Another well-known Boise arena is getting a new name. Here’s the new title sponsor
First, CenturyLink downsized its presence in downtown Boise. It decided this month to abandon its call center at One Capital Center and have employees, sent home because of the pandemic, continue working from home.
Now, the telecommunications company has decided to remove its name from CenturyLink Arena downtown. The arena will be known as Idaho Central Arena, after Idaho Central Credit Union.
“We are excited for our new partnership with Idaho Central Credit Union and look forward to our relationship as they are a great community supporter,” Eric Trapp, president of the Idaho Steelheads hockey team and arena general manager said in a news release. “This partnership shows that the Idaho Steelheads and Idaho Central Credit Union are committed to the Treasure Valley and downtown Boise for many years to come.”
Kent Oram, Idaho Central’s CEO, said the 415,000-member credit union has many members in the Treasure Valley and it’s a way to support the local community.
“This sponsorship is a way for us to be present and engaged in downtown Boise,” Oram said in the news release. Details will be unveiled in coming months.
The partnership includes several upgrades to the arena, Trapp said.
CenturyLink made the decision last year not to renew its five-year contract when it expired this year, spokesperson Mark Molzen said.
“This decision was based on multiple factors, including changing technologies and different consumer buying patterns,” Molzen said by email. “We value the relationships we have made through our sponsorship programs.”
The new sponsor already has the naming rights for Idaho Central Credit Union Arena being built on the University of Idaho campus in Moscow. That 4,200-seat arena, scheduled to be finished in fall 2021, will serve as the home for the Vandal men’s and women’s basketball teams.
Block 22 LLC, the owner of the 5,000-seat Century Link arena and the attached Grove Hotel, along with Hotel 43 and the Courtyard by Marriott Downtown, submitted an application for the name change to the Boise Building Department on Monday.
The arena is home to the Idaho Steelheads and Front Street Fights mixed martial arts. It hosts concerts and other entertainment events.
The arena was named for CenturyLink in 2011. Before then, it was known as Qwest Arena. The two companies merged in 2011, prompting the name change.
Finished in 1997, the arena was originally known as the Bank of America Centre. It became the Qwest Arena in 2005.
It’s the second Boise arena to be renamed in the past 13 months. The basketball arena at Boise State University was renamed ExtraMile Arena last September. It was formerly known as Taco Bell Arena.
This story was originally published September 16, 2020 at 4:21 PM.
