As Senior Vice President & General Manager of Arena Operations, Juan Rodriguez has been a key player in the transition from Sleep Train Arena to the Sacramento Kings most technologically advanced and sustainable arena in the world. With 23 years under his belt, his experience in the field has proved to be a major asset in the construction of Golden 1 Center.
Recently, Rodriguez spoke to Sports Business Journal to discuss what the opening of the building means for Sacramento:
“On what it means for Golden 1 Center as the big leagues’ first LEED Platinum venue:
We’re blessed to say nobody can take that [recognition] away. Those are things that sometimes, in years past, teams looked at it as an expense. Now, it’s looked upon, not only as a necessity, but a responsibility of what we need to do … in the world we live today.”
“On whether Golden 1 Center will be as intimidating as its predecessor, which became one of the NBA’s loudest venues:
The old buildings [had seating bowls] built wide. Today’s arenas and stadiums are [more vertical]. Our guests and fans are closer to the game than they’ve ever been. It’s a more intimate environment. Our lower bowl is the largest in the NBA so you have more people closer to the court. That home-court advantage should not go away, and that feeling of keeping people as close to the game as possible.”
To hear more of Rodriguez’s thoughts on the opening of Golden 1 Center, check out Sports Business Journal’s full interview here.
