Replacing Sudbury's downtown arena will save City $500 K in operating costs. New arena managers, Oak View Group, handed the contractual keys to oversee new Event Centre operations about 2 hours ago 1 / 3 A sign is seen on the Brady Street side of the event centre property, advertising the project currently under construction. By taking on Oak View Group as the downtown Sudbury event centre's manager, the City of Greater Sudbury ensures its annual operational subsidy maxes out at approximately $400,000. This is a savings of approximately $500,000 from this year's municipal net operating cost of $906,726 for the Sudbury Community Arena, which the under-construction event centre will replace in 2028. Meanwhile, since Oak View Group (OVG) will be managing and staffing the event centre, the four full-time unionized city staff who work at the current downtown arena will not shift over. Instead, the city is using the years-long lead time to the event centre's 2028 opening to transition them to other positions within the city. City CAO Shari Lichterman told Sudbury.com the four unionized staff members would not be losing their jobs, but "a home" would be found for them in other departments. These are two of the key highlights in the long-term lease and management contracts the City of Greater Sudbury signed for the event centre last month, as relayed by Lichterman. Sudbury.com is filing a freedom of information request for the full documents, but the typically months-long process will require notifications and consideration by the third parties involved, which is likely to prolong the process. Prior to going through this formal process, Lichterman was able to share some, but not all, details regarding the three agreements signed last month. In addition to OVG as property manager, the Sudbury Wolves Ontario Hockey League team and The Sudbury Five Basketball Super League team signed on as anchor tenants under the Sudbury Wolves Sports and Entertainment (SWSE) umbrella. The Sudbury Wolves agreed to a term of at least 15 years, while both The Sudbury Five and OVG signed on for at least 10. All three contracts have options to renew. Speaking to the facility management contract, Lichterman said OVG is slated to oversee "all aspects of the operations." "They'll do all of the event bookings, promotions, ticketing, box office services, food and beverage operations," she said; "So the whole building." "As part of this agreement, we have set a benchmark where the city caps the amount of subsidy that we would have to pay to the arena, and OVG would take the risk on anything beyond that, and we would share on anything that's better than that." Under this agreement, the city's maximum risk is an annual operational subsidy of approximately $400,000, which Lichterman cited as "a significant improvement for taxpayers," compared to the current annual Sudbury Community Arena subsidy of approximately $900,000. Factored into the subsidy reduction is a projected revenue boost as a result in the modern facility attracting more major events through the efforts of OVG connections such as with event promoter Live Nation. A drop in operational costs as a result of maintaining a new facility rather than a more than 70-year-old building is also anticipated to help. Should OVG perform better than the minimum expectation laid out in the contract, this $400,000 maximum municipal subsidy will be reduced. The previous owner of the Sudbury Wolves made capital investments to the downtown arena which ensured what Lichterman described as an ongoing "pretty favourable arrangement" as it relates to revenue streams such as concessions. "Now as we look at the new building and the city is making a capital contribution of $200 million, the arrangement has really changed with the Wolves," she said. Under the new agreement, OVG and the city will get a greater share of facility revenue, where SWSE will continue to get a share of revenue generated during their events. When it comes to advertising revenue, the sports teams have certain event-specific advertising they'll sell on their own, while they'll get a share of revenue from advertising in fixed locations also on display outside of their events. Meanwhile, Lichterman said OVG has also agreed to contribute "several million dollars" toward the facility to help purchase equipment and perform future maintenance, the details of which will be announced by the company later. The two sports teams are also guaranteed exclusive rights to certain areas of the arena, such as dedicated dressing rooms, spaces for coaches, office space and retail space on the main concourse. Tender documents cited team accommodations as including a reception area, various offices, a conference room, kitchen, washrooms and a dressing room suite with showers, a steam room, sauna and therapy pool. A fitness suite, coaches area and media room will also be included. As for staffing, the Sudbury Community Arena currently has: * Two non-union management staff * Three CUPE 4705 outside unit full-time staff * One CUPE 4705 inside unit full-time staff * 16 non-union part-time maintenance staff * Approximately 45 part-time non-union ticketing/event staff As such, four unionized CUPE staff members will be impacted, but given the opportunity to be reassigned to other positions in the city via bumping rights they have through the union. "We know and are holding spots through retirements and vacancies, so we have a plan to make sure no one is losing their job," Lichterman said. As for the balance of staff, she said they'd have a high likelihood of transferring over with OVG, particularly since their operational model is likely to include more part-time positions than are presently available at the current-day downtown arena. "OVG will be hiring for a management team and dozens of part-time positions in food and beverage, guest services, box office, operations, maintenance, sales, and other areas," Lichterman said. "It is our plan to work collaboratively with OVG and CUPE to ensure employees have options." CUPE Local 4705 is discussing the city's contract with OVG this afternoon, and president Max Lafontaine said he'd be able to offer comments afterward. This story will either be updated or a follow-up story will be published after CUPE weighs in. The downtown event centre is still on track to open in time for the start of the Wolves' 2028-29 season opener. Tyler Clarke covers city hall and political affairs for Sudbury.com. We welcome your feedback and encourage you to share your thoughts. We ask that you be respectful of others and their points of view, refrain from personal attacks and stay on topic. To learn about our commenting policies and how we moderate, please read our Community Guidelines. If you would like to apply to become a Verified Commenter, please fill out this form.

