Save Mart Center
Encyclopedia
Save Mart Center at Fresno State is a multi-purpose arena
, on the campus of the California State University, Fresno
, located in Fresno, California
. An open house was held for community on November 5, 2003, with the official ribbon cutting following on November 27, 2003.
It is home to the Fresno State Bulldogs basketball
team and, for the first five seasons in the ECHL (2003-08), the Fresno Falcons
ice hockey
team
; prior to the opening of the building, they played at Selland Arena
.
It is also a concert
destination, with its first performance featuring opera
tenor
Andrea Bocelli
.
Financing for the project was provided through revenue, from corporate sponsorships, private gifts, leasing of luxury suites, sale of club seating
and personal seat licenses, as well as revenue from advertising
and signage
agreements.
The arena's main exterior landmark is the 37 m (93 ft) Larry A. Shehadey Clock Tower. Thirteen stories in-all, it was named for the founder of Producers Dairy Foods, a Fresno-based dairy company, who donated US$3 million towards construction. The lobby at the arena's southeast entrance is named after Shehadey’s late wife, Elayne Shehadey.
The majority of the funding for the facility came from two sources. Save Mart Supermarkets
paid US$40 million for 20 years naming rights
, and the Pepsi Bottling Group paid a similar sum for exclusive, indefinite beverage dispensing rights. Total construction costs exceeded US$100 million and when completed, represented the largest privately funded complex of any university in the United States
.
The Bulldog Foundation donated money for the following amenities at Save Mart Center:
men's basketball tournament was held at the center in 2004, as well as WWE's Royal Rumble 2005
and WWE Live Events, including ECW/SmackDown 6/30/09 where 3 superstars made their debut, including multiple time WWE Champion
, Sheamus.
The first athletic event held at Save Mart Center took place when the Rainbow Wahine of Hawaii took on the Fresno State Bulldogs in women's NCAA volleyball in October 2003.
Save Mart Center's first arena football game was held on July 19, 2008. The Central Valley Coyotes defeated the Boise Burn 55-50. Both teams were members of the now defunct af2, the minor league for the Arena Football league.
Save Mart Center has hosted four NBA preseason games since the arena has opened. The first game was in 2003-2004 when the Los Angeles Lakers hosted the Sacramento Kings; the Lakers defeated the Kings 105-80. The second was in 2004-2005 with the Sacramento Kings taking on the Phoenix Suns; the Suns defeated the Kings 100-88. The third was in 2005-2006 when the Lakers hosted the Utah Jazz; the Lakers defeated the Jazz 95-85. The Los Angeles Lakers hosted another game in the 2008 preseason against the Los Angeles Clippers, with the Clippers beating the Lakers 107-80.
Save Mart Center hosted an NHL preseason Game on September 23, 2006. The San Jose Sharks took on the Anaheim Ducks, winning 4-3. Joe Thornton scored the game-winning goal for the Sharks, Anaheim went on to win its first Stanley Cup Championship later that season.
Save Mart Center hosted the Strikeforce: Tank vs. Buentello
mixed martial arts
(MMA) event on October 6, 2006. It hosted the inaugural ShoMMA
on May 15, 2009.
Since 2004, the arena is a stop for PBR's Built Ford Tough Series
for the Table Mountain Casino Invitational.
, The Who
, Billy Joel
, Madonna
, Beyoncé
, Britney Spears
, Justin Timberlake
, Taylor Swift
, Kelly Clarkson
and more. The arena has also played host to music festivals, including The Vans Warped Tour and The Mayhem Festival
.
Arena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
, on the campus of the California State University, Fresno
California State University, Fresno
California State University, Fresno, often referred to as Fresno State University and synonymously known in athletics as Fresno State , is one of the leading campuses of the California State University system, located at the northeast edge of Fresno, California, USA.The campus sits at the foot of...
, located in Fresno, California
Fresno, California
Fresno is a city in central California, United States, the county seat of Fresno County. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 510,365, making it the fifth largest city in California, the largest inland city in California, and the 34th largest in the nation...
. An open house was held for community on November 5, 2003, with the official ribbon cutting following on November 27, 2003.
It is home to the Fresno State Bulldogs basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team and, for the first five seasons in the ECHL (2003-08), the Fresno Falcons
Fresno Falcons
The Fresno Falcons are a defunct minor league hockey team. They were once members of the ECHL . They were located in Fresno, California.-Early history:...
ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team
Team
A team comprises a group of people or animals linked in a common purpose. Teams are especially appropriate for conducting tasks that are high in complexity and have many interdependent subtasks.A group in itself does not necessarily constitute a team...
; prior to the opening of the building, they played at Selland Arena
Selland Arena
The Selland Arena is a multi-purpose arena built in 1966 that makes up part of a five-venue complex of the Fresno Convention and Entertainment Center in Fresno, California. It is named after former Fresno mayor Arthur L. Selland and has had over ten million people walk through its doors in its over...
.
It is also a concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
destination, with its first performance featuring opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
tenor
Tenor
The tenor is a type of male singing voice and is the highest male voice within the modal register. The typical tenor voice lies between C3, the C one octave below middle C, to the A above middle C in choral music, and up to high C in solo work. The low extreme for tenors is roughly B2...
Andrea Bocelli
Andrea Bocelli
Andrea Bocelli, is an Italian tenor, multi-instrumentalist and classical crossover artist. Born with poor eyesight, he became blind at the age of twelve following a soccer accident....
.
Financing for the project was provided through revenue, from corporate sponsorships, private gifts, leasing of luxury suites, sale of club seating
Club seating
Club Level Seating is a special section of seating in modern sports stadiums.The Club Level is usually located towards the middle of the stage of seating sections, above the lower deck but below the upper deck. They are usually right next to the Luxury Boxes, either right above, right below, or...
and personal seat licenses, as well as revenue from advertising
Advertising
Advertising is a form of communication used to persuade an audience to take some action with respect to products, ideas, or services. Most commonly, the desired result is to drive consumer behavior with respect to a commercial offering, although political and ideological advertising is also common...
and signage
Signage
Signage is any kind of visual graphics created to display information to a particular audience. This is typically manifested in the form of wayfinding information in places such as streets or inside/outside of buildings.-History:...
agreements.
Construction
- Sink Combs Dethlefs, conceptual designs, project architect
- International Facilities Group (IFG), construction monitor, project manager
- Clark Construction Group, LLC, general contractor
- John A. Martin & Associates, structural engineer
Facilities
Save Mart Center encompasses approximately 40,000 m² (430,000 ft²) on three primary levels; an event level and two concourses, plus a club level mezzanine. The facility includes thirty-two revenue-generating suites and eight party suites, located on the main concourse level. Seating capacities are approximately 15,500 for basketball, 14,000 for hockey, 8,000 for half-house concerts, 15,500 for end-stage concerts, and 18,000 for center-stage concerts.The arena's main exterior landmark is the 37 m (93 ft) Larry A. Shehadey Clock Tower. Thirteen stories in-all, it was named for the founder of Producers Dairy Foods, a Fresno-based dairy company, who donated US$3 million towards construction. The lobby at the arena's southeast entrance is named after Shehadey’s late wife, Elayne Shehadey.
The majority of the funding for the facility came from two sources. Save Mart Supermarkets
Save Mart Supermarkets
Save Mart Supermarkets owns and operates supermarkets operating under the names of Save Mart, S-Mart Foods, Lucky, and FoodMaxx located in Northern California and Northern Nevada.-Background:...
paid US$40 million for 20 years naming rights
Naming rights
In the private sector, naming rights are a financial transaction whereby a corporation or other entity purchases the right to name a facility, typically for a defined period of time. For properties like a multi-purpose arena, performing arts venue or an athletic field, the term ranges from three...
, and the Pepsi Bottling Group paid a similar sum for exclusive, indefinite beverage dispensing rights. Total construction costs exceeded US$100 million and when completed, represented the largest privately funded complex of any university in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The Bulldog Foundation donated money for the following amenities at Save Mart Center:
- The Bulldog Foundation Community Room, which displays the names of past presidents, current officers, lifetime honorees and annual top fund raisers and used for show catering, premium seating holder dining and is also available for rent.
- The Bronze Bulldog at the Shehadey Lobby. Created by the VisaliaVisalia, CaliforniaVisalia is a Central California city situated in the heart of California’s agricultural San Joaquin Valley, approximately southeast of San Francisco and north of Los Angeles...
based artArtArt is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
foundryFoundryA foundry is a factory that produces metal castings. Metals are cast into shapes by melting them into a liquid, pouring the metal in a mold, and removing the mold material or casting after the metal has solidified as it cools. The most common metals processed are aluminum and cast iron...
