SMG to Manage Stockton Arena, Bob Hope theatre, Banner Island Ballpark and Oak Park Ice Arena
West Conshohocken, PA (February 1, 2011) – SMG has reached an agreement with the City of Stockton, CA to provide booking, programming and general operations for the Stockton Arena, Stockton Ballpark, Bob Hope Theatre and the Oak Park Ice Arena, effective February 25, 2011. The Stockton City Council unanimously (7-0) approved the five-year Management Agreement, with a five-year renewal option, the evening of January 25, 2011.
“We are excited to have a professional management company with such great enthusiasm working in our City, helping us fulfill our vision for a thriving downtown,” said Mayor Ann Johnston. “This is a new day in the City of Stockton.”
“SMG is thrilled to have the opportunity to begin its partnership with the Stockton City Council and the City of Stockton for the management of these wonderful sports and entertainment facilities,” said Bob Cavalieri, SMG Senior Vice President of Business Development. “We are ready to hit the ground running, and we look forward to a long and successful relationship.”
The Arena, which can accommodate up to 12,000, and the Theatre, which seats 2,042, along with the 5,200 fixed seat Ballpark, are state-of-the art facilities capable of accommodating any event.
“All of us at SMG’s Sports and Entertainment Division are anxious to begin booking these fine facilities,” said Jim McCue, Senior Vice President at Sports and Entertainment. “We are optimistic about the future of the Stockton facilities and our ability to provide more entertainment and sporting events for the community. We believe Stockton is a strong entertainment market, as evidenced by recent, sold out concerts and the Stockton Thunder which, since entering the League, have enjoyed ticket sales amongst the highest of any ECHL team in the country.”
The facilities will benefit from SMG’s leverage and experience, and their already substantial presence in the region, which includes the Rabobank Arena in Bakersfield, the Save Mart Center in Fresno, the Long Beach Arena and Convention Center, Oakland-Alameda’s Oracle Arena and Stadium and the Moscone Center in San Francisco.
About SMG
Since 1977, SMG has provided management services to more than 220 public assembly facilities worldwide, including arenas, stadiums, theatres and performing arts centers, equestrian facilities, convention, congress and exhibition centers, science centers and a variety of other venues. Across the globe, SMG manages more than 12 million square feet (1.1 million square meters) of exhibition space and over 1.5 million arena and theatre seats. As the recognized global industry leader, SMG provides venue management, sales, marketing, event booking and programming, construction and design consulting, and pre-opening services. SMG also offers food and beverage operations through its concessions and catering company SAVOR, currently serving more than 100 accounts worldwide.
