Latest news with #BillFoltz
CBS News
04-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Honda Center in Anaheim to receive $1 billion in improvements ahead of 2028 Olympics
The Honda Center in Anaheim is slated to receive $1 billion in improvements ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics, in which they were selected to host indoor volleyball. The venue, which plays host to the National Hockey League's Anaheim Ducks and also hosts dozens of other concerts and events throughout the year, will remain open throughout the design, officials said. "This is more than just an investment in a venue — it's an investment in Anaheim and the future of Orange County as a global destination for live entertainment," said Bill Foltz, the CEO of OC Sports and Entertainment in a statement. "Honda Center Encore reflects our commitment to delivering a world-class experience for every guest, every visit — all made possible through the vision and generosity of the Samueli Family." Improvements being made to the arena include: A five-story entrance on the building's south side, with plans for a digital display for outdoor viewing parties, new escalators, new food and beverage spots that include self-service so fans have easier access to refreshments, new suites for private parties, new opera box suites on the main concourse, as well as the renovation of 68 luxury suites, three new parking garages for 6,000 spaces. "As our partnership approaches two decades, we are proud to be a part of this re-imagining of the Honda Center into a world-class facility where dreams come true," said American Honda Motor Co. Assistant Vice President Jennifer Symington in a statement. "This renewed commitment to the community and visitors will make Orange County and the Honda Center a premier destination for sports and entertainment."
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
$1B renovations planned for Honda Center in Anaheim
The Honda Center in Anaheim is getting a billion-dollar facelift. OC Sports & Entertainment, the affiliate responsible for operating the city-owned arena, announced Tuesday the launch of Honda Center Encore, a $1 billion privately funded transformation aimed at reimagining nearly every aspect of the venue. The Samueli Family, longtime owners of the Anaheim Ducks, will spearhead the project. The renovations launched last fall and are planned to run through the end of 2027. The Honda Center will remain open throughout the renovation process. 'This is more than just an investment in a venue — it's an investment in Anaheim and the future of Orange County as a global destination for live entertainment,' Bill Foltz, chief executive officer of OC Sports & Entertainment, said in a statement. 'Honda Center Encore reflects our commitment to delivering a world-class experience for every guest, every visit — all made possible through the vision and generosity of the Samueli Family.' Key features of the transformation include: A new five-story South Entrance with a grand arrival experience and future plans for a high-impact digital display to host outdoor viewing parties and special community moments. New escalators to improve vertical circulation and enhance guest flow throughout the arena. A complete refresh of all food and beverage spaces, including ten brand-new concepts and the introduction of innovative self-service technology to elevate speed and convenience for guests throughout the arena. A new all-inclusive club on the club-level, offering an upscale, hospitality-focused experience for premium guests, with curated food and beverage offerings and unmatched views of the action. The debut of new opera box suites on the main concourse and a full renovation of all 68 existing luxury suites to deliver an elevated, modernized premium experience. Three new parking garages totaling over 6,000 stalls. Four new entry plazas, each with a distinct social aesthetic. Parking will increase by nearly 60% with the project, including two new general parking garages set to open in October 2025. These will implement an all-inclusive parking model — a first for a U.S. arena — eliminating the need for passes and offering a streamlined entry process. Honda Center Encore is part of a broader vision tied to OCVIBE, a $4 billion mixed-use district being developed around the arena. The 100-acre project is designed to establish Orange County as a cultural and entertainment hub with dining, nightlife, park space, and immersive experiences. Since opening in 1993, Honda Center has hosted over 4,500 events and welcomed over 45 million guests. The arena is also home to the Anaheim Ducks. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Los Angeles Times
29-04-2025
- Automotive
- Los Angeles Times
Ducks unveil $1-billion arena renovation, stress-free parking. But can either OC team win?
