Oneida County formally opens Nexus Center sports complex

UTICA, N.Y. — Oneida County celebrated the grand opening of the $64 million Nexus Center sports complex on Thursday evening.

“Today is a landmark day for Oneida County and the entire region,” Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente, Jr. said in a release. “When we first announced the Nexus Center in 2017, I knew it would be a perfect fit for the U-District — the vision I had for a sports and entertainment district for downtown Utica.”

Together with investments the county made in the neighboring Adirondack Bank Center, Picente said the two facilities form a powerhouse duo capable of drawing hundreds of thousands of annual visitors and millions of dollars in visitor spending. The county projects the Nexus Center will host 24 hockey and lacrosse tournaments annually, bringing more than 320,000 visitors to the county and generating over $26 million in direct visitor spending.

The 170,000-square-foot sporting facility features three multipurpose 200-foot-by-85-foot playing surfaces that can be used as ice sheets or turf. It’s connected by a walkway to the Adirondack Bank Center at the Utica Memorial Auditorium, which brings the total up to four surfaces for sports tournaments.

The Nexus Center will primarily host ice hockey, soccer, and lacrosse, with officials expecting to draw youth teams from across the United States and Canada. It serves as the home of the Utica University women’s ice hockey team and the Utica Comets junior teams. The venue seats 1,200 people including luxury boxes and boasts locker rooms, state-of-the-art training space, a fitness track, food and beverage services, commercial office space, and classrooms for Utica University’s sports-management program — which currently has about 40 students.

“The Auditorium Authority is proud to unveil the Nexus Center, a world-class facility that will enhance the quality of sports, entertainment, and the regional economy for years to come,” Carl Annese, chairman of the Upper Mohawk Valley Auditorium Authority, said.

The Nexus Center will focus on out-of-town tournament participants year-round while catering to local athletes during the week. When not used for tournaments or other events, it functions as a community sports and recreation center. Future plans for the center include expanding to a four-season sporting center with the potential to add outdoor multi-use sports fields.

Oneida County committed $32 million in bonds to fund the center, including an additional $15 million contribution to the project, which includes parking on the Whitesboro Street side of the facility. The county also secured a $22 million grant from New York State and raised the hotel and occupancy tax to 5 percent to help fund the project.

The Nexus Center hosted its first game on Nov. 9 and its first tournament on Nov. 11.