Despite the fact that most Pittsburghers dislike the fact that the full name of "The Civic Arena" could be changed some time in the near future, the Public Auditorium Authority is opening the prospects to other company offers.

Allegheny Energy was the first company to put in a bid. The Hagerstown, Md. company, which is seeking to merge with Duquesne Ligh Co., has offered to $5 million over six years to put its name on the arena. The money would be divided in a yet-to-be-determined way among the authority, Specator Management Group (which currently runs the arena) and the Pittsburgh Penguins (the arena's major tenant).

The proposition would call for the facility to be renamed the Allegheny Energy Dome.

However, nothing has been finalized, according to officials. City Councilman Dan Cohen said in the Post-Gazette that he'd like to see a naming-rights deal longer than six years because it wasn't a good idea to change a facility's name too often.

Research has been done on other naming rights deal across the country. In major markets like Chicago, United Airlines forked over $36 million over 20 years to put its name on the United Center. MCI paid $4 million over 10 years for the name of the MCI Center in Washington, D.C.

As of yet, no other companies have stepped up to the plate with an offer, better or likewise. Could this mean the dawn of... the Allegheny Energy Dome?

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