KALAMAZOO, MI — Bill Johnston called the $515 million Kalamazoo Event Center a “once-in-a-100-year opportunity.”
“For over 20 years, we have been talking about the potential of doing what we are doing now,” said Johnston at the groundbreaking ceremony for the new downtown facility on Friday, Sept. 26.
“Twenty years ago, we were talking about building an arena. But we are not talking about just building an arena now,” he said. “We are building a true community event center, an athletic performance center that happens to have an arena and 30,000 square feet of floor space that will be used by the community.”
The state-of-the-art facility at 411 W. Kalamazoo Ave. will be the new home to Western Michigan University’s men’s and women’s basketball programs, the university’s national champion hockey program and the Kalamazoo Wings ECHL professional hockey team.
While Friday was the groundbreaking celebration, construction has been underway for months. It’s on track to open in fall 2027.
In addition to 105 athletic events annually, the facility will also host 120 entertainment, concert, conference and community events per year, said Johnston, the chairman of Greenleaf Co., which is financing the facility.
“What’s happening here is more than just a building; it’s a message to the world that Kalamazoo is on the rise,” said Southwest Michigan First CEO Jonas Peterson. “We’re making a bold investment in our people, in our community and in our future. And the impact along the way on our economy is going to be nothing short of a transformation.”
Between sports, entertainment and community events, the event center is anticipated to host 700,000 attendees per year and bring in $52 million of annual economic impact, according to Greenleaf.
The main arena will hold 6,500 for sporting events and up to 8,000 for concerts and shows.
“I don’t want this to be a secret, but I’m fired up,” said Kalamazoo Mayor David Anderson. “Great cities have great downtowns, and for downtowns to stay great, they have to evolve.
“They need continual reinvestment. What we are recognizing here today is not just an investment, but a transformational investment.”
Throughout the planning and design process, Johnston, WMU coaches and other event center partners have traveled the country, visiting other state-of-the-art facilities.
On each visit, they identified the best amenities of that arena and then set out to design something even better, Johnston said.
Throughout it all, Johnston has been a constant, encouraging coaches to dream big, while saying yes to each of their requests, WMU hockey coach Pat Ferschweiler and WMU men’s basketball coach Dwayne Stephens both said.
“This place will not only be a point of pride in our community, the greater Kalamazoo area, but it will also be a point of pride and a standard for what women’s athletics should look like across the country,” said WMU women’s basketball coach Kate Achter.
Each of the programs, as well as the K-Wings, will have their own home locker rooms, training facilities and practice courts/ice. There will also be academic and nutrition facilities built into the event center, Johnston said.
What is being built is unique for Division I athletics, Johnston said.
“There aren’t many Division-I programs that have an athletic performance center,” he said. “An athletic performance center takes a holistic view of athletes. So, we aren’t just talking about a place to practice. We are talking about a place to practice and prepare for life.”
The new space will show off both the Western Michigan University brand and a true Kalamazoo identity, Johnston said.
“Today isn’t just about turning over a shovel of dirt or ice. It’s about turning a page in our city’s story,” said K-Wings GM Toni Will. “This groundbreaking represents the culmination of years of vision, dedication and most importantly teamwork across our entire community from city leaders and business partners to fans, families and volunteers.
“This project exists because so many people chose to roll up their sleeves and work together. … We are laying the foundation for a stronger, more vibrant Kalamazoo together.”
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