8 must-know Theme Park News stories for Wednesday, September 9, 2026: Six Flags Acquires ArieForce One, LIV Golf Files bankruptcy. Theme park news for Wednesday, September 9, 2026 is led by Six Flags' acquisition of ArieForce One, the Rocky Mountain Construction steel coaster from the now-closed Fun Spot America Atlanta, which the chain plans to bring back at an undisclosed park for the 2028-2029 seasons. This theme park news roundup also covers Six Flags' new installment-payment option for Season Passes, a TAIT leadership appointment, and Four Seasons Resort Orlando's Thanksgiving dining lineup. In stadiums and live music, LIV Golf has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy, Oak View Group has added a new signature-experience executive, Suno has launched its V6 AI music models with Warner Music and BMG on board, and Alex Warren's WILDCHILD has debuted at No. 1 on two Billboard charts. The TLDR. * Theme Parks & Roller Coasters: Six Flags Acquires ArieForce One * Stadiums & Arenas: LIV Golf Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy * Live Music & Venues: Oak View Group Hires Teuta Gashi as Signature Experience SVP Theme Parks & Roller Coasters. Six Flags Acquires ArieForce One. Six Flags has acquired ArieForce One, the 154-foot Rocky Mountain Construction steel coaster that closed at Fun Spot America Atlanta on August 2, 2026 after opening in March 2023. The ride features a top speed of 64 mph, roughly 3,400 feet of track, and four inversions, and Six Flags plans to keep its name when it opens at an undisclosed park during the 2028-2029 seasons, according to Amusement Today. Six Flags has not said which park will get it. Fans curious about other singular coaster designs can revisit its profile of Lightning Run, Kentucky Kingdom's one-of-a-kind hyper coaster. Six Flags rolls out Flex Pay by Upgrade. Six Flags has launched Flex Pay by Upgrade, a buy-now-pay-later option that lets eligible guests split Season Pass and other qualifying purchases of $49 or more into fixed monthly payments through fintech partner Upgrade. The option applies to eligible online purchases and requires guests to be 18 or older and approved through a credit review, according to Amusement Today. TAIT Names Zeina Dagher SVP for MENA. Live-event technology firm TAIT has named Zeina Dagher senior vice president and regional leader for the Middle East and North Africa, overseeing operations across the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and the wider region. Dagher joins after more than 13 years in entertainment leadership roles, including stints at Dubai Holding Entertainment's Global Village, Emaar Entertainment, and Dubai Opera, according to blooloop. Four Seasons Orlando details Thanksgiving dining. The Four Seasons Resort Orlando has detailed its Thanksgiving Day dining lineup for November 26, 2026, including a Disney character breakfast with Goofy and friends at Ravello priced at $64 per adult and $44 per child. Holiday buffets are also planned at Ravello ($170 per adult) and Plancha ($150 per adult), alongside an in-room Thanksgiving meal for $59 per person and takeaway packages serving five or eight guests, according to WDW News Today. Stadiums & Arenas. LIV Golf Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy. LIV Golf filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on September 8, 2026, as part of a restructuring agreement with BC Partners intended to keep the league running into 2027. Court documents show LIV owes an estimated $500 million to $1 billion to more than 1,000 creditors, including players Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm, while Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund has committed $49.6 million in debtor-in-possession financing after cutting off its earlier backing, according to Front Office Sports. Live Music & Venues. Oak View Group Hires Teuta Gashi as Signature Experience SVP. Oak View Group has named Teuta Gashi senior vice president of its Signature Experience Portfolio, where she will lead premium events and exclusive experiences for the venue operator. Gashi joins from Blackstone, where she served as senior vice president of events and experiential marketing, and will be based in New York reporting to Chief Business Officer Amy Latimer, according to Pollstar. Suno launches V6 AI music models with Warner and BMG. AI music startup Suno launched its V6 model family on September 9, 2026, built in partnership with rights holders Warner Music Group, BMG, and Believe. The V6 lineup includes three tiers, with the flagship V6 model reserved for paying subscribers and a free V6-mini version, marking Suno's first release built with licensed label partnerships while the company continues to face copyright lawsuits from other music companies, according to Billboard. Alex Warren's WILDCHILD debuts at No. 1 on two Billboard charts. Alex Warren's new album WILDCHILD debuted at No. 1 on Billboard's Top Album Sales and Vinyl Albums charts, marking his first leader on both rankings. The set also opened at No. 2 on the overall Billboard 200 with 75,000 equivalent album units in its first week, his best sales week and second top-10 album yet, according to Billboard. Theme Park News faqs. Which Six Flags park will get ArieForce One? Six Flags has not announced a destination park. The coaster is expected to open at an undisclosed Six Flags property during the 2028-2029 seasons. What are ArieForce One's specs? ArieForce One is a Rocky Mountain Construction steel coaster standing 154 feet tall, reaching 64 mph, with about 3,400 feet of track and four inversions. Why did LIV Golf file for bankruptcy? LIV Golf filed for Chapter 11 protection on September 8, 2026 as part of a restructuring with BC Partners, owing an estimated $500 million to $1 billion to over 1,000 creditors after Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund pulled its earlier funding. Get more from Theme Park News. Log the coasters, stadiums, and venues you've experienced, rate Theme Park News, and see what your friends thought. Get the ThrillZing app. Photo: Jeremy Thompson / CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Miami voters pass Marine Stadium renovation partnership. What's next. Sarah Perkel, USA TODAY NETWORK Updated Thu, August 20, 2026 at 8:47 AM PDT Miami residents voted in favor of allowing the city to partner with a private company, all in order to restore the Miami Marine Stadium during Tuesday's primary election. Now defunct, the venue, - built in 1963, according to the National Trust for Historic Preservation - previously played host to powerboat races and concerts by Queen and Jimmy Buffet, among others. After sustaining damage during Hurricane Andrew in 1992, the stadium was "declared an unsafe structure and was abandoned," according to the city of Miami. Miami voters chose to let the city to "enter into a management agreement" with a private company, Global Spectrum L.P. - a subsidiary of Oak View Group - which will lead the renovation along with a local partner, Breakwater Hospitality Group, according to a press release by the latter company and Bring Back Marine Stadium. The referendum to allow the partnership passed with 22,505 votes in favor, or 68.56% of the vote, according to the Miami-Dade County Supervisor of Elections. "Next steps include the negotiation of the management contract for the existing Flex Park," reads the release. Oak View Group will work with the City of Miami, "the community, and Miami's creative and business leaders to launch a comprehensive study and visioning process for the renovated stadium," the release added. The city will receive "93% of gross sales of all events after deducting a $33,333 monthly management fee," along with "85% of sponsorship revenues," according to the question on the ballot. The company will also pay the city "up to" $10 million for the "restoration" of the stadium. According to the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the "6,566-seat stadium" in Virginia Key was designed by architect Hilario Candela. "During its heyday, powerboat races and concerts under the stars drew thousands to the stadium," reads the website. "Memorable historic performances on its floating stage include Queen, The Beach Boys, Steppenwolf, Dave Brubeck, Ray Charles and many more." The question on the ballot read: "Shall the City enter into a management agreement with Global Spectrum L.P. to activate and manage events at the Historic Miami Marine Stadium and Flex Park, 3501 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL, as follows: * City receives 93% of gross sales of all events after deducting a $33,333 monthly management fee * City receives 85% of sponsorship revenues * 40 year term * Global Spectrum to pay the City up to $10,000,000 towards the restoration of Historic Marine Stadium?" Sarah Perkel is a South Florida Connect Reporter for the USA TODAY Network's Florida Connect team. You can get all of Florida's best content directly in your inbox each weekday day by signing up for the free newsletter, Florida TODAY.