DeKALB | Students may have visited the Convocation Center for a concert or sporting event, but they also can rent the Convo for their own use.

The Convo held the highest amount of student-run events last year, with about 20 student organization events, said John Gordon, director of the Convocation Center.

“One of the things about the building is it’s very flexible,” Gordon said. “There’s a lot of different set-ups, configurations and available space to be used. We encourage everyone to call us and we’ll try to give them the best price that we can.”

Though Gordon said the sky’s the limit on what type of events can be held, he said timing and booking of events mainly depends on how much profit is being made and when the event will be held.

For example, if the Convocation Center recently held a hip-hop show and another hip-hop artist/group wanted to perform at the Convo around the same time, it wouldn’t be allowed, said Kevin Selover, assistant director of marketing.

“We try to keep the shows of the same genre spaced out a little bit,” Selover said. “We wouldn’t put two of the same bands right on top of each other.”

To rent the Convo, Gordon said students should call the main phone number and set a date. They will most likely be directed to Gordon or Selover, who will estimate the cost. According to the Convo promoters’ guide, rental rates for the full arena start at $2,000 per day, or 12 percent gross ticket receipts after taxes, whichever is greater. Rental rates for the half-house or theater start at $1,500 per day or 10 percent of the gross ticket receipts after taxes.

Josh Peter, a sophomore fine arts major and vocalist for the DeKalb-based melodic rock band “From Here On After,” said he did not know students could rent the Convo. Peter said he would probably spend up to a few hundred dollars to play at the Convo, but only if he knew his band would be able to make at least the same amount of money spent on the show.

“If it was a reasonable price and if it were easily accessible to local bands, it could become a popular thing,” Peter said. “[The Convo] could probably make a lot of money from it.”

Peter said the Convo needs better advertising to let students know they can rent the Convo since he had no idea.

Students Derrick Richardson and Braden Davidson both said they have never rented the Convo, but think it’s a good idea for all interested students.

“If I had the money and if I knew a lot of people who would go to [my event] I would rent it,” said Richardson, a freshman industrial technology major. “It’s a pretty nice place.”

For more information on renting the Convocation Center, call 815-752-6800 or go to http://www.convocenter.niu.edu/info/rental.html.

Michelle Gibbons is a Campus Reporter for the Northern Star.