PROVIDENCE – After two decades, Rhode Island’s largest arena will reportedly no longer run on Dunkin’, and a prominent insurance company will assume the naming rights to the building.
Lincoln-based Amica Mutual Insurance Co. is slated to have the new naming rights to the Dunkin’ Donuts Center – formerly known as the Providence Civic Center. Amica reportedly came to an agreement after multiple months of the R.I. Convention Center Authority seeking bids and negotiations, according to a report Tuesday by WPRI-TV CBS 12 that cites unnamed sources.
A spokesman for Amica confirmed to Providence Business News that the insurer is “in active discussions with the Rhode Island Convention Center Authority about securing the naming rights to the Convention Center and Civic Center.” But the spokesman, Brendan Dowding, added that a final deal has not been completed.
“Nothing has been finalized yet, [but] we’re excited about the potential opportunity,” he said.
The most recent 10-year naming rights agreement between the authority and Dunkin’ Brands Inc. – owned by Inspired Brands – expired back on April 20. Dunkin’ had the name on the 13,000-seat arena that is home to the Providence Bruins and the Providence College men’s basketball team since 2001.
However, on April 1, the authority issued a request for proposals to various corporate entities that would offer them an opportunity to enter a new 10-year agreement for the entire downtown convention complex. Along with the soon-to-be-renamed arena, the complex also includes the R.I. Convention Center, itself.
It is unclear how much Amica would pay the authority to have the naming rights. The authority had received $425,000 annually from Dunkin’ to have the arena named after the prominent doughnut and coffee chain, plus an additional $50,000 in 2021 due to an increase in the consumer price index, authority Executive Director Daniel P. McConaghy told PBN back in March.
McConaghy on Tuesday declined to comment on the WPRI-TV report. He said the authority does not expect an agreement on naming rights to be announced until the first or second week of September.
(ADDS third and fourth paragraphs with Amica comment. MINOR edits. Providence Business News contributed to this report.)
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.
