Contributions from Communications Coordinator Katie Cafiero.
CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – F&M Bank Arena has been granted their certificate of occupancy and can now move employees into the building and begin operations.
Austin Peay State University’s men’s and women’s basketball teams will be the venue’s primary tenant. The facility will house Ford Ice Center Clarksville and include a versatile event space that can accommodate sporting events, concerts, banquets, conventions, trade shows, and other events.
“We are excited to have the arena staff moving into their offices and continuing work on preparing the building as we countdown to a grand opening,” General Manager of F&M Bank Arena Kylie Wilkerson said. “While construction is nearing completion, there’s still plenty left to do before the doors of F&M Bank Arena officially open. We are confident in our staff’s ability to make all the necessary arrangements for a successful grand opening event.”
Sabertooth Sports & Entertainment, LLC will be in charge of running the facility when it debuts in the summer of 2023. The structure will be outfitted and ready for concerts and athletic events throughout the coming weeks and months. There will be more announcements about those events soon to come. The 250,000-square-foot, cutting-edge venue is anticipated to hold a range of events, including family-friendly performances similar to those at Bridgestone Arena.
“Our community is looking forward to the exciting opportunities F&M Bank Arena will bring to downtown Clarksville,” Mayor of Montgomery County, Wes Golden, said. “The operating team is set up inside the facility and hard at work to ensure we can provide the best fan experience possible.”
As arena staff get acquainted with their new home and construction of the facility enters the final stages of completion, Commonwealth Development Group, Inc. reflects on what has been one of their biggest projects to date.
“To see everything we spent years planning come to fruition is something we can all be proud of as a community,” Executive Vice President, Project Management of Commonwealth Development Group, Inc. Jordan Wyman said. “I know this will have a lasting impact on the Clarksville, Montgomery County community and we can look back on this time as creating something really special for the downtown area.”
“The outside of the building looks amazing, and we love having F&M Bank Arena signage lit up around the exterior of the facility,” SS&E Vice President & General Manager Danny Butler said. “Many preparations are still being made inside of the arena from painting walls to unboxing furniture, but in just a few months we will be excited to welcome APSU fans and guests from all over to see the facility.”
F&M Bank Arena will hold roughly 4,500 fans for concerts and 5,500 for basketball games. More updates regarding a possible first event and grand opening to the public are expected soon.
Fans can follow the progress and stay up to date on everything relating to F&M Bank Arena by following @fmbankarena on all social media platforms.