ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando arena formerly known as Amway Center officially has a new name: Kia Center.
The downtown entertainment venue opened Oct. 1, 2010, keeping the “Amway Center” name for 13 years. From the Orlando Magic’s first official regular home game there against the Washington Wizards later that month to upcoming appearances by world-famous musicians, comedians and more, the arena boasts on its website that it hosts around 225 events and over 1.3 million guests annually.
The new name was shown off Wednesday at a triumphant event, yet the arena’s change of face was viewable in the morning hours prior.
From what could be seen on News 6 tower cam, the “Kia Center” name was all but confirmed ahead of time.
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That belief was reinforced, to say the least, when seeing the arena up close. News 6 reporter Ezzy Castro sent in pictures ahead of the event of even more brand new “Kia Center” signage, complete with a lineup of Kia vehicles on display, an AdventHealth sponsorship attribution and graphics commemorating the Orlando Magic’s 35th anniversary season.
In a statement released during the unveiling, Orlando Magic CEO Alex Martins said that the team has been a proud partner of Kia America for several years.
“We share in the excitement of Kia’s success and growth,” Martins said. “We look forward to our expanded partnership which allows Kia to drive its brand forward and deliver a direct, impactful message to our fan base and beyond using the power of the NBA. Kia also becomes a ‘Champion of the Community’ partner and we look forward to working together to positively impact the Central Florida community.”
Kia America President and CEO Sean Yoon said in a statement that the naming of Kia Center is yet another example of the strength of Kia America and the Orlando Magic’s partnership.
“(Kia Center) provides us a year-round sports and entertainment platform for our fans,” Yoon said. “This facility is a spectacular asset for those who call Central Florida home and for those who visit this global tourist destination. Coupled with our naming rights of the Kia Forum in California, we now stretch from coast to coast.”
Watch the unveiling again in the video player below:
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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