, EMI, is the massive bronzeBronzeBronze is a metal alloy consisting primarily of copper, usually with tin as the main additive. It is hard and brittle, and it was particularly significant in antiquity, so much so that the Bronze Age was named after the metal...
bulldogBulldogBulldog is the name for a breed of dog commonly referred to as the English Bulldog. Other Bulldog breeds include the American Bulldog, Olde English Bulldogge and the French Bulldog. The Bulldog is a muscular heavy dog with a wrinkled face and a distinctive pushed-in nose...
statueStatueA statue is a sculpture in the round representing a person or persons, an animal, an idea or an event, normally full-length, as opposed to a bust, and at least close to life-size, or larger...
with dimensions of 3 m (10 ft) high, 2 m (7 ft) wide, 3 m (9 ft) long, weighing 1,905 kg (4,200 lb). Statue onlookers will see engraved on its mounted plaque:
- Nine time capsule boxes were placed in the base of the massive Bulldog statue early in 2004. The contents of capsules were chosen to represent all aspects of Fresno State University, including the Bulldog Foundation, administration, alumni, students and athletics. The capsules are scheduled to be opened in early 2054.
- Save Mart Center's display cases, located on the upper and main concourses, exhibits equipment and memorabilia of each of the current Bulldog sport activities. Additionally, the display case in the northwest corner spotlights the academic success of Fresno State’s student athletes.
- The Bulldog Walkway is a permanent, on-campus tribute to the California State University, Fresno alumni, graduates and friends. It is located on the north side of Save Mart Center with the first three tiles in honour of ColonelColonelColonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
Richard Douglas HusbandRichard Douglas HusbandRick Douglas Husband was a United States Air Force Colonel, an astronaut, and the space shuttle commander of STS-107 who was killed when the craft disintegrated after reentry into the Earth's atmosphere. Husband is a recipient of the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.-Background:Husband was born...
, who died in the Space Shuttle ColumbiaSpace Shuttle ColumbiaSpace Shuttle Columbia was the first spaceworthy Space Shuttle in NASA's orbital fleet. First launched on the STS-1 mission, the first of the Space Shuttle program, it completed 27 missions before being destroyed during re-entry on February 1, 2003 near the end of its 28th, STS-107. All seven crew...
accident, Lieutenant CommanderLieutenant CommanderLieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
Otis Vincent Tolbert, who died in the 911 attack on the PentagonThe PentagonThe Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
and United Airlines Flight 93United Airlines Flight 93United Airlines Flight 93 was United Airlines' scheduled morning transcontinental flight across the United States from Newark International Airport in Newark, New Jersey, to San Francisco International Airport in California. On Tuesday, September 11, 2001, the Boeing 757–222 aircraft operating the...
passenger, Todd Morgan BeamerTodd BeamerLisa Beamer was born on april 10, 1969 in Albany, New york.Lisa Beamer is the widow of Todd Beamer, a victim of the United Flight 93 crash as part of the September 11, 2001 attacks in the United States....
. All were Fresno State alumni. Expected to eventually be extended throughout the campus, the walkway consists of personalized tiles and bricks intended to leave a lasting impression to those who use it. - The Bulldog Shop souvenir store is located on the arena's northeast lobby. It will only be open to sell Fresno State merchandise and apparel during university events.
Sports events
Officials from the Fresno Falcons of the West Coast Hockey League announced on March 18, 2002, that the Falcons would make Save Mart Center at Fresno State their home ice beginning with the 2003 season. The Western Athletic ConferenceWestern Athletic Conference
The Western Athletic Conference is an American collegiate athletic conference, which was formed on July 27, 1962, making it the sixth oldest of the 11 college athletic conferences currently participating in the NCAA's Division I FBS...
men's basketball tournament was held at the center in 2004, as well as WWE's Royal Rumble 2005
Royal Rumble (2005)
Royal Rumble was the eighteenth annual Royal Rumble professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on January 30, 2005 at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California and featured talent from both the Raw and SmackDown! brands...
and WWE Live Events, including ECW/SmackDown 6/30/09 where 3 superstars made their debut, including multiple time WWE Champion
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a professional wrestling world heavyweight championship in WWE. It is the world title of the Raw brand and one of two in WWE, complementing the World Heavyweight Championship of the SmackDown brand. It was established under the then WWWF in 1963...
, Sheamus.
The first athletic event held at Save Mart Center took place when the Rainbow Wahine of Hawaii took on the Fresno State Bulldogs in women's NCAA volleyball in October 2003.
Save Mart Center's first arena football game was held on July 19, 2008. The Central Valley Coyotes defeated the Boise Burn 55-50. Both teams were members of the now defunct af2, the minor league for the Arena Football league.
