As part of a change for next season at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza, the AHL’s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins will remove three sections of seating to make way for new group spaces.
The Penguins will take out lower seating bowl sections 122, 124, and 126, allowing for the creation of new hospitality areas. These spaces will serve as standing-room only hospitality areas during games, while seating can be installed for other arena events.
For the Penguins, the change will accommodate what they say is a growing demand for group hospitality areas. More from The Citizens’ Voice:
The Penguins are eliminating three sections — 122, 124 and 126 — in the lower bowl, to make room for standing room only group hospitality areas for postgame concerts and other promotions. Team representatives contacted season-ticket holders in those sections by phone Wednesday and also sent letters to alert them of the change, Penguins Vice President of Business Development Jon Stephenson said.
Stephenson estimated that around 150 accounts are affected by the new layout.
The change is only for Penguins games. The seating sections are retractable and can be reassembled as needed for other events at the arena.
“We’ve had a growing demand for group hospitality areas, and it’s a trend across the sport” Stephenson said. “By removing these seats, it would allow us to meet that demand for groups and businesses.”
Removing seating to make way for group/social spaces has become a common trend at sports facilities, including arenas. The upcoming change will be the latest to Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza, which received new lighting, a ribbon board, and an upgraded locker room prior to the 2019-20 AHL season.