Washington, DC – September 12, 2018 – Mayor Bowser in collaboration with Events DC, the official convention and sports authority for the District of Columbia, announce the opening events that celebrate the much-anticipated Entertainment and Sports Arena (ESA). The 4,200-seat venue will be a hub for entertainment, sporting events, esports and more. The Arena will also serve as the practice facility for the NBA Washington Wizards and home court of the WNBA Washington Mystics and new NBA G-League team, the Capital City Go-Go.
Saturday, September 22, 10:30 am – Ribbon Cutting: The official opening of the venue. Officials from the city including Mayor Muriel Bowser, Deputy Mayor Brian Kenner, Max Brown, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Gregory A. O'Dell, president and chief executive officer at Events DC, majority owner, Chairman and CEO of Monumental Sports, Ted Leonsis and local DC athletes and artists. The event will celebrate the opening of the Arena's doors to more diverse entertainment options and will ignite future economic development in the Congress Heights neighborhood of DC.
Saturday, October 6 – Mary J. Blige (with Jacob Banks): The concert will be headlined by Grammy award winning and 2018 double Oscar nominee, Superstar Mary J. Blige, featuring critically-acclaimed, multi-genre singer/songwriter, Jacob Banks. Tickets will be available to purchase on Ticketmaster on Friday, September 14 at 10:00 am. Doors will open on Saturday, October 6 at 7:00 pm, with the show at 8:00 pm.
Tickets for the Mary J. Blige and Cage the Elephant concerts will go on sale to the general public on Friday, September 14 at 10:00 am on Ticketmaster.
A project deemed as "Bigger than Basketball," the Entertainment and Sports Arena, is a 4,200-seat, 120,000-square-foot arena located in Congress Heights of Washington, DC The venue will establish a premier entertainment destination within Ward 8 that will open doors to more diverse programming options in the District. It will also attract cultural and community-based events, giving residents and visitors the opportunity to enjoy the rich diversity of the DC in a brand-new space.
In collaboration with Smoot/Gilbane Sports, the project honors opportunities for local businesses and District residents to bring much-needed economic and civic benefits to the local community, with nearly half of the project's hires living in Wards 7 or 8. The project has also exceeded its initial Certified Business Enterprise (CBE) goal set forth with over 65% of the contracts awarded to CBEs and more than $10 million dollars worth of contracts have been awarded to Ward 7 and 8 businesses.
Events DC along with its project teams, Brailsford & Dunlavey as the program management team, the architect/engineer joint venture of Washington Area Design Group and Smoot/Gilbane Sports as the construction management team, have played a key role in the planning, design and construction of the new facility.
To learn more about the Arena and to view the upcoming calendar of events, www.ESAontheRise.com.
Events DC, the official convention and sports authority for the District of Columbia, delivers premier event services and flexible venues across the nation's capital. Leveraging the power of a world-class destination and creating amazing attendee experiences, Events DC generates economic and community benefits through the attraction and promotion of business, athletic, entertainment and cultural activities. Events DC oversees the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, an anchor of the District's hospitality and tourism economy that hosts more than 1.7 million visitors and generates more than $400 million annually in total economic impact, and the historic Carnegie Library at Mt. Vernon Square. Events DC manages the RFK Stadium-Armory Campus (RFK Campus), including Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium, Festival Grounds at RFK Campus, the non-military functions of the DC Armory and Skate Park at RFK Campus. Stay current on the 190-acre RFK Campus Redevelopment Project at www.RFKCampus.com. Events DC also built and serves as landlord for Nationals Park, the first LEED-certified major professional sports stadium in the United States. Events DC manages Gateway DC, R.I.S.E. Demonstration Center and is building the Entertainment and Sports Arena (www.ESAontheRise.com), all conveniently located in the Congress Heights neighborhood of Washington, DC. For more information, please visit www.eventsdc.com and find us on social media – Facebook (Events DC), Twitter (@TheEventsDC) and Instagram (@EventsDC).