Sun National Bank Center

Sun National Bank Center
Former names Sovereign Bank Arena (1999–2009)
Location 81 Hamilton Avenue
Trenton, NJ 08611 USA
Public transit

Hamilton Avenue

Owner Mercer County Improvement Authority[1]
Operator Global Spectrum
Capacity Ice hockey: 7,605
Basketball: 8,600
Concerts: 8,500
Construction
Broke ground December 2, 1997[2]
Opened October 6, 1999
Construction cost $53 million
($75.3 million in 2016 dollars[3])
Architect Sink Combs Dethlefs
Vitetta Group
Structural engineer Geiger Engineers[4]
Services engineer French & Parrello Associates, P.A.[5]
General contractor Gilbane Building Company[6]
Tenants
Trenton Freedom (PIFL) (2014)
Trenton Titans (ECHL) (1999–2013)
Philadelphia Passion (LFL) (2009–2011)
New Jersey Rascals (PLL) (2012)
Trenton Steel (SIFL) (2011)
Trenton Lightning (IPFL) (2001)
Trenton Shooting Stars (IBL) (1999–2001)

The Sun National Bank Center, formerly known as Sovereign Bank Arena, is a $53-million, 10,500-seat arena in Trenton, in the U.S. state of New Jersey; was home to the Trenton Freedom of the PIFL and hosts other special events including family shows, sporting events and concerts. On November 13, 2009, Sun National Bank signed a naming-rights deal for seven years for $2.1 million.[7]

History & events

The arena opened as Sovereign Bank Arena on October 6, 1999 with a World Wrestling Entertainment event. Since then the arena has hosted over 1200 events with over 4 million guests attending and has sold out shows by Bruce Springsteen, World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), Shania Twain, Keith Urban, Cher, Elton John, Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, Britney Spears and Justin Bieber.[8]

The arena held the first and second rounds of the 2006 NCAA Women's Division I Basketball Tournament The 2000 and 2001 Northeast Conference men's basketball tournaments were held there as was the 2003 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference men's basketball tournament. The 2009 edition of the MAAC men's basketball tournament was scheduled to be played at the arena until administrators at the facility asked MAAC tournament officials to consider an alternate location for the games.[9] The finals of the Trenton Regional in the 2009 NCAA women's tournament, were held there as well.

The arena seats 7,605 for hockey and other ice events, 8,600 for basketball and up to 10,500 for concerts, family shows, and other events which makes it the largest arena in Southern New Jersey. The arena is located next to, and served by, the Hamilton Avenue station on NJ Transit's River Line and New Jersey Route 129.

The arena is managed by Philadelphia-based Global Spectrum, a subsidiary of Comcast Spectacor.

The arena hosted the Total Nonstop Action Wrestling Pay-Per-View Hard Justice 2008 on August 10, 2008.

The Sun National Bank Center also plays host to the USSBA Zildjian Indoor Percussion Championships every April as the culmination of the Winter Percussion season and the National Championships for USSBA Indoor[10]

References

  1. "Ownership & Management". Sun National Bank Center. Retrieved November 22, 2009.
  2. Garbarine, Rachelle (December 14, 1997). "In the Region/New Jersey; 2d Anchor Begun in Trenton's Revitalization Plan". The New York Times. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
  3. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved November 10, 2015.
  4. "Stephen P. Emery". Geiger Engineers. Archived from the original on December 20, 2010. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
  5. "Awards". French & Parrello Associates. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
  6. Jaeger, Lauren (July 6, 1998). "Globe Facility Services To Run Mercer Arena". AllBusiness. Retrieved November 11, 2011.
  7. Rinde, Meir (November 18, 2009). "Arena Naming Deal Put at $2.1M". The Times (Trenton). Retrieved February 12, 2013.
  8. "General Info". Sun National Bank Center. Retrieved November 22, 2009.
  9. Iorizzo, Pete (June 5, 2008). "MAAC Tournament Coming Back to Times Union Center". Times Union (Albany). Retrieved February 12, 2013.
  10. "2012 USBands Indoor Championships almost here!". Youth Education in the Arts. April 11, 2012. Retrieved February 12, 2013.

External links

Events and tenants
Preceded by
TNA Impact! Zone
Host of Hard Justice
2008
Succeeded by
TNA Impact! Zone

Coordinates: 40°12′46″N 74°45′27.22″W / 40.21278°N 74.7575611°W / 40.21278; -74.7575611

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