PROVIDENCE – Amica Mutual Insurance Co., as well as prominent state officials and sports representatives, hope fans and event attendees get “AMP-ed” up as Rhode Island ushered in a new era for its capital city’s downtown arena and convention center.
Amica and R.I. Convention Center Authority officials, as well as representatives from Providence College and the Providence Bruins, on Wednesday officially unveiled that the former Providence Civic Center will be called the Amica Mutual Pavilion for at least for the next decade. RICCA Executive Director Daniel P. McConaghy said authority officials were not sure what the business climate would look like after the COVID-19 pandemic had greatly impacted all operations across the state.
But, McConaghy said, the authority knew it was looking for a “local partner” with “an amazing brand” and committed to the Rhode Island community, and Amica was it.
Edmund “Ted” Shallcross III, Amica’s incoming president and CEO, recalled buying $5 tickets to the Providence College men’s basketball team frequently and also played in a high school state championship when the arena hosted such contests. Now, Shallcross hopes the Amica branding can create both new memories for events attendees and a strong partnership between the insurance company and the state.
“As a Rhode Islander, I enjoy making new memories with the family and kids watching the Friars, the Providence Bruins… and all the terrific events that come through this venue,” Shallcross said. “There’s no one more excited than I am to be first one to officially welcome you to the Amica Mutual Pavilion.”
Outgoing Mayor Jorge O. Elorza, new Providence Bruins Head Coach Ryan Mougenel and Providence College Men’s Basketball Head Coach Ed Cooley also welcomed the new name to the arena on Wednesday.
The new name, which was announced Sept. 6 by the Lincoln-based insurance company, will replace the Dunkin’ Donuts Center name that emblazoned the 50-year-old, 13,000-seat arena since 2001. McConaghy told Providence Business News Wednesday there will be dedicated Amica-branded spaces, such as signage and advertising for the company, within the R.I. Convention Center and in the center’s parking garage. Unlike the neighboring arena, the convention center’s name will not change, McConaghy said.
McConaghy said the authority received three formal “very good comprehensive” proposals during the six-month naming rights process from companies looking to have their branding attached to the arena and convention center. In the end, Amica, McConaghy said, stood out the most.
“It’s just in their commitment to the authority and to the buildings and just their creative approach to maximizing the relationship and partnership, which is really great,” McConaghy said.
Tory Pachis, Amica’s vice president of marketing, told PBN that when the state’s agreement with Dunkin’ Brands Inc. – owned by Inspired Brands – was close to expiring, the insurance company felt it was a good opportunity to explore possibly putting Amica’s name on the home state arena and convention center. He said having Amica’s name in bright lights around the arena and convention center shows the company’s local commitment in addition to Amica’s partnerships with the Boston sports market.
“This feels like a natural fit for us,” Pachis said.
Pachis also said a goal in Amica getting the naming rights can lead to additional business for the company. He refers Amica as the insurance industry’s “best-kept secret,” and the naming rights helps Amica tell the company’s story to a broader audience.
However, Dunkin’ was not among the three companies that put in bids when the proposal requests went out April 1, according to McConaghy. While thanking Dunkin’ for their two decades of support, McConaghy says Dunkin’ has a national marketing strategy that was taking the company “into different places and areas” and Dunkin’ felt it was “time to go do something else.”
Per the 10-year agreement, Amica will pay the authority $900,000 annually – almost twice as much as what Dunkin’ paid for its naming rights – to have the Amica’s name displayed both within the arena and inside the convention center next door. McConaghy said that revenue from Amica is built in to help the authority to attract shows and content into the arena, with Amica helping to promote acts that the insurance company “feels is a good match for their brand.”
“It all goes toward the economics of the building … and to help us put on a good show,” McConaghy said. The authority’s executive director also noted that preliminary work to repair the pavilion’s roof has begun. Full repairs to the roof will begin in the middle of May 2023, he said, and go through next summer.
The complex will also be known as “AMP Providence,” using the new name’s acronym in the hopes to generate excitement. While multiple generations of Rhode Islanders may still refer the arena in the near term as either “The Dunk” or “The Civic Center,” Amica, Pachis said, doesn’t feel concerned about any negative impacts to brand awareness with the new Amica Mutual Pavilion name.
Pachis said it may for the company take some time to “change the muscle memory” within the Ocean State regarding its largest sports arena and is confident the new name will catch on in time.
“Over time, as we establish our name and more events in the community, [the new name] will start to stick and starts to get ‘AMP-ed’ up,” Pachis said.
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor, and also covers the nonprofit and education sectors. You may reach him at Bessette@PBN.com. You may also follow him on Twitter at @James_Bessette.
