Ford Arena
The Ford Arena is a 9,737-seat multi-purpose arena in Beaumont, Texas, USA. The arena has 34,000 sq ft of exhibit space available for conventions and exhibitions. It also includes 7 production offices, 3 dressing rooms, a 2,448 sq ft VIP Club, a 1,107 sq ft party patio, concession stands, and restrooms.[4] It is part of a larger suburban municipal complex called Ford Park.[5] Spectra Entertainment replaced SMG as property manager in January, 2017. SMG had managed the property since venue opening in 2003 until the change.[6]
 | |
| |
| Former names | Southeast Texas Entertainment Center[1] |
|---|---|
| Location | 5115 Interstate 10 South Beaumont, Texas 77705 |
| Owner | Jefferson County |
| Operator | Spectra Entertainment |
| Capacity | 9,737 (Concerts) 9,100 (Basketball) 8,200 (Ice Hockey) |
| Surface | Multi-surface |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | 2001 |
| Opened | November 8, 2003[2] |
| Construction cost | $32 million ($44.5 million in 2019 dollars[3]) |
| Architect | Long Architects Inc. |
| General contractor | Daniels Building & Construction Co.[2] |
| Tenants | |
| Texas Wildcatters (ECHL) (2003–2005, 2006–2008) Beaumont Drillers (NIFL/APFL) (2004–2008) Southeast Texas Mavericks (ABA) (2008–2011) Oxford City FC of Texas (MASL) (2012–2015) | |
| Website | |
| Venue Website | |
Tenants
Current
Ford Arena is the current Beaumont home of Disney on Ice and Stars on Ice.
Former
Ford Arena was most recently home to Oxford City FC of Texas (formerly the Texas Strikers) of the Major Arena Soccer League.[7][8] The arena was also home to the ABA Southeast Texas Mavericks basketball team,[9] NIFL Beaumont Drillers indoor football team, and the ECHL Texas Wildcatters ice hockey team.[10]
In Fall 2005, the arena and park complex was used for Hurricane Rita relief, with the American Red Cross, FEMA and the Salvation Army Disaster Relief teams all being housed inside the arena. At times, living and working in close quarters created friction between the various response teams. Laundry, showers and the dining halls were located in the parking lot. In Late-October 2005, operations were closed down in the arena and shortly after the American Red Cross pulled their teams out of the area after the KKK began intimidating volunteers who were providing assistance to minorities. No events were held there in the winter of 2005-06.
References
- "What's on Deck". Sports Business Journal. July 30, 2001. Retrieved September 22, 2011.
- Broughton, David (November 24, 2003). "Ford Park Means Arena, Ballfields and More". Sports Business Journal. Retrieved September 22, 2011.
- Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved January 1, 2020.
- "Ford Park Entertainment Complex". Beaumont Convention and Visitors Bureau. Retrieved July 21, 2019.
- http://www.fordparktx.com FordParkTX.com
- Dan Wallach (January 24, 2017). "Commissioners approve Ford Park contract with Spectra". Hearst Newspapers, LLC II. Retrieved May 31, 2020.
- Mann, Tommy Jr. (September 26, 2012). "Professional soccer headed to Southeast Texas". The Orange Leader. Orange, TX. Archived from the original on January 30, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2012.
- Zaleon, Avi (July 31, 2014). "Beaumont's indoor soccer team has a new owner". The Beaumont Enterprise. Beaumont, TX: Hearst Corporation. Retrieved November 4, 2014.
- Cooper, Chad (April 11, 2011). "SETX Mavericks leaving ABA...NBA-D League next?". The Examiner. Beaumont, TX: Examiner Corporation. Retrieved December 7, 2014.
- Garfias, Agustin (October 9, 2012). "Many want Strikers to succeed". Beaumont, TX: KBMT-TV. Archived from the original on July 25, 2013. Retrieved November 6, 2012.