Mohegan Sun has signed a three-year partnership with the Webster Bank Arena that will bring concerts, sporting events and sponsorships to the Bridgeport venue.
The terms of the partnership were not disclosed, nor was there an announcement of a schedule of specific events. Mohegan Sun operates a 10,000-seat arena at its casino resort in Uncasville.
The partnership could be seen as a case of one-upmanship by the Webster Bank Arena following this summer”™s announcement that the adjacent Harbor Yard baseball stadium was being transformed into a music amphitheater. In August, Jon Ladecky, owner of the American Hockey League affiliate Bridgeport Sound Tigers, sent a letter to Mayor Joe Ganim and the Bridgeport City Council that cited a “noncompetition” clause in the team”™s contract with the arena that prevents the construction of a facility “that would compete ”¦ for events
and would have a material adverse impact on ”¦ revenue generation.” At the time, Ladecky called for the city to reconsider the project, adding that “if the city accepts the proposal, the Sound Tigers will be forced to exercise all of their rights under the operating agreement.”
However, Ladecky offered his full support to the arena”™s pact with Mohegan Sun. “We are thrilled to have a true partnership with the premiere gaming and entertainment facility in Connecticut,” said Ladecky, who also owns the New York Islanders. “Mohegan Sun will help secure concerts that will appeal to the local community, as well as become a visible sponsor in our first-class arena. This multiyear agreement is just the beginning of a long-term marriage and is fantastic news for the supporters of the Webster Bank Arena and the city of Bridgeport.”
