STOCKTON, Calif. — As preparations were underway for a Stockton Kings game at downtown Stockton's Adventist Health Arena Friday afternoon, arena General Manager Jason Perry couldn't help but reminisce about the electric feeling of seeing the arena at capacity with more than 10,000 fans gathering to watch Billboard chart-topping artist Peso Pluma.
"The energy was just electric," said Perry of the October concert. "Everybody was excited. They came here, they saw a phenomenal show."
The show went down to be the 18-year-old arena's highest-grossing event on record, but it didn't stop there.
"We hosted over 260 events in 2023 across our portfolio, being the three buildings," said Perry. "I got a little bit of sleep, but had a lot of fun in the process."
Event after event set up for a record-breaking financial year for ASM Global Stockton, the company that operates the Adventist Health Arena, Bob Hope Theater and Banner Island Ballpark.
"It's the constant phone calls, the emails, going out to conferences, taking meetings and talking with a lot of these agents and promotors to make sure Stockton is at the forefront of their minds," said Perry. "Because it hadn't been in the longest time."
A thriving ballpark, arena or theater helps to create a thriving city, according to tourism officials who say that events at the arena in 2023 meant an increase of nearly 90,000 visits to the city.
"That's, you know, 92,000 more people that are visiting restaurants before they come to the arena, that are going to bars after they go to the arena, that are potentially staying overnight," said Visit Stockton Communications Director Amy Alpers. "Overall, that reflects in the tax burden that Stocktonians are no longer responsible for when we have those increases in sales tax (revenues)."
People who visited the arena in 2023 got to see multi-million dollar improvements, such as a new video board, lighting enhancements and a new name.
"We could not do what we do without the support of our community," said Perry. "'2024 and more' is our approach to this year. We're really looking to expand on some of the partnerships we've been able to grow."
With more concerts, events and arena upgrades planned in 2024, tourism officials are already excited — even as the Stockton Lantern Festival wraps up its nearly two-month-long run at the Banner Island Ballpark this weekend.
"Especially for myself personally, you're like, 'Oh, this is coming to Stockton? I don't have to go to Sacramento to do that, I don't have to go to the Gallo Center to do that,'" said Alpers. "It's really exciting."
Perry shares that excitement and is ready to serve up more experience to visitors in 2024.
"Like every experience, people get to forget about everything that they're dealing with in life for the few hours they spend with us and just enjoy," said Perry. "So it was remarkable."
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