What's in a name? A lot, apparently.
As San Diego music fans get used to working North Island Credit Union Amphitheatre into their vocabulary (the Chula Vista venue previously known as Mattress Firm, Sleep Train, Cricket, and Coors Amphitheatre), here's yet another name change for locals to grapple with: On Tuesday, Dec. 4, the San Diego City Council and Mayor Kevin L. Faulconer approved a new naming rights and sponsorship agreement for the Sports Arena venue that officially changes its name from Valley View Casino Center to Pechanga Arena San Diego.
In documents filed with the city, the San Diego Sports Arena -- which opened in 1966 and is currently operated by AEG Management SD, LLC (AMSD) -- entered into a new $400,000-per-year naming rights agreement with Pechanga Development Corporation (d/b/a Pechanga Resort and Casino), effective from Nov. 6, 2018 to May 31, 2020 (and at which point, if AMSD renews their Sports Arena operating sublease, will automatically be extended to May 31, 2023).
City of San Diego Supervising Public Information Officer Arian Collins described the new sponsorship agreement as a win for America's Finest City.
"As part of the agreement, the City will receive approximately $40,000 in annual revenue for its General Fund to help pay for police, fire, park, libraries and other City services," Collins told SoundDiego.
The Midway District venue's previous naming rights agreement with San Pasqual Casino Development Group, Inc. (a wholly-owned entity of the San Pascual Band of Mission Indians) -- which led to the "Valley View Casino Center" branding in October of 2010 -- officially expired on Nov. 30.
Aside from San Diego Gulls, San Diego Seals and San Diego Sockers games, there are currently quite a few blockbuster concerts on the docket for the newly named venue:
- Dec. 14: 91x's Wrex the Halls with Death Cab for Cutie, Third Eye Blind and more.
- Dec. 29-31: LED Presents OMFG NYE 2019 with Kaskade, Illenium, Porter Robinson and others
- Jan. 9, 2019: Disturbed
- Jan. 29, 2019: Elton John
- Jan. 30, 2019: A$AP Rocky
- Feb. 7, 2019: Marc Anthony
- Feb. 10, 2019: 2CELLOS
- Feb. 16, 2019: Panic! At the Disco
- Feb. 21, 2019: Justin Timberlake
- March 5, 2019: Muse
- March 7, 2019: YG
- March 31, 2019: Michael Buble
- April 6, 2019: 5th Annual San Diego Soul Music Festival featuring Maze, Keith Sweat, and more
- July 8, 2019: Shawn Mendes
- July 16, 2019: Hugh Jackman
- Sept. 10, 2019: Carrie Underwood
