OVG to break ground on FirstOntario Centre reno
https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.co...oup-renovation
Oak View Group is officially breaking ground Thursday on its $280M renovation of FirstOntario Centre, the 39-year-old arena in Hamilton, Ontario.
OVG is paying for the arena renovation and will operate it as a part of a long-term lease with the city of Hamilton when the venue reopens in the fall of 2025. OVG will keep all revenue stemming from the arena’s operations, as well as naming rights, which OVG Canada will sell. The National Lacrosse League’s Toronto Rock is the building's current sole tenant, though OVG co-founder Tim Leiweke has expressed interest in attracting a hockey team to the arena (just not an NHL one).
Brisbin Brook Beynon Architects is designing the renovation, which is being built by Canadian contractor EllisDon. The Hamilton Urban Precinct Entertainment Group (HUPEG) is also involved in the project, which is part of a larger revamp of the city’s downtown district. Brisbin Brook Beynon’s subsidiary, SCI Architects, designed a renovation of CFG Bank Arena in Baltimore for OVG, the company’s other renovation project to date.