“We wanted to make sure the area was developed correctly and that we could put the arena in the middle of it,” Mayor Paul Leon said. (Courtesy Citizens Business Bank Arena)
At the crest of band Lady Antebellum’s fame, the trio played a show at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, Calif. Mayor Paul Leon was curious about their opinion of the venue, which opened about a year after their hit single, “Need You Now,” was released.
“They said many of the places they played were the back end of horrible, as it’s hard for trucks and people to get in and out and the accommodations are the worst,” Leon said. “They told me that our arena was the best of the best, (with accommodations) they don’t even see in larger venues.”
The mayor agrees.
“There hasn’t been a municipality in the country that has built an arena of this size and quality in the manner we were able to,” he said.
Its location about 35 miles east of Los Angeles in the Inland Empire region has helped rather than hindered the venue.
Now celebrating its 10th anniversary, Citizens Business Bank Arena is one of the World’s Top 200 Arena Venues according to this year’s Pollstar Mid-Year Rankings Report, which is based upon concert ticket sales Jan. 1-June 30. The venue, managed by SMG Worldwide, ranked No. 17 domestically and No. 37 worldwide.
A Great Investment
The city, which built and owns the arena, broached the idea for the building back in 1994, as it became clear that the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario area, who population has now reached 4.7 million, needed an indoor entertainment venue.
The city bought property in August 1998 that had been on the site of the Ontario Motor Speedway, which was open only from 1970 to 1980, intending to create space for an arena plus retail and residential properties.
“We knew the city development was moving east with the buildout of Los Angeles and Orange County, and it caught up with us during the 2000s boom time,” Leon said. “We wanted to make sure the area was developed correctly and that we could put the arena in the middle of it.”
Pink is among the acts who have wowed fans at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, Calif. (Courtesy Citizens Business Bank Arena)
The city got a good price on the land and sold various properties, which allowed it to pay cash for the $150 million arena’s construction. This not only eliminated any debt but also made the arena immediately popular with residents because its construction didn’t move the city to raise their taxes.
The groundbreaking ceremony was March 7, 2007, and exactly a year later the final large steel beam was put in place. The arena opened on Oct. 16, 2008. The quick construction timeline was due to 1,137 pieces of a precast structure.
The 225,000-square-foot arena contains three levels, including an event level, main concourse, outdoor patio and skybox area with patio.
During the arena’s planning and design process, Leon and his team visited other venues of similar size. They listened to what staff liked and would otherwise change, with the goal to create the perfect facility.
“I’m a sound man when it comes to concerts, so it was important to have quality sound,” Leon said. “Also, most arenas have permanent scoreboards, but we decided on a retractable version.”
As a former truck driver, Leon knew the importance of trucks, trailers and buses having a straight shot backing into the arena as well as providing accessible electrical conduits.
“Also, when we spoke to other venues, it was evident there weren’t enough bathrooms, and the women’s bathrooms were too small,” Leon said. “We have a ton at our arena, and the women’s bathrooms are twice the size of the men’s.”
With about 11,000 seats, including 700 club seats and 36 suites, Citizens Business Bank Arena small enough that there’s no nosebleed section and not a bad seat in the house.
“We knew, with the lack of venues of this type in the Inland Empire, we’d get the attendance we’ve been getting over the last 10 years,” Leon said. “Yes, it took some time for people to understand what it was, but everyone eventually realized there was a midsize, beautifully built arena in the area.”
Attracting the Acts
Despite being on the outskirts of Los Angeles, Citizens Business Bank Arena benefits from its location less than a mile north of Interstate 10 and five miles from the Ontario International Airport.
“What makes this arena unique is it’s not huge, and it provides the audience with an intimate entertainment experience,” said Michael Krouse, CEO and president of the arena. “Guests are up close to sports activities and concert performers, plus it’s easy to get in and out, and there’s plenty of nearby parking.”
Big players: The Ontario Reign of the American Hockey League and (below) Trans-Siberian Orchestra. (Courtesy Citizens Business Bank Arena X2)
It’s home to the Agua Caliente Clippers of Ontario, the NBA G League affiliate of the Los Angeles Clippers; the Ontario Reign, American Hockey League affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings; and the Ontario Fury, part of the Major Arena Soccer League.
The arena’s first event on Oct. 24, 2008, a Los Angeles Lakers preseason game, was broadcast on ESPN. The very next day, the venue hosted its first hockey game. Both drew sellout crowds.
“American Idol” winner Carrie Underwood was the first musical performer at Citizens Business Bank Arena on Nov. 9, 2008. Metallica was its first sellout concert and the first show performed in the round.
SMG took over management of the arena from AEG on July 1, 2016.
With sporting events, concerts, family shows, graduation ceremonies and even filming rehearsals, thanks to its proximity to Hollywood, Citizens Business Bank Arena has been active as many as 300 days a year.
“The reason why we are highly successful is we’re an open venue model,” Krouse said. “Any promoter can come into our arena, and they are shocked at our ability to compete with mainstream cities; Pink sold out in five minutes. We have our own base here. We don’t need to pull from LA or Orange County to sell out.”
Still, according to Sue Oxarart, the arena’s director of marketing and communications, people will travel from surrounding areas and even from Canada for intimate show and sports experiences.
“It also helps that we have a convention center and 6,000 hotel rooms,” she said.
Celebrating a Milestone
The arena was to celebrate its 10th year with a reception for strategic partners and long-term business stakeholders Oct. 24, followed by a free, nonticketed open house for the public that included tours of the facility, free food and goody bags. The event was promoted via an ad campaign and 5,000 were expected to attend.
Ontario’s city manager, Scott Ochoa, credits Leon and the City Council with the venue’s success.
“They saw a vacuum in this area for entertainment on a significant scale,” he said. “When they created this venue, they knew it would stand the test of time.”
The current trajectory, he said, is the right recipe for success, which includes significantly improved content and a revamped food and beverage program.
“There are so many successes we can point to over the last decade,” Leon said. “The arena has been a great investment.”