Samuelis to take over management of San Diego Gulls home arena

The city of San Diego has announced that Henry and Susan Samueli-owned Anaheim Arena Management, the company that runs operations at Honda Center, will serve as the new management and venue operator for Pechanga Arena.

Anaheim Arena Management will be taking over the lease from AEG Management, which owns the LA Kings and the LA Galaxy.

“We are committed to providing a fan-first experience at every touch point while utilizing the arena as a community asset to enrich the lives of San Diegans,” said Gulls President of Business Operations Matt Savant. “We look forward to working with AEG Management, the current arena operator, on a smooth and successful transition through the remainder of their lease with the city and the Gulls’ 2019-20 hockey season.”

The deal will give the Samuelis, who own the San Diego Gulls franchise, near-complete control of the fan experience at games beginning with the 2021-2022 season. They also will bring their years of experience running hockey, concerts, and other sporting events to the venue.

“From the outset of this process, our goal was to improve the experience for the arena’s users and guests, enhance the volume and quality of programming and increase revenue for San Diego taxpayers,” said Anaheim Arena Management CEO & Ducks Executive Vice President/Chief Operating Officer Tim Ryan. “We are excited that the review panel agreed with this vision and selected our bid. We look forward to working collaboratively with the city staff to finalize an agreement that will achieve all of this plus deliver more value for the City of San Diego and its residents. The next steps will be negotiating the lease agreement with the City, which will then go to the City Council for approval.”