Feature

DePaul University signs naming-rights partner for arena

DePaul University signs naming-rights partner for arena

Wintrust Financial Corporation has agreed a deal to take on naming rights to a new basketball arena for DePaul University, which is located in the US city of Chicago.

Wintrust agreed the 15-year deal with DePaul University and the local Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority (MPEA). The venue will officially be known as Wintrust Arena.

As well as hosting DePaul’s men’s and women’s basketball teams, the 10,387-seat arena will stage concerts, meetings, conventions and other sporting events. Work on the arena is due to be completed in late 2017.

Wintrust Arena will form part of a wider entertainment district in Chicago that will also house dining areas, hotels and other outlets. It is hoped the development of the new facility will help attract tourists to the area and drive long-term economic growth.

The arena will comprise 22 suites, 479 club seats, two VIP club lounges and a designated section for university students known as the Demon Deck. The facility will also feature a sleek glass façade.

MPEA chief executive Lori Healey said: “Wintrust Arena will be a game-changer for our McCormick Square campus, allowing us to compete for new events and activities, creating new jobs and economic opportunities for Chicago and the entire state of Illinois.”

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