Opened 7 September 1998 Executive suites 43 | Type Arena Phone +1 519-541-1717 Owner Sarnia | |
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Former names Sarnia Sports and Entertainment Centre (1999–2009; 2015–2016)RBC Centre (2009–2015) Genre(s) sporting events, concerts Address 1455 London Rd, Sarnia, ON N7S 1P6, Canada Similar Harry Lumley Bayshore, Sarnia Arena, Sleeman Centre, North Bay Memorial Gardens, Essar Centre |
Progressive auto sales arena announcement
The Progressive Auto Sales Arena is a 5,500-capacity (4,118-seated) multi-purpose arena in Sarnia, Ontario, Canada. It is located on the campus of Lambton College and was opened in September 1998. The Progressive Auto Sales Arena is currently home to the Sarnia Sting OHL ice hockey team. The Sarnia Legionnaires (1969–) Junior B hockey club holds its training camp at the facility before moving to Sarnia Arena for its regular schedule.
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The arena features two NHL-sized ice pads, 43 luxury suites, and an in-house, full-service restaurant.
Artists such as Crash Test Dummies, Blue Man Group, Bryan Adams and Elton John have played there, and it has also hosted Stars on Ice.
Originally known as the Sarnia Sports and Entertainment Centre, the Royal Bank of Canada purchased the naming rights of the arena in October 2009 and renamed it RBC Centre. In September 2015, RBC chose to not renew the sponsorship, thus reverting the arena back to its original name. During the summer of 2016, the City of Sarnia reached an agreement with Progressive Auto Sales on a 10-year naming rights agreement. The new name became Progressive Auto Sales Arena.
History
In 1994, the Newmarket Royals team was bought by the Ciccarelli brothers and moved to Sarnia, where they were renamed the Sarnia Sting. Though the Sting played their first three seasons at the Sarnia Arena, their relocation was conditional on a new arena being built by the city. The new arena would also become an issue in the November 1994 municipal elections.
There were five sites up for consideration: