Bridgestone Arena Named Pollstar Arena of the Year

Nashville Tenn. (February 9, 2018) - Bridgestone Arena, home of the National Hockey League's Nashville Predators, has been named Arena of the Year by Pollstar Magazine for the second time in building history. Furthermore, Nashville Predators Senior Vice President of Marketing and Entertainment has been named Venue Executive of the Year for the first time in his career.
"We are so thrilled for David, for being recognized for what the entire organization already knows; the spirit he brings to this industry and the way he ignites the passion of Smashville and turns it into such tremendous support for all that our employees do, is such an integral part of our continued success inside Bridgestone Arena," Nashville Predators President and CEO Sean Henry said.
This is the 14th nomination and second win for Bridgestone Arena as Venue of the Year, the first being awarded in 2014. These distinctions come just weeks after being recognized as the 2017 CMA Venue of the Year for the first time in the building's 21-year history.

"I am incredibly proud to work alongside this incomparable team who make up Pollstar's Arena of the Year," Senior Vice President of Marketing and Entertainment David Kells said. "Being recognized as the No. 1 sports and entertainment venue in the United States is a direct result of our organization's tireless determination to achieve our ONE GOAL, which could not have been done without the dedication of our incomparable fans, to make Smashville such a special place to be for artists, managers, agents, promoters and everyone in the entertainment community who has brought their tour to our venue."
The 2017 Pollstar ranking of fourth in the United States and 12th in the world for concert ticket sales is the highest domestic finishing position Bridgestone Arena has seen and ties its 2015 global ranking. This year Bridgestone Arena had 122,485 more people attend concerts than in 2016 and bested its previous high from 2015 by 99,882.
When Nashville Predators Chairman and Owner Tom Cigarran developed the organization's ONE GOAL of becoming the No. 1 sports and entertainment venue in the United States with the Stanley Cup Champion Nashville Predators as its centerpiece in 2007, the statement seemed too bold amongst industry veterans. Cigarran and the entire organization instead took their ultimate goal and spoke their achievements into existence, working each year to be recognized more and more for their dedication to the industry, to the community of Nashville and the individuals who make up the Smashville community.
Pollstar Magazine focuses primarily on the concert industry and also reports on news regarding sports and entertainment. The nominating committee is comprised of industry leaders in all facets of the entertainment business, including: arena managers, artists, artist managers, agents and promoters from across the country and abroad.
Bridgestone Arena underwent close to $6 million in renovations last summer, which included the completion of entirely new food and beverage areas, renovated concessions locations, over 20 new point-of-sale locations in the Upper Bowl and close to 80 charging ports with USB and Edison outlets. This October, Bridgestone Arena received the International Entertainment Buyers Association's 2017 Arena of the Year, and is again up for Pollstar Arena of the Year in 2018.
Serving as the home for numerous national and international events, Bridgestone Arena has the distinction of being one of the busiest venues in the United States over the past decade and a half.
To receive regular updates on upcoming events at Bridgestone Arena go to
bridgestonearena.com
. For more information on the Nashville Predators, game schedule and ticket availability, please visit
nashvillepredators.com
.