Webster Bank Arena, Bridgeport, Conn. and Mohegan Sun, Uncasville, Conn. are teaming up on programming.
A pair of prominent Connecticut entertainment venues have announced a new exclusive partnership designed to build business for both facilities.
Mohegan Sun, a casino and resort in Uncasville with a 10,000-seat arena, and the Webster Bank Arena, a 10,000-seat arena a little more than an hour drive away in Bridgeport, signed the three-year, multiple-level agreement to strengthen their existing relationship and help attract more concerts and sporting events. Under the arrangement, Mohegan Sun will help book events at the Webster Bank Arena and will have a sponsorship presence at the arena.
“This partnership is a good example of how venues can work together, be good community neighbors and help the state of Connecticut become more of an attraction using two of its bigger venues to draw more people, create more fun and memories for life,” said Tom Cantone, senior vice president of sports and entertainment for Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment. “Everyone wins.”
Peter Luukko, co-chairman of Oak View Group's Arena Alliance, which serves as a venue consultant to the Webster Bank Arena and the New York Islanders, said the new agreement was “a sign of a great relationship between two organizations in the state of Connecticut working together to help each other.”
Mohegan Sun Arena has attracted a number of big-name musical performers to its arena since its opening in 2001, and it has hosted a variety of sporting events and other performances. The arena, which is owned by Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment, serves as the home of the Connecticut Suns of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the New England Black Wolves of the National Lacrosse League. The arena has hosted the WNBA All-Star Game three times.
Webster Bank Arena, which also opened in 2001, serves as the home of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers ice hockey team (the American Hockey League affiliate of the New York Islanders), the Fairfield University men’s basketball team and the Sacred Heart University men’s ice hockey team. The arena is located on the Long Island Sound waterfront and hosts approximately 150 events each year. Harbor Yard Sports and Entertainment manages the facility, which is owned by the city of Bridgeport.
“We both are established entertainment venues in New England and we will build on that with programming and sponsorship coverage that will extend Mohegan Sun’s well-known entertainment brand to help generate more tourism in the state,” Cantone said.
Cantone said the partnership is a natural fit for attracting concerts, in particular, to the venues, and that is where the emphasis of the collaboration will be trained.
“Our primary focus will be to do what we do best and that is the concert business as that is the driver for venues like ours,” Cantone said. “With our industry contacts, we will be able to help offer more dates for more artists to play, especially when the tours are being routed or there are some isolated opportunities we may want to pursue.”
Luukko said he also expects the partnership will be especially beneficial for building Webster Bank Arena’s concert schedule.
“I think it’s going to be great for all kinds of concerts,” Luukko said. “Rock, country, any show will be a part of this arrangement.”
Cantone said the facilities’ resemblance in general features and size helps with the planning and promoting of concerts, as does a shared understanding of the region.
“Our venues are very similar so we can model each show with a basic understanding of how it will fit from a production standpoint as well as the marketing of each show,” Cantone said. “Our expertise in both of those areas is a big synergistic advantage.”
Luukko said the Mohegan Sun’s sponsorship opportunities with the Webster Bank Arena will provide it with valuable exposure in the Bridgeport marketplace and help drive visitors to the casino. Mohegan Sun will have visible sponsorship within Webster Bank Arena. Bridgeport, which has a population of more than 140,000, is the the largest city in Connecticut.
In a press release, Kevin Brown “Red Eagle,” chairman of the Mohegan Tribe and MGE Management board, said the agreement reflected Mohegan Sun’s “commitment to Bridgeport, a city rich in history and culture,” and its desire to support its “growth and rebirth.” Jon Ledecky, owner of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers and the New York Islanders, called the agreement “the beginning of a long-time marriage.”
Luukko said the arrangement should be a boost to the Bridgeport area and to its residents and visitors.
“They’re going to get more shows and get more out of their arena,” Luukko said.
Cantone said the regional economic benefits of the arrangement will be apparent.
“Anytime you draw more people into your venue, you generate more revenue and the local economy benefits as do the thousands of people who work the venue with more opportunities to earn a better living,” Cantone said.