Save Mart Center has hosted four NBA preseason games since the arena has opened. The first game was in 2003-2004 when the Los Angeles Lakers hosted the Sacramento Kings; the Lakers defeated the Kings 105-80. The second was in 2004-2005 with the Sacramento Kings taking on the Phoenix Suns; the Suns defeated the Kings 100-88. The third was in 2005-2006 when the Lakers hosted the Utah Jazz; the Lakers defeated the Jazz 95-85. The Los Angeles Lakers hosted another game in the 2008 preseason against the Los Angeles Clippers, with the Clippers beating the Lakers 107-80.
Save Mart Center hosted an NHL preseason Game on September 23, 2006. The San Jose Sharks took on the Anaheim Ducks, winning 4-3. Joe Thornton scored the game-winning goal for the Sharks, Anaheim went on to win its first Stanley Cup Championship later that season.
Save Mart Center hosted the Strikeforce: Tank vs. Buentello
Strikeforce: Tank vs. Buentello
Strikeforce: Tank vs. Buentello was a mixed martial arts event held on October 7 2006. The event was held by Strikeforce and took place at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, California. This event featured the debut of future UFC Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez.- Results :*Heavyweight bout: Tank...
mixed martial arts
Mixed martial arts
Mixed Martial Arts is a full contact combat sport that allows the use of both striking and grappling techniques, both standing and on the ground, including boxing, wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing, karate, judo and other styles. The roots of modern mixed martial arts can be...
(MMA) event on October 6, 2006. It hosted the inaugural ShoMMA
ShoMMA
ShoMMA: Strikeforce Challengers is a mixed martial arts series produced by the mixed martial arts organization Strikeforce and the Showtime cable network. Similar to Showtime's earlier ShoXC, the purpose of the series is to highlight up and coming MMA fighters. Upcoming events are listed in...
on May 15, 2009.
Since 2004, the arena is a stop for PBR's Built Ford Tough Series
Built Ford Tough Series
The Built Ford Tough Series is the "major league" tour of the PBR competitions. It is a 30-city event series culminating in the PBR World Finals every year in Las Vegas, Nevada. The top 45 riders of the PBR compete in the BFTS with the rankings determined by points and money won...
for the Table Mountain Casino Invitational.
Concerts
Several major entertainers have performed at the venue including The Rolling StonesThe Rolling Stones
The Rolling Stones are an English rock band, formed in London in April 1962 by Brian Jones , Ian Stewart , Mick Jagger , and Keith Richards . Bassist Bill Wyman and drummer Charlie Watts completed the early line-up...
, The Who
The Who
The Who are an English rock band formed in 1964 by Roger Daltrey , Pete Townshend , John Entwistle and Keith Moon . They became known for energetic live performances which often included instrument destruction...
, Billy Joel
Billy Joel
William Martin "Billy" Joel is an American musician and pianist, singer-songwriter, and classical composer. Since releasing his first hit song, "Piano Man", in 1973, Joel has become the sixth best-selling recording artist and the third best-selling solo artist in the United States, according to...
, Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
, Beyoncé
Beyoncé Knowles
Beyoncé Giselle Knowles , often known simply as Beyoncé, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Born and raised in Houston, Texas, she enrolled in various performing arts schools and was first exposed to singing and dancing competitions as a child...
, Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
, Justin Timberlake
Justin Timberlake
Justin Randall Timberlake is an American pop musician and actor. He achieved early fame when he appeared as a contestant on Star Search, and went on to star in the Disney Channel television series The New Mickey Mouse Club, where he met future bandmate JC Chasez...
, Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift
Taylor Alison Swift is an American country pop singer-songwriter, musician and actress.In 2006, she released her debut single "Tim McGraw", then her self-titled debut album, which was subsequently certified multi-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America...
, Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Clarkson
Kelly Brianne Clarkson is an American pop rock singer-songwriter and actress. Clarkson came into prominence after becoming the winner of the inaugural season of the television series American Idol in 2002 and would later become the runner-up in the television special World Idol in 2003.In 2003,...
and more. The arena has also played host to music festivals, including The Vans Warped Tour and The Mayhem Festival
Mayhem festival
The Mayhem Festival is a touring metal festival that takes place during the summer. The inaugural iteration took place in 2008; the festival has since become an annual event across the United States and Quebec, Canada. The tour has been sponsored by the Rockstar Energy Company since the time of its...
.