For pro sports in Orange County, these are the worst of times. The Angels last appeared in the playoffs 11 years ago, the Ducks seven years ago. The Ducks, embracing a full rebuild, scored more points last season than they had in six years. They still posted a losing record and fired their coach. The Angels, declining a full rebuild or an all-in push, are back in last place. Today, we bring good news to the loyal and long-suffering sports fans of Orange County. In announcing a $1-billion renovation of Honda Center, the Ducks are unveiling what might be the most fan-friendly policy ever adopted in our car-centric local culture: easy parking. No more cars inching forward to the parking attendant. No more shuffling through your wallet for cash or a credit card. No more scrolling through your phone to find that bar code, or scrambling through your glove compartment to find that parking pass. Just drive right in and enjoy the show. 'We think this will get people in 20 to 30 minutes faster,' said Bill Foltz, chief executive officer of OC Sports and Entertainment. 'Parking is the first thing you see when you are coming to a concert or a sporting event, and getting out of there is the last thing you remember. So we are working really hard to make sure both of those things are great experiences.' The renovations revealed Tuesday include a five-story grand entrance and community gathering space; new and expanded concession areas to shorten lines; new and renovated suites and luxury seats; and three new parking garages. This is a welcome boost to LA28. The Honda Center will be hosting Olympic volleyball, and the owners of the Ducks are throwing in a billion-dollar venue facelift. 'If you're going to spend this kind of money,' Foltz said, 'why not do it when the world is coming here?' Truth be told, Ducks owners Henry and Susan Samueli would have spent the money anyway. They previously committed $4 billion to the OC Vibe development now under construction around the Honda Center, with a performance hall, restaurants, a food hall and park scheduled to open next year, with homes, hotels and offices and additional entertainment venues to follow. It is all of that — the district around the arena — that shaped the parking policy. Whether you stop by to watch the Ducks, see a concert, grab dinner or simply meet friends for a stroll, the policy is the same. 'What we're trying to do is eliminate that transaction that everybody has when you're pulling into a parking lot,' Foltz said. 'You are just going to pull in.' That doesn't mean you won't pay a fee to access the general parking lots for a game or a concert, but the fee will be part of what Foltz called an 'all-inclusive' ticket price. The Ducks say this parking model is 'the first of its kind at a U.S. arena.' The arena, we should note here, is owned by the city of Anaheim. 'The Ducks are an unparalleled partner with Anaheim,' Mayor Ashleigh Aitken said. 'They are great stewards of the Honda Center, and OC Vibe will bring a new energy to the surrounding area. 'What makes them so special is their devotion to the fan experience, ensuring their followers feel valued.' The owners of the Ducks are picking up the cost of revamping the arena. 'It's all the Samueli family that's behind this,' Foltz said. 'We fund all of it. We've never gotten money from the city for any renovations here.' That stands in stark contrast to the current stalemate between the city and the Angels over the future of Angel Stadium. The city has backed away from two deals in which Angels owner Arte Moreno would have paid to renovate Angel Stadium and develop the land around Angel Stadium, in much the same way the Ducks are doing around the Honda Center. 'I hope to replicate this at Angel Stadium,' Aitken said, 'but realize the teams are just in different places.' The most recent deal collapsed in 2022, after the disclosure of an FBI corruption investigation into former mayor Harry Sidhu, who was sentenced in March to two months in federal prison. Moreno so far has shown little interest in a third round of negotiations, despite an invitation this month from Aitken. 'I'm not going to put $200 [million] or $300 million into a stadium that a city owns without any of their participation,' Moreno told the team website in February. Foltz said the Ducks and Angels communicate regularly and said he briefed Angels president John Carpino on the Ducks' renovation plans. Foltz said he has heard nothing to indicate the Angels are making similar plans. 'I don't know of anything that's happening over there,' Foltz said. The Ducks' parking innovations are cool, and a vibrant entertainment village around the arena is great, but what would be really great is for one of the Orange County teams to make a postseason appearance sometime this decade. As Foltz talked up the brand new, grand new plaza outside Honda Center, he sounded wistful. Playoff watch parties, after all, require a playoff team. 'I'm jealously watching the Kings and Edmonton play,' he said, 'or seeing Toronto, where they have just as many fans outside as they do inside. We're building for that future.' Bring it on. Soon, please.
