absolute mess.
Hallman can suck it, if you ask me.
As a caller to the PFRN said one day — all Gene Hallman knows how to do is set up a hot dog stand and parking.
What’s REALLY crazy is this media driven notion that Hallman will become the next AD at U of A.
Nothing like those $100 handshakes in the backroom smoking Don Diego’s like how it’s being handled right now.
Hallman’s talent is his ability to apologize after the fact. Actually pleasing the paying public is not.
Hallman is a total joke. Never before has anyone been given more praise for doing nothing.
The tailgate comment above is dead on. Just as I’ve said that Robert Witt is an idiot for locking up the buildings on game day, Hallman is he biggest douchebag for thinking he can coerce fans into paying to park when there are 300000 parking spots within three miles of the stadium.
I get to the campus early and park where I please. I also avoid the Moron Event Team traffic funnel to McFarlane Blvd. And I am home, 80 miles from the campus, within an hour and ten minutes. I am usually pulling into my driveway when Chris Stewart checks traffic and the Moron Team’s stooge (who probably has a criminal justice degree from Mountain Brook Tech and is a Bromberg 3rd cousin but somehow thsoe credentials make him qualified to control traffic flow with no engineering background) tells people to be patient on University Blvd and McFarlane.
I’m not pissed though. Rules are made to be avoided. If you listen to Gene Hallman, you deserve to sit in traffic.
And for the record, the Brunos store were sold because Angelo died in a plane crash without an Estate Plan. When his Estate was administered, the payment of the Estate tax caused the family to have to use all the available cash and loans to keep the doors open. I used to work for their lawyer years ago.
But, we all know that the Communists and Socialists wearing their Che Guevara garb in the Obama camp know best and they believe that family businesses deserve to be gobbled up by the Government in the name of feeding the poor.
Can’t wait to 2012.