Latest news with #MassMutualCenter
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
New name in play for MassMutual Center in Springfield
SPRINGFIELD — The Massachusetts Convention Center Authority that owns the MassMutual Center arena downtown is nearing a naming rights deal. The authority received a 'low number' of eligible responses when it solicited bids last month, said spokesman David Silk. The authority is reviewing those proposals and expects to make a decision in weeks, not months, Silk said. The deal will need approval of the authority's board. First opened in 1972, the venue was the Springfield Civic Center until MassMutual signed a $5 million naming rights deal in 2003. That deal began when the arena reopened with a convention center addition in 2005 and was to have expired in June 2021. The MassMutual name remains on the building pending a new deal. MGM Resorts International manages the MassMutual Center in conjunction with its MGM Springfield Casino under a 10-year agreement reached with the authority in 2022. The authority feared tying the building too closely with the casino and sought a different company to be the naming rights sponsor. Earlier this month in Connecticut, Holyoke-based PeoplesBank, announced it bought the naming rights for the former Hartford Civic Center. The bank is expanding in the Nutmeg State. The Hartford arena — most recently called the XL Center — will be PeoplesBank Arena. The Hartford arena hosts many home games for the perennial national powerhouse men's and women's University of Connecticut basketball teams, as well as the Hartford Wolfpack of the American Hockey League. In Springfield, the arena's premier tenant is the AHL's Springfield Thunderbirds. Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Western Mass. schools participate in Massachusetts Civics Project Showcases
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – 1,000 students were chosen to take part in the Massachusetts Civics Project Showcases. The showcases started on Tuesday in Dartmouth, and 20 schools around Western Massachusetts participated in the second day of the fair on Wednesday inside the MassMutual Center in Springfield. The room was filled with poster board presentations. Hampden DA's Office hosts 'Preventing Dating Violence' program for students At the fair, students share their plans to solve community issues, amongst their peers and community advisors, such as local legislators and subject-matter experts. Issues included student mental health, environmental justice, and educational equity. Some projects took students a month to plan, create, and execute. 'We decided to take action basically,' said Mileska Santiheo, a junior at Sci-Tech High School. 'So we noticed that our bathrooms don't really provide any feminine products or anything, so we got donations from teachers and nurses and we built the basket up.' The next fair will be on Monday in Worcester. The last stop of the fair will be next week in Boston. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Lego fans have block party at MassMutual Center in Springfield
SPRINGFIELD — The Springfield Brick Convention calls itself 'the Greatest Lego Fan Event on Earth.' Lego fans can find out for themselves Sunday, May 25, when the convention concludes its two-day run with a session at 9 a.m. and another at 1 p.m. at the MassMutual Center. A portion of the proceeds goes to Creations for Charity, a group that buys new Lego sets for underprivileged children around the world. Read the original article on MassLive.
Yahoo
01-04-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Springfield opens new downtown parking garage with over 800 spaces
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – The Massachusetts Convention Center Authority (MCCA) officially opened the new Convention Center Carpark on Monday, marking a major milestone in downtown Springfield's ongoing infrastructure improvements. Located next to the MassMutual Center, the new five-story parking facility spans 350,000 square feet and offers 817 parking spaces. The garage includes electric vehicle infrastructure and charging stations and is designed with long-term development in mind, including retail space on the ground level intended to help activate foot traffic in the area. Eight without a home after fire on Euclid Avenue in Springfield, cat dies The new structure replaces the aging Civic Center Garage, originally built in 1971, which had deteriorated to the point where only 700 of its 1,000 spaces remained usable. In collaboration with the city of Springfield, the MCAA purchased, demolished, and rebuilt the facility to better serve visitors. 'This project wouldn't have been possible without the buy-in and support of key local stakeholders,' said Marcel Vernon, Executive Director of the MCCA. 'Thank you to Mayor Sarno and the city of Springfield for your partnership on this important economic development project, which will provide a world-class parking venue for MassMutual Center patrons, while also activating the neighborhood for the community at large.' The car park is part of a broader vision to revitalize the downtown area. Work is continuing on the adjacent plaza and streetscape, with completion expected by the end of May. Sean Dolan, General Manager of the MassMutual Center, emphasized the facility's impact on the guest experience. 'The opening of the Convention Center Carpark marks a monumental step forward for both the MassMutual Center and the community,' Dolan said. 'This state-of-the-art facility will enhance the event experience and make it more convenient for our visitors. It's an exciting time for Springfield.' A ribbon-cutting ceremony and grand opening celebration are currently being planned to coincide with the completion of the full project. Further details will be announced in the coming weeks. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
22-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Philedelphia Mummers perform at Thunderbirds game Friday night
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) – St. Patrick's festivities continue across western Massachusetts ahead of the celebrations in Holyoke this weekend. We are just 2 days from the historic Holyoke St. Patrick's Parade and from celebrations at Irish pubs to kicking things off at Friday night's Thunderbirds game! The community is enjoying every moment. Whether you're in Springfield, Holyoke, or anywhere in western Massachusetts–The St. Patrick's celebration continues on the biggest weekend to honor the Irish and to countdown to parade day events are taking place all across western Massachusetts. The Mass Mutual Center hosted Philadelphia's aqua string band as they performed their own mummer's parade on the concourse. The crowd was dressed in green from head to toe. 'I do this every year for the Thunderbirds,' says Robert Florio of Springfield. 'I come to it all the time every year, and then tomorrow's the road race and then Sunday's parade day. This is like the biggest weekend of my entire life.' Local dance academies put on their own performance. One Irish dancer from East Longmeadow shares the key to moving to the beat, 'It's just really confidence if you believe in yourself you can do it,' says Ella Bruce. That's also what's keeping the community going during the months-long Irish celebration. And some traveling back to their hometown for this very special weekend, Renee O'Hanlon from New York told 22News, 'I'm originally from Chicopee but I live in New York and I've lived there for the last 22 years, so I just came to be with my friends I don't get to see that often. I'm on the Chicopee St. Patrick's parade committee, I'm also one of the Colleen moms for the City of Chicopee.' Parade day will be marching on the streets of Holyoke on Sunday. Before that on Saturday, Holyoke's road race. With festivities going on all weekend, you will want to be aware of some of those road closures. But it's good to keep in mind on parade day, road closures are an hour before the start at 11 am. WWLP-22News, an NBC affiliate, began broadcasting in March 1953 to provide local news, network, syndicated, and local programming to western Massachusetts. Watch the 22News Digital Edition weekdays at 4 p.m. on Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
