A water main break was reported on Sixth Avenue at 6 a.m. CT Friday, flooding the main concourse and event level at Bridgestone Arena. Metro Public Works worked with arena staff to get the situation under control quickly, but the water caused damage to the floors, ceilings and tiles inside the arena, sitting up to three feet high in some areas.
Friday's scheduled game between the Predators and the Colorado Avalanche was postponed due to the flooding. Saturday's game versus the Columbus Blue Jackets was also postponed, with make-up dates for both games yet to be announced.
Thanks to the efforts of operations staff, custodial crews and countless others inside and outside the Predators organization, Bridgestone Arena is set to reopen its doors in time to host Tuesday's matchup with the Ducks as scheduled. While some of the arena's systems and guest support functions may not be 100 percent operational for Tuesday's game or Friday's Maren Morris concert, Predators President and Chief Executive Officer Sean Henry is steadfast in the organization's appreciation for everyone's efforts in getting the building as prepared as possible.
"We can not say thank you enough to everyone that has worked tirelessly to restore Bridgestone Arena and ready it for Preds games and events once again. More than 30 public agencies and private companies have mobilized with us in our mission to safely reopen the venue for games and events this week," Henry said.
"We had a great schedule for Thanksgiving weekend with expectations of hosting 40,000 fans for the three hockey games, but unfortunately, we were unable to open our doors. We look forward to hosting 17,000 of hockey's best fans on Tuesday for our game with the Anaheim Ducks and we thank everyone for their patience as we continue with the restoration."
