photo by: Marlayna Demond
The dazzling new home of UMBC Athletics and the premier entertainment venue in southwest Baltimore County is getting a belated third birthday gift – a brand new name.
The facility will now be known as Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena.
Previously known as the UMBC Event Center, Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena opened in February 2018. Six weeks later, the UMBC men's basketball team celebrated its remarkable NCAA Tournament victory before frenzied supporters on its hardwood floor.
Both the men's and women's basketball teams and the Retriever volleyball team compete in the state-of-art facility. Additionally, all 400-plus UMBC student-athletes regularly utilize the building's academic, strength and conditioning, sports medicine, and other athletics' department services.
Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena also hosts concerts, conventions, trade shows, and other events, including all UMBC commencement ceremonies. The Oak View Group will continue to manage the facility.
UMBC President Dr. Freeman Hrabowski said, "The partnership between UMBC and Chesapeake Employers Insurance represents not only an investment in our campus, but also in the region. This is an opportunity to elevate our facility, our University, and our local economy."
"We at Chesapeake Employers Insurance are honored to partner with UMBC, a premier University System of Maryland institution," says Tom Phelan, CEO of Chesapeake Employers Insurance. "This partnership bridges our corporation with UMBC students, staff, and alumni to form a symbiotic relationship with shared values and a commitment to excellence relevant to education and business."
In addition to naming rights, this partnership establishes a platform for UMBC and Chesapeake Employers Insurance to engage in additional collaborations, including opportunities for student internships and hiring, and applied research projects.
UMBC Director of Athletics Brian Barrio said, "We are building a program where we can celebrate community, while we help welcome new students and prepare them for meaningful careers, and welcome alumni home. This building, Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena, is a central part of that vision. And great visions require great partners."
Team Services, LLC, worked with UMBC to provide support in reaching the partnership agreement.
About Chesapeake Employers Insurance
Chesapeake Employers' Insurance Company is Maryland's largest writer of workers' compensation insurance. It is a nonprofit, non-stock, private corporation. Chesapeake Employers has served as a continuous, guaranteed source for fairly priced workers' compensation insurance since 1914.
About UMBC
UMBC is a leading public research university known for innovative teaching, relevant research across disciplines, and a supportive community that empowers and inspires inquisitive minds. UMBC combines the learning opportunities of a liberal arts college with the creative intensity of a top research university. The University serves 14,000 undergraduate and graduate students, and is one of the country's most inclusive education communities. U.S. News & World Report has named UMBC a national leader in innovation and undergraduate teaching, and Times Higher Education has honored UMBC for social and economic impact.
About UMBC Athletics
UMBC sponsors 17 intercollegiate athletics programs at the NCAA Division I level. The "Retrievers" are members of the America East Conference. In addition to the men's basketball team's recent acclaim, the Retriever men's soccer team reached the NCAA College Cup (national semi-finals) in 2015, and the men's lacrosse, softball, and men's swimming and diving teams won America East titles in their most recent year of competition.
Fast and Fun Facts – The Chesapeake Employers Insurance Arena
Opened Feb. 3, 2018 as UMBC men's basketball hosted Vermont.
Accommodates over 4,700 patrons for sporting events and nearly 6,000 for other events.
The three-tiered, 172,000 square-foot facility is adjacent to both the UMBC Stadium Complex and Retriever Soccer Park. There are multiple parking lots within a five-minute walk, including the high-capacity Stadium Lot.
The facility features a team store on the concourse level, a 2,100-square foot VIP space ("The Retriever Room") on the third level, and a 450-square-foot video board. The entire athletics department – including administrative and coaches' offices, spacious Sports Medicine and Strength and Conditioning spaces, an Academic Center, and a private auxiliary gymnasium – are among its features.
Trevor Noah and Bob Dylan took the arena stage in a five-week span in fall 2019
