Stockton Arena gets a new name and a makeover

After 18 years of operations, Stockton Arena has a new name and a hi-tech upgrade.

The facility, opened in 2005, was officially named Adventist Health Arena Tuesday during a ceremony in front of the brand-new 360-degree LED center-hung display board.

“Kudos to ASM Global and our City of Stockton Economic Development Department for getting this over the finish line,” said Stockton City Manager Harry Black. “This is in alignment with the City’s Economic Development Strategic Action Plan, and with these investments, Stockton will become even more of a destination for sporting and entertainment events.”

Black said the process began in May, when ASM Global, which manages the arena, and the city held an open house for prospective organizations. Adventist Health is a faith-based nonprofit health system operating on the West Coast and in Hawaii across over 400 sites.

Adventist health took over as manager of Dameron Hospital in 2020, and also manages Lodi Memorial Hospital. Adventist Health representatives went to the presentation in May and thought bidding in the naming rights was a good way to get more involved in the community, according to Jason Shields, the marketing account manager at Adventist Health.

“We are committed to San Joaquin County,” Shields said. “We thought this was a great opportunity to partner with the city and make sure they knew we care about the community through health care, but also the opportunity to enjoy the community we live in.”

Jason Perry, general manager for ASM Global Stockton, discusses the rebranding of Stockton Arena. (Photo by Robyn Jones)

The 10,000-seat arena has also received other various upgrades, including new LED sports lighting, club lighting, ribbon boards, dressing rooms and back-of-the-house enhancements. The arena hosts various concerts and events, and is the home of the Stockton Kings of the NBA G League. The Kings play their first home game of the season on Nov. 19.

“This is more than simply changing the name of the arena,” said Jason Perry, general manager for ASM Global Stockton. “It is about bringing together the private and public sector into something that is more than branding… We at ASM look forward to this new partnership-p with Adventist Health, a true pillar in our community that will continue to being great pride to the city of Stockton and the central valley.”

Vice Mayor Kimberly Warmsley, who attended the naming ceremony with Mayor Kevin Lincoln and other members of the city council, said she believe the arena improvement and new name will help make the arena a busy place.

“One of the things I’m excited about the most is that this will provide more opportunities for entertainment for our entire community,” Warmsley said. “It’s good to see when the arena is full, and with these upgrades it’s going to make the experience a lot more enjoyable.”