Frank Jirik began his career by tending to the turf at the old Metropolitan Stadium and sweeping floors at the former Met Sports Center. From those humble beginnings, Jirik rose to become general manager of the former Bloomington arena, and went on to oversee the design, construction and management of the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., when that arena was built in 1993 as the home of the National Hockey League's San Jose Sharks.
Jirik's expertise in arena management and extensive contacts in the sporting and entertainment industry were among the reasons the Minnesota Wild and the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul hired him as a consultant in 2000. He helped bring several major concerts to the arena, including Neil Diamond and Luciano Pavarotti and the Three Tenors, said Jack Larson, the arena's vice president and general manager.
Jirik died after a battle with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma Thursday at his home in Lakeville. He was 69.
Jirik graduated from De La Salle High School in Minneapolis and was attending the University of Minnesota when he began working with the grounds crew at the Met Stadium. He joined the set-up and tear-down crew at the Met Center when it opened in 1967 and was with the arena for 24 years. He left in 1990 as vice president of marketing and general manager of Met Center. When former North Stars owner Gordon Gund was awarded an expansion franchise in San Jose, he hired Jirik to direct the building and operation of the California arena, now seen as one of the most successful venues in the nation.
"Frank was very inventive and had lots of original ideas," said former Met Center General Manager Bob Reid, who hired Jirik. "He had a way of organizing an event operationally that helped us over rough spots in areas such as crowd control, ushering and staff wise."
Jirik's jovial yet common sense approach allowed him to gain favor with promoters looking for places to book concerts and touring shows.
"He was an amazing person because he had something you don't see much in our business any more: morals, integrity, truthfulness and honesty," said Jerry Mickelson, co-owner of JAM Productions. "He was the kind of guy you wanted to do business with."
In his off time he enjoyed spending time boating, fishing and gardening at his family cabin near Sturgeon Lake, Minn. He also was an avid reader and devoted family man who faithfully attended his grandchildren's piano recitals, athletic events and theatrical performances, and always called when he could not, said his daughter, Chell Swanson of Prior Lake.
