Revamped Downtown venue to become State Farm Arena

By Collin Kelley

For the past 20 years, Philips Arena, named after the electronic/tech giant, has been the home of the Atlanta Hawks and countless concerts. But you’ll soon be calling it by another name.

The Hawks and insurance company State Farm have announced that the 21,000seat Downtown venue, which is currently undergoing major renovations, will be called State Farm Arena in a 20-year naming rights deal.

State Farm Arena will open its doors following the completion of the $192.5 million-dollar renovation in time to celebrate the team’s 50th year in Atlanta this month.

Fans will get their first opportunity to enter the new State Farm Arena on Saturday, Oct. 20 with the “Welcome to the Neighborhood” Open House Party, a free, public event inviting fans to experience the new venue.

The transformed arena will feature the third-largest center-hung scoreboard in the NBA and most immersive video experience, new sightlines with 360-degree concourses and new seating and first-of-its-kind in-venue entertainment options with Topgolf Swing Suites, Killer Mike’s SWAG Shop (a four-chair barbershop overlooking the court) and the signature Hawks Bar, the NBA’s first courtside bar. State Farm Arena will also follow Mercedes-Benz Stadium by cutting the price of food and beverages with 12 popular food and beverage items priced at $5 or less.

Along with the Hawks, upcoming concerts at State Farm Arena include Drake, Elton John, Justin Timberlake, Pink, Shawn Mendes and Carrie Underwood.

Thomas Eye Group has opened its eighth location in Midtown in the brand new Northside Medical complex, 1110 West Peachtree St. The 6,500 square foot office has 12 exam rooms and provides convenient and quick appointments for residents and professionals. Several specialists focused on LASIK, cataract, pediatric and glaucoma have joined the new location. For more information, visit thomaseye.com.

Planet Fitness was expected to open a new location at West End Mall on Oct. 1. The gym is located at 854 Oak Street in Atlanta. For more information, visit planetfitness.com.

Beginning as a small startup in 2013, Atlanta-based Gather, now the leading event management software platform for restaurants and venues, has received recognition from Inc. 5000, placing in the top 10 percent of growing companies in the U.S. and 13 out of 141 companies recognized in Atlanta, specifically. Gather recently moved to new, larger offices in Midtown and expects to double its number of employees to 130 by the end of the year. For more information, visit Gatherhere.com.

TPA Group has purchased Buckhead Tower at Lenox Square, a 19-story office building located at 3399 Peachtree Street. The Class-A office tower shares a promenade with Lenox Square and is currently 85 percent leased.

Sarah Tourville, CEO and Founder of Media Frenzy Global, has been accepted into the Forbes Agency Council, an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies.

Non-profit Purpose Built Communities has signed a long-term lease to occupy the full second floor of the Hosea + 2nd development at the corner of Hosea Williams Drive and 2nd Avenue in East Lake. Purpose Built Communities was established in 2009 to help local leaders replicate the successful East Lake neighborhood revitalization model in other urban areas of concentrated poverty around the nation.

The DeKalb Entertainment Commission will host its second Entertainment Expo on Saturday, Nov. 3, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at ROAM Innovative Workplace at Perimeter Center, 1151 Hammond Drive NE. The event features resources and information for DeKalb companies, professionals and residents seeking to build a presence in the entertainment industry. For more information, visit dekalbentertainment.com/expo.

Harvin

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Stephanie

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