Facilities-management giant AEG Facilities is taking over operations of the San Diego Sports Arena, and some see the transition as a precusor to a new arena.
Facilities-management giant AEG Facilities is taking over operations of the San Diego Sports Arena, and some see the transition as a precusor to a new arena.
AEG Facilities acquired a controlling interest in Arena Group 2000, who has a lease for the city-owned arena through 2017. Though the arena features no sports tenants, it does host 120 events annually — enough to be on AEG’s radar. Infinity Site Manager v3.0
But the real appeal, according to AEG officials, is the San Diego market — and not the older, aging facility.
The truth is that we wanted to be in the San Diego market," Rod O’Connor, the senior vice president of operations for AEG Facilities, told the San Diego Union-Tribune. "This is a great partnership for us, and this is far and away the best opportunity and the best place for us to be. Our goal is to bring more activity to the building."
Despite saying some capital improvements would be made to the Sports Arena — a prominent member of our Endangered Arena list — the real future for AEG, more than likely, is in a new facility, compete with luxury suites (there are none at the Sports Arena), premium seating areas, and the capacity to host high-profile concerts. While there’s little chance of attracting an NHL or NBA team to San Diego, minor-league hockey and indoor football can be solid draws in a larger market like San Diego, and bigger-buck events will need a new building.
AEG owns the Staples Center in Los Angeles and O2 Centre in London, and manages several other arenas in the United States. Its parent company, AEG Live, is the second-largest promoter of concerts, events and sports in the United States.
