In 2018, after 20 years of consideration, the city of Savannah, Georgia, decided it was finally time to replace their aging civic center with a new arena. City officials envisioned an iconic, multi-purpose venue to attract larger shows as well as serve as the new home to a minor league hockey team.
Opened in 2022, the 215,000-sf Enmarket Arena meets and exceeds every aspiration put forth by city officials. The arena seats 7,200 for hockey and basketball. It also serves as a state-of-the-art mid-size concert venue with both end-stage and center-stage configurations where it can seat over 9,000 attendees.
Constructed in an under-utilized part of the city to spur development renewal, the arena is consistently booked for events that include motocross, conventions, figure skating, UFC, and wrestling.
The ability to host hockey became a critical requirement when the East Coast Hockey League awarded Savannah its first professional hockey franchise—the Savannah Ghost Pirates launched their first season in November 2022.
The City of Savannah chose the arena’s location to attract locals and tourists to this historically under-utilized area, with a long-term goal to spur ancillary retail and commercial development. Since opening, the arena has become a popular destination and citizens are incredibly supportive of the Ghost Pirates, buying 5,000 season tickets before the home opener and Enmarket Arena has generated substantial revenues for existing local businesses.