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WILKES-BARRE TWP. — Three appointees to the Luzerne County Convention Center Authority, two of them new, were sworn in Wednesday to fill expired seats on the 11-member organization that oversees the operation of the Mohegan Sun Arena.

Luzerne County Judge Tina Polachek Gartley administered oaths to Carmen Ambrosino, Donna Cupinski and Anthony Ryba at the start of the authority’s regularly scheduled public meeting.

Cupinski was reappointed by county council Tuesday to a five-year term. Ambrosino, former CEO of the nonprofit Wyoming Valley Alcohol and Drug Services Inc., and Ryba, secretary/assistant to the school superintendent of the Hazleton Area School District, joined as first-time members for five-year terms.

Gartley thanked them for volunteering to serve in the nonpaying positions, and authority chairman Ed Harry welcomed them.

“I think it’s a pretty darn good board. I think you’ll find out that everybody that sits on the board presently wants to see this place stay and not become corrupted or any of that nonsense. We want to be upfront with everything like we’ve been,” Harry said.

As for the swearing in, Harry said, “That’s a new policy that the county initiated.” It’s not retroactive, so Gartley did not swear in any of the eight other authority members.

Besides holding an executive session on pending litigation, paying bills and appointing Frank Conyngham to the vice chairman post formerly held by Barry Payne whose term expired, the authority spent most of the 30-minute session in discussion.

The scheduled sale of SMG Holdings Inc., the West Conshohocken-based parent of the company that manages the arena, has put negotiations for a new management contract on hold. Along with naming rights and the agreement with anchor tenant, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins hockey team, SMG’s contract expires at the end of 2019.

Authority members opted to wait until the sale went through before proceeding with SMG.

Bob Cavalieri, SMG regional vice president for stadiums and arenas, said he’s been told there will be no management changes on the corporate level under the new owners.

“The reason they spent so much to buy us I guess they liked the management structure of the company,” Cavalieri said.

But Harry said he would wait for further proof. “I want to see if this will be a reorganization in the months following. That’s my position,” he said.

Meanwhile, the vacant land between the arena and the Interstate 81 Exit 168 ramp to Highland Park Boulevard has been sold. But German supermarket chain Lidl has pulled out of building on the property, said Gary Zingaretti, chairman of the authority’s land development committee.

The developer is still going forward with a land development plan and asked for an extension that pushes the deadline to prepare it to mid-February, Zingaretti said.

Luzerne County Judge Tina Polachek Gartley administered the oath of office Wednesday to Luzerne County Convention Center Authority members, left to right, Tony Ryba, Carmen Ambrosino and Donna Cupinski. Ryba and Ambrosino were appointed to the authority this week. Cupinski was reappointed.
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/web1_Arena-1.jpg.optimal.jpgLuzerne County Judge Tina Polachek Gartley administered the oath of office Wednesday to Luzerne County Convention Center Authority members, left to right, Tony Ryba, Carmen Ambrosino and Donna Cupinski. Ryba and Ambrosino were appointed to the authority this week. Cupinski was reappointed.

By Jerry Lynott

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Reach Jerry Lynott at 570-991-6120 or on Twitter @TLJerryLynott.