CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The massive construction project downtown, previously known as the Multi-Purpose Event Center, now has a real and permanent name: F&M Bank Arena.
“It is exciting to finally be able to say the name out loud: F&M Bank Arena!” Bank President and CEO Sammy Stuard said in prepared comments. The announcement came this morning at the construction site, where a massive red crane has been putting the steel framework in place all month.
“We look forward to actively promoting the brand, not only as an investment in our downtown area, but also as an expression of F&M Bank’s commitment to economic development,” Stuard said.
As previously reported, Sabertooth Sports & Entertainment (SS&E), owned and operated by Predators Holdings, has entered into a multi-year naming rights agreement with F&M Bank.
“We can finally put a name on the vision Montgomery County Mayor Jim Durrett has had for this region for such a long time – F&M Bank Arena,” Nashville Predators and SS&E President and CEO Sean Henry said in prepared comments.
“Seeing the next chapter in this venue’s life be written by a dynamic, local organization like F&M Bank, led by President and CEO Sammy Stuard, with meaningful input from Mayor Durrett, City of Clarksville Mayor Joe Pitts and Austin Peay State University Athletic Director Gerald Harrison, is proof of what can happen when passionate, creative individuals collaborate for the greater good of their communities,” Henry said.
“While we didn’t call it the ‘hippodrome’ – one of my personal favorites – seeing the name F&M Bank Arena attached to an event center that will be used and enjoyed for generations to come marks another milestone on the way to creating something special in Clarksville.”
Ever since the arena was proposed in March 2017, it has been referred to as the Multi-Purpose Event Center, or MPEC. But as early as April 2019, residents got a hint that the MPEC name might not stick, when Durrett outlined a series of revenue streams to pay for the arena, one of which would be the sale of naming rights.
The amount F&M Bank is paying for the multi-year naming rights has not been disclosed.
About F&M Bank Arena
The arena, with an estimated construction cost of $115 million, will be a 250,000-square-foot facility with seating capacity for up to 6,000 people.
Ground broke on the facility at First and College Streets in November 2020, and the venue is scheduled to open during the 2022-23 season under SS&E management, according to a news release. SS&E will be responsible for the arena’s day-to-day operations and will be charged with booking events.
https://soundcloud.com/clarksville-conversation/the-fm-bank-arena
APSU men’s and women’s basketball will be the primary leasing tenant, with the building serving as the home site for both basketball programs, including coach offices, lockers and training rooms. The Dunn Center will be revamped for use by the volleyball program, mainly.
In addition to the facility’s main, flexible event space – which will be able to host sporting events, concerts, banquets, conventions, trade shows and other events – the multi-level venue will feature a separate sheet of ice that will be used for youth and adult hockey leagues as well as figure skating, the release said.
The main arena bowl will also be able to add an ice surface, giving it the ability to host hockey tournaments and attract larger on-ice events or competitions much like the existing Ford Ice Centers in Antioch and Bellevue. Using these ice sheets, the Predators will offer a variety of learn-to-skate programs, continuing their mission to expose and grow hockey to more Middle Tennessee residents.
It will also contain luxury suites, premium seating, private hospitality space, party rooms and common areas that will have full access to the arena bowl.
Casey Williams contributed to this report.