Following years of student criticism of the university’s failure to draw big time entertainment acts to the campus, the university announced Monday a partnership with Global Spectrum, a facilities management company that has pledged to bring one large concert or event to Comcast Center each semester.

The Philadelphia-based Global Spectrum – a subsidiary of Comcast Spectator – is the fastest growing firm in its field, hosting events at more than 50 facilities throughout the country. Six of the firm’s facilities are on university campuses, such as the Colonial Center, an 18,000-seat stadium at the University of South Carolina.

Recently, Global Spectrum has booked large name acts such as the Rolling Stones, U2, Dave Matthews Band, Jay-Z and Kanye West in some of its facilities, and Global Spectrum Chief Operating Officer John Page said depending on availability, the university could expect appearances by similar artists.

Page said he was unsure when students could expect the first event at Comcast Center, but said the wheels were already in motion for planning.

The 17,950-seat Comcast Center opened in fall 2002 and has been host to numerous university events, most notably men’s and women’s basketball games. Through the new partnership, Senior Associate Athletics Director Larry Leckonby said Comcast Center will be used to its full potential for the first time.

“We don’t want to get into the concert business, but we’re looking at bringing a couple of shows to campus before basketball season in the fall or after basketball season in the spring,” Leckonby said. He said Comcast is already used year-round, but there would be a few openings for concerts.

Page said college tours have recently been increasing in popularity, with acts such as Dave Matthews performing in college arenas across the country through Global Spectrum, and said Comcast Center would provide artists with a great opportunity.

However, the proximity to the MCI Center and the Patriot Center may be a limiting factor. “Ultimately it would be up to the act where they would want to play,” Page said.

The partnership comes on the heels of a recent attempt by Student Entertainment Events to attract bigger acts by opening the university to promoter shows, which are events and tours assembled by outside firms. SEE was supposed to host rapper The Game in December, but the promoter pulled out of the contract several days before the show.

Students have criticized SEE and the university in the past for their failure to attract big-name events to the campus and take full advantage of the Comcast Center venue, which SEE President Gretchen Dellinger said could be solved through the new partnership.

“We’re super thrilled, especially since there’s a potential to have huge acts coming right to campus,” Dellinger said. “It’s going to be really great and help with the size of shows happening within walking distance for students.”

Dellinger said she was unsure what role SEE would take in the Global Spectrum shows, but said she was very interested in taking part.

“We’re optimistic we will be involved,” Dellinger said. “Obviously we won’t be involved in the same way as we are now. It will be a partnership with more group opinions.”

Page said he was interested in keeping an “open conversation” with SEE to keep them involved in the booking process.

“I don’t know how SEE would be involved, whether it would be putting up money like a promoter or discounting tickets for students, but we are interested in having them be a part of the process,” Page said.

Aside from the new partnership, Dellinger said SEE is working on “more than one” concert for the upcoming semester, but said details were unavailable at this time.

Included in the events is this year’s Art Attack, which Dellinger said is “on the front burner” in the SEE office. No further details are available at this time, Dellinger said.

Contact reporter Sam Hedenberg at hedenbergdbk@gmail.com.