Citizens Business Bank Arena - Citizensbusinessbank

Citizens Business Bank Arena (originally Ontario Community Events Center) is a multi-purpose arena, in Ontario, California, USA. It hosts local sporting events and concerts. Construction officially began on March 7, 2007 and the arena was opened on October 18, 2008. It is suitable for indoor events, including basketball, ice hockey, ice shows, boxing, graduation ceremonies and concerts. The arena's basketball capacity is 10,832. It also seats 9,736 for hockey and its full capacity is 11,089. The 225,000-square-foot (20,900 m²) venue also has 36 luxury suites on two levels. It is the biggest and most modern arena within the Inland Empire region of California.

The arena's construction cost was $150 million; however, it was debt free due to the city selling different properties throughout the city. It was constructed on the old Ontario Motor Speedway property. The arena is owned by the city of Ontario and is operated by AEG Worldwide which operates arenas around the world and owns several sports franchises. The arena is home to the Ontario Reign of the American Hockey League and the Ontario Fury of the Major Arena Soccer League.

Description

Name

The arena's original name was Ontario Community Events Center when the arena was first announced in October 2006. On October 20, 2006, it was announced that the city based bank, Citizens Business Bank, bought the naming right for the arena. Citizens Business Bank is the largest locally-based financial institution in the region and California's eleventh largest bank.

Tenants

In November 2007, it was announced that a new ECHL franchise will be playing at the arena starting in the 2008â€"09 season. The arena became home of the ECHL's Ontario Reign, an affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings. The Reign play their home games at the arena each season, which runs from October to April. For the 2015-2016 AHL Season the arena will be home to a new Ontario Reign of the AHL.

In 2012, the arena was home to the Ontario Warriors of American Indoor Football but the team folded before the season ended.

Since 2014, the arena has also hosted select home games of the Los Angeles D-Fenders who play in the NBA Development League.

Beginning in 2015, the arena will be home to the new Ontario Reign in the American Hockey League. Still affiliated with the National Hockey League's Los Angeles Kings, this team will replace the current Reign, who are moving to Manchester, New Hampshire to become the Manchester Monarchs.

Events

The arena held its grand opening on October 18, 2008.

On October 24, 2008, its first event took place in front of a sold out crowd of 10,316, for an NBA preseason game, where the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Oklahoma City Thunder 105â€"94. There has been a Laker preseason game every year at the arena with the exception of 2011 due to the 2011 NBA lockout.

The Reign held its first game at the arena on October 25, 2008 against the Las Vegas Wranglers in front of a crowd of 8,832. The Reign won their first game at the arena 4â€"1.

Total Nonstop Action Wrestling held an event there on October 31, 2008 and returned on May 4, 2012. Carrie Underwood played the arena's first concert on November 9, 2008 with Little Big Town as her opening act.

American heavy metal band Metallica performed at the arena during their World Magnetic Tour on December 12, 2008 in front of a crowd of 10,959 and filmed part of their music video Broken, Beat & Scarred during the concert and also at the concert at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California on December 13, 2008.

The arena has also hosted Bill Gaither, Larry the Cable Guy, Vicente Fernández, Sade, Justin Bieber, Earth, Wind & Fire, Chicago, Elton John, The Eagles, Disney on Ice, Playhouse Disney Live, Sesame Street Live, The Harlem Globetrotters, Bob Dylan, Scorpions, Neil Diamond, André Rieu, American Idol Live!, Trace Adkins, Alan Jackson, Pitbull, Dancing With the Stars, Stars on Ice, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, and other events. On September 1, 2013, the arena was the site where Mexican singers Joan Sebastian and Ezequiel Peña sang together for the first time ever.

The arena has also been host to many Mixed martial arts events including Bellator Fighting Championships. On August 10, 2013, the arena hosted WSOF 4: Spong vs. DeAnda.

The arena also hosted a preseason match between the Los Angeles Kings and the San Jose Sharks.

The venue hosted a PBR Built Ford Tough Series bull riding event in late September 2009 and also hosted another event on August 29 and August 30, 2010.

On January 20, 2010 the arena hosted the 2010 ECHL All-Star Game in front of 7,615 fans.

Since 2010 the arena has been the Inland Empire's stop for WWE, replacing the smaller Coussoulis Arena in San Bernardino. The first WWE event at the arena was a dual branded house show on December 5, 2010. Since then WWE has returned for two Raw brand house shows (February 25, 2012 and January 19, 2013), two WWE Live branded shows (August 25, 2013 and March 22, 2015) and two SmackDown/Main Event tapings (February 11, 2014 and August 26, 2014). The Smackdown/Main Event tapings on February 11, 2014 were the first time WWE televised an event from the Inland Empire since they taped four editions of WWE Raw at the Orange Pavilion in San Bernardino on April 1, 1996.

The American Idols LIVE! Tour 2011 was held on July 16, 2011.

English singer Sade recorded her Bring Me Home Live 2011 DVD at the arena on September 4, 2011.

The arena was the site of 2011 Skate America from October 21â€"23.

On October 29, 2012, Katy Perry did a private concert at the arena for the San Manuel Indian Tribe.

During her Blown Away Tour, country music singer Carrie Underwood filmed The Blown Away Tour: Live DVD at the arena on March 3, 2013, the concert also aired live on AXS TV.

During the summer of 2013, Selena Gomez used the arena to rehearse for her Stars Dance Tour.

Boxing

Since its opening, the arena has hosted many boxing events. The first boxing event was on November 28, 2008 with two fights, Chris Arreola vs. Travis Walker and Paul Williams vs. Verno Phillips. On December 5, 2009, the arena hosted a women's title fight between champion Kina Malpartida and Lyndsey Scragg. On April 24, 2010, the arena was the venue where Tomasz Adamek defeated Chris Arreola to retain the IBF International Heavyweight Title. The arena also hosted an ESPN Friday Night Fights event on July 2, 2010 with the main event being Demetrius Hopkins vs. Mike Arnaoutis. On August 13, 2010, Friday Night Fights returned to the arena with a fight between Chris Arreola and Manuel Quezada. On July 14, 2012, Mexican female boxer Mariana "La Barbie" Juarez defended her Flyweight title against Japanese boxer Shindo Go, the bout was broadcast on Mexican channel Televisa Canal 5 series Sábados de Corona. On November 24, 2012 Robert Guerrero successfully defended his Interim WBC Welterweight title against Andre Berto at the arena.

References

External links

• Official website