Entertainment development company Oak View Group has tapped community nonprofit Stand Together as the exclusive social impact partner and one of eight founding partners for Acrisure Arena, an OVG-owned and operated venue set to open in the greater Palm Springs area in December, the company tells Billboard.
Stand Together will also serve as the social impact partner for the arena’s home team, the American Hockey League’s Coachella Valley Firebirds, who will be debuting in October 2022. In addition, the organization will serve as the arena’s music series title sponsor.
“There is no denying the remarkable power of music to bring people together. With the launch of Acrisure Arena and our partnership with Stand Together, we will harness the power of music to bring people together and create movements that affect change,” OVG CEO Tim Leiweke said in a release. “I’m honored to have Stand Together join us as the exclusive Social Impact Partner of the Acrisure Arena. Together, I know we can transform the positive impact sports and entertainment facilities can make within our communities.”
Founded in 2003 by billionaire businessman and philanthropist Charles Koch, Stand Together is described on its website as “a philanthropic community tackling the root causes of America’s biggest problems.” Its partners include business leaders and philanthropists, community-based organizations, educators and grassroots activists.
Through the social impact partnership, Stand Together and Acrisure Arena will create a space to support activations designed to give musicians, fans and members of the community an opportunity to make a difference regarding some of the country’s biggest challenges.
“Music has always been a bridge to a better tomorrow. It’s hard to think of movements for change without the songs that inspired and sustained them,” Stand Together CEO Brian Hooks said in a release. “That’s why Stand Together is committed to partnering with musicians and the country’s most effective changemakers to tackle the root causes of our society’s biggest challenges. We’re excited to be taking this important step forward with Acrisure Arena.”
Set to open in December, Acrisure Arena is designed to attract year-round talent to the Palm Springs area. Through the partnership with Live Nation, the venue will provide a rehearsal space for artists launching major tours, a new routing model that will service the music needs on the West Coast. It also hopes to become the next major destination for artist residencies, in direct competition with Las Vegas.
Acrisure Arena will boast more than 300,000 square feet and feature 11,000 seats, including modern suites and four premium hospitality clubs.
The Seattle Kraken’s AHL team, the Coachella Valley Firebirds, will also have an adjoining facility to serve as a year-round community gathering space as well as the team’s training center.