Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center will become the latest US sports arena to receive sportsbook-style lounges.
The development comes after the arena and its NHL ice hockey team the Philadelphia Flyers signed a multi-year deal with SugarHouse Casino and PlaySugarHouse.com to become their official sportsbook partners.
Two branded sports lounges inside the Wells Fargo Center will open in time for the Flyers’ 2019-20 season opener on October 9. Fans will be able to watch the Flyers and other live events on nearly 100 screens throughout the lounges, while betting on the action via their mobile devices.
The look and feel of the sportsbook-style lounges will be the same as the new permanent sportsbook at SugarHouse Casino, which is located on Delaware Riverfront in Philadelphia. “With Pennsylvania on the forefront of legalised sports gaming, we and our SugarHouse partners are excited to elevate the game day experience at the Wells Fargo Center in a unique way,” said Valerie Camillo, president of business operations for the Philadelphia Flyers and Wells Fargo Center.
“These new lounges will bring the energy and excitement of PlaySugarHouse.com, a market-leading sportsbook, into the arena and introduce another step in our transformation to become one of the most technologically-advanced arenas in the world.”
The agreement also forges a marketing partnership that includes advertising inside the arena’s bowl and throughout the concourse as well as radio, billboards and digital media placements. The Wells Fargo Center is in the midst of ‘Transformation 2020,’ a $265m (£215.3m/€240m) initiative that is re-inventing the arena’s live event experience through a series of major upgrades, including a new scoreboard, an all-inclusive event-level VIP club, and complete redesigns of both levels housing the sportsbook-style lounges.
The lounges will be in two locations in the building – both on the Main Concourse and on the arena’s top level. The nearly 6,500-square-foot-lounge located on the arena’s top level will face the bowl so fans can watch the live action as it happens.
Each space features club chairs, bar and table seating, as well as a custom 22 feet long by eight feet tall LED video wall that will anchor the viewing area, which has its own dedicated seating area. There are also dozens of live action screens, measuring 86”, 65”, and 50”, respectively.
The Main Concourse level lounge is located in the completely redesigned south end of the arena and is approximately 5,680 square feet. This space features 10, 86” screens grouped throughout the seating areas, mixed with odds boards and an additional 16, 65” monitors at the bar. SugarHouse ambassadors will also be in both lounges to assist guests in registering for the online sportsbook.
NBA basketball team the Philadelphia 76ers, which also play at Wells Fargo Center, are not mentioned in the announcement. The 76ers are owned by Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment (HBSE), which also owns NHL team the New Jersey Devils and the Prudential Center.
In October, HBSE entered into similar sportsbook partnerships with Caesars Entertainment and William Hill.
Image: NBA
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