The home of the Utica Comets (AHL) has a new name, as the venue is now known as the Adirondack Bank Center at the Utica Memorial Auditorium.
On Wednesday, it was revealed that Adirondack Bank had purchased the naming rights, effectively adding its brand to the Utica Memorial Auditorium. It comes as the result of an agreement between the bank and the Upper Mohawk Valley Auditorium Authority that is reportedly worth $2 million over 10 years.
While the naming rights partnership leads to a slight change, keeping the “Memorial” portion of the arena’s name intact was a part of the agreement. Additionally, the naming rights agreement comes as the arena prepares to debut a new round of upgrades. More from The Observer-Dispatch:
Officials said it was important to keep the “Memorial” portion of the building’s name as a way to continue to honor veterans in the Mohawk Valley. Vincent Scalise, executive director of Central New York Veterans Outreach Center, said the move “will preserve the memories of veterans for years to come.”
“When we did this, we met with the veterans and wanted to make sure this was something that … they viewed in a positive manner,” said [Mohawk Valley Garden Inc. President Robert] Esche, who noted the Aud’s General Manager Rick Redmond is a combat veteran.
[Adirondack Bank CEO Rocco] Arcuri said a key motivation for the agreement is to provide support for the community. Since May, the building has been undergoing a multi-million-dollar, 21,000-square-foot addition and renovation project, which is expected to be completed before Oct. 27 when the UC men’s team plays its first home game. The Comets home opener is Nov. 1.
The Adirondack Bank Center at the Utica Memorial Auditorium originally opened in 1960. It has been home to the Comets since 2013, and it is also home to Utica College’s men’s and women’s hockey programs.
