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Mandalay Bay Events Center lands first naming rights sponsor

Mandalay Bay Events Center has secured the first naming rights partner in its 22-year history through a deal with Anheuser-Busch.

Under the multi-year contract between the beverage company and Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino, brokered by MGM Resorts International, the 12,000-seat sports and entertainment venue in Las Vegas will be renamed the Michelob ULTRA Arena.

The agreement’s integration will feature a variety of assets inside the Michelob ULTRA Arena and at select bars and lounges throughout the property. Anheuser-Busch will have the opportunity to sponsor various activations and exclusive on-property special events through the duration of the agreement.

The Michelob ULTRA Arena has hosted professional and college basketball, major concerts and championship boxing, among other events. The arena’s current main sports tenant is women’s WNBA basketball team Las Vegas Aces, while it has also staged Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) events and the inaugural International Swimming League (ISL) world finals in 2019.

In 2019, the arena completed a venue refresh with major renovations to enhance the guest event experience, including upgrades to the seating, concourse and in-arena signage, food and beverage options, locker rooms, technology and lighting system.

MGM Resorts last month sold the Aces to Mark Davis, owner of NFL American football team the Las Vegas Raiders, leaving open the possibility the team could leave Michelob ULTRA Arena. However, Chuck Bowling, president and chief operating officer for Mandalay Bay, told the Las Vegas Review-Journal: “The Aces will continue to play at Mandalay Bay, and continue to call it home.

“It is one of the premier WNBA facilities in the country. Our focus is to deepen our relationship with the NBA and attract an NBA team as an official partner, and we got the window to bring the WNBA here (in 2018).

“Mark has been front and centre. There has been no bigger fan of the Aces and of Mandalay Bay Events Center. I think we’ll be around to see Mark Davis bring a WNBA championship to Michelob Ultra Arena.”

Image: MGM Resorts