Information is emerging about capacity for hockey and other events at the Palm Springs Arena, which continues to be planned for a 2021 opening.
To be built as part of a partnership between Oak View Group (OVG) and the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians, the $250-million, privately financed arena is slated to be constructed on tribal land in downtown Palm Springs. It will host an AHL expansion team, along with a number of other events, including concerts, family shows, and more.
While AHL games will be a focal point of the arena’s offerings, the aspect of concerts and other events is one that has been heavily emphasized by project officials thus far. To that end, information has emerged on how the capacity of the arena can be adjusted between hockey and shows.
AHL games will accommodate a capacity of 10,055, including 8,313 seats in the lower bowl, various seating options on the premium level, 108 ADA and companion seats in the lower bowl, and standing room only areas in both the lower bowl and premium level. To accommodate concerts, the capacity can be increased to 11,295. With a typical slate of 38 AHL home games a season accounting for just a portion of the schedule at an arena that is expected to host over 100 events annually, the ability to adjust capacity will help the venue’s versatility. More from the Desert Sun:
Plans call for 30 concerts, usually on Saturday nights, but some mid-week nights as well, and 39 other “family shows and corporate and other” events. Of the 30 concerts, 20 are expected to be sell-outs, i.e. top-tier performers.
The report also includes a schematic for how the concert seating will look. For concerts, the capacity can increase to 11,295.
The north end of the rink is where the stage will be and those seats can retract into the wall. The seats lost by taking up that space are gained by adding 2,588 seats where the rink normally is.
At this point in the planning process, there are still questions about whether there is enough parking in the surrounding area to accommodate visitors to the arena, but the project is being planned for an October 2021 opening. The AHL announced in late September that it had awarded a Palm Springs expansion franchise to OVG and NHL Seattle, which will serve as the parent of the Palm Springs team. Palm Springs will be the AHL’s 32nd team, and is expected to begin play in the 2021-22 season.
Renderings via AHLPalmSprings.com.
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