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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2020 | DESERTSUN.COM PART OF THE USA TODAY NETWORK

Oak View Group and the H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation announced plans Wednesday to build a sports and entertainment arena on land between Interstate 10 and the Classic Club golf course. This drone photo shows the proposed site looking north. OMAR ORNELAS/THE DESERT SUN

Seattle Kraken AHL a!liate will still play in valley ARENA ON Shad Powers Palm Springs Desert Sun USA TODAY NETWORK

Hockey fans in the desert will still have a team to call their own, they’ll just have to wait another year to see them. As "rst reported by The Desert Sun, the arena that was planned to be built in downtown Palm THE MOVE Springs as the home to an team a!liated with the NHL’s Kraken has Planned Palm Springs sports, entertainment venue been nixed. moving near Palm Desert; tribe no longer involved See HOCKEY TEAM, Page 8A

Amanda Ulrich, Melissa Daniels and Shad Powers short drive from both the internationally renowned es- Palm Springs Desert Sun | USA TODAY NETWORK tate Sunnylands Center & Gardens and Agua Cali- ente’s Rancho Mirage casino. A little more than a year after the Agua Caliente (OVG) is moving ahead on the pri- Band of Cahuilla Indians and the compa- vately funded arena with a new partner: the H.N. & ny Oak View Group announced plans for a $250 mil- Frances C. Berger Foundation, a local nonpro"t that lion sports and entertainment arena in downtown owns the land and will lease it to OVG. Live Nation En- Palm Springs, o!cials con"rmed that the site of the tertainment, a leading global event producer, remains project is moving to the mid-valley — and the tribe is a partner on the project to bring touring artists and live no longer involved. events. The 10,000-seat arena is now planned for an unin- Groundbreaking and construction are scheduled corporated piece of land just north of the city of Palm for next year, and the arena is slated to open in the last This rendering shows the proposed arena planned Desert, on roughly 43 acres between Interstate 10 and for an unincorporated site north of Interstate 10 the Classic Club golf course. The new location is a See ARENA, Page 8A near Palm Desert. COURTESY OF OAK VIEW GROUP

Q&A PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERT TODAY’S HIGHLIGHT , 7A What does state’s Vaccine strategy aired COVID-19 reopening amid political questions The government outlined a sweeping plan Wednes- framework mean? day to make vaccines for COVID-19 available for free Mark Olalde Palm Springs Desert Sun | USA TODAY NETWORK to all Americans, assuming a safe and e#ective shot is developed, even as top health o!cials faced ques- After spending a long summer "ghting to "x a tions about political interference with virus infor- stalled coronavirus testing regime, a broken public mation reaching the public. Federal health agencies health data collection system and recovering from a and the Defense Department laid out complex plans post-Memorial Day surge in COVID-19 cases, the for a vaccination campaign to begin gradually in Golden State appears to once again be headed in the January or late this year. 11A right direction. California had 7,170 hospitalized patients who were con"rmed to have COVID-19 on July 21 — a low point — but that number, as of Sept. 14, had dropped Observatