Rio Rancho Events Center is a 8,000-seat multi-purpose
arena
An arena is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators ...
in
Rio Rancho
Rio Rancho ( es, Río Rancho) is the most populous and only city in Sandoval County, part of the expansive Albuquerque metropolitan area, in the U.S. state of New Mexico. A small portion of the city extends into northern Bernalillo County.
It is ...
,
New Mexico
)
, population_demonym = New Mexican ( es, Neomexicano, Neomejicano, Nuevo Mexicano)
, seat = Santa Fe
, LargestCity = Albuquerque
, LargestMetro = Tiguex
, OfficialLang = None
, Languages = English, Spanish ( New Mexican), Navajo, Ker ...
, a city located near
Albuquerque
Albuquerque ( ; ), ; kee, Arawageeki; tow, Vakêêke; zun, Alo:ke:k'ya; apj, Gołgéeki'yé. abbreviated ABQ, is the most populous city in the U.S. state of New Mexico. Its nicknames, The Duke City and Burque, both reference its founding in ...
. The arena is located near the intersection of Unser Boulevard and Paseo del Volcan. It is part of a larger "City Center" project, which also includes a new
city hall
In local government, a city hall, town hall, civic centre (in the UK or Australia), guildhall, or a municipal building (in the Philippines), is the chief administrative building of a city, town, or other municipality. It usually houses ...
. The multipurpose facility can host concert settings in various capacities, hockey, basketball, indoor football, family shows, rodeos, trade shows and flexible set-ups to accommodate any event.
Santa Ana Star Casino
Santa Ana Star Casino Hotel is a Native American gambling enterprises, Native American casino on the Santa Ana Pueblo, New Mexico, Pueblo of Santa Ana in Bernalillo, New Mexico. The casino is located North of Albuquerque, and right next to Rio Ra ...
purchased the naming rights to the arena in a five-year, $2.5 million deal signed in July 2006. The arena was previously known as Santa Ana Star Center. The contract was not renewed in 2020, resulting in the arena changing its name back to Rio Rancho Events Center.
The arena was completed at a cost of $47 million
USD
The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...
and opened on October 21, 2006. The first sports event in the arena was a hockey game on October 27, 2006, with the
New Mexico Scorpions
The New Mexico Scorpions were a Central Hockey League (CHL) team located in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. The team was established in 1996 as a part of the Western Professional Hockey League (WPHL). In 2001, the WPHL merged with the CHL. On July 2, 20 ...
falling to the
Arizona Sundogs
The Arizona Sundogs were a minor league professional ice hockey team based in Prescott Valley, Arizona. They played in the Central Hockey League from 2006 to 2014 with their home games at Tim's Toyota Center.
History
The team name, Sundogs, re ...
3–1 in front of a sellout crowd.
In April 2009, the city of Rio Rancho awarded Global Spectrum as the management company for the Arena. In 2019, that contract was renewed.
The Events Center is currently home to th
New Mexico Runnersof the
Major Arena Soccer League 2
The Major Arena Soccer League 2 is a North American indoor soccer league that serves as the developmental league of the Major Arena Soccer League.
History
M2 launched in 2017 to "provide an outlet for teams to either reorganize for a re-emergenc ...
and the
Duke City Gladiators
The Duke City Gladiators are a professional indoor football team based in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, a suburb of Albuquerque, New Mexico. They began play in March 2015 as members of the Champions Indoor Football (CIF) league. The Gladiators played ...
of the
Indoor Football League
The Indoor Football League (IFL) is a professional indoor American football league created in 2008 out of the merger between the Intense Football League and United Indoor Football. It has one of the largest number of currently active teams amon ...
. The center was formerly home to the
New Mexico Mustangs
The New Mexico Mustangs were a junior ice hockey#Tier II, Tier II Junior A ice hockey team based out of Rio Rancho, New Mexico that began play in the 2010–11 season. They were a member of the North American Hockey League and played in the South ...
of the
North American Hockey League
The North American Hockey League (NAHL) is one of the top junior hockey leagues in the United States and is in its 48th season of operation in 2022–23. It is the only Tier II junior league sanctioned by USA Hockey, and acts as an alternati ...
, the
New Mexico Scorpions
The New Mexico Scorpions were a Central Hockey League (CHL) team located in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. The team was established in 1996 as a part of the Western Professional Hockey League (WPHL). In 2001, the WPHL merged with the CHL. On July 2, 20 ...
of the
Central Hockey League
The Central Hockey League (CHL) was a North American mid-level minor professional ice hockey league which operated from 1992 until 2014. It was founded by Ray Miron and Bill Levins and later sold to Global Entertainment Corporation, which opera ...
, the
New Mexico Stars
The New Mexico Stars were a professional indoor football team based in Rio Rancho, New Mexico. The Stars played their home games at the Santa Ana Star Center.
They began play in the Indoor Football League (IFL) during the 2012 season as an expa ...
of the
Indoor Football League
The Indoor Football League (IFL) is a professional indoor American football league created in 2008 out of the merger between the Intense Football League and United Indoor Football. It has one of the largest number of currently active teams amon ...
/
Lone Star Football League
The Lone Star Football League (LSFL) was a regional professional indoor football minor league that played three seasons from 2012 to 2014. All of the LSFL's charter teams were based in the state of Texas, with five teams coming from the Southern ...
, the
New Mexico Wildcats
The New Mexico Wildcats were a professional indoor football team that played in American Indoor Football (AIF) in the 2008 and 2009 seasons. The team was based in Rio Rancho, New Mexico, with home games played at the Rio Rancho Events Center, Sant ...
of the
American Indoor Football Association
American Indoor Football (AIF) was a professional indoor football league, one of the several regional professional indoor football leagues in North America.
The AIFL began as a regional league with six franchises on the East Coast of the United ...
,
New Mexico Thunderbirds
New is an adjective referring to something recently made, discovered, or created.
New or NEW may refer to:
Music
* New, singer of K-pop group The Boyz
Albums and EPs
* ''New'' (album), by Paul McCartney, 2013
* ''New'' (EP), by Regurgitator, ...
, of the
NBA Development League
The NBA G League, or simply the G League, is the National Basketball Association's (NBA) official List of developmental and minor sports leagues, minor league basketball organization. The league was known as the National Basketball Development ...
, and a venue for
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vario ...
. The arena also hosted a campaign rally for President
Donald Trump
Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021.
Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of Pe ...
on September 16, 2019.
References
# Olson, Sean (October 22, 2006). "A Star Is Born." ''Albuquerque Journal''.
# Yodice, James (October 28, 2006). "Scorpions Lose to Sundogs at New Home." ''Albuquerque Journal''.
# Yodice, James (July 14, 2006). "Naming Rights Go For $2.5M." ''Albuquerque Journal''.
External links
Rio Rancho Events Center Website
{{Authority control
Rio Rancho, New Mexico
Arena football venues
Basketball venues in New Mexico
Defunct NBA G League venues
Indoor arenas in New Mexico
Indoor ice hockey venues in the United States
Indoor soccer venues
Soccer venues in New Mexico
New Mexico Thunderbirds
Buildings and structures in Sandoval County, New Mexico
Tourist attractions in Sandoval County, New Mexico
Music venues in New Mexico
Sports venues completed in 2006
2006 establishments in New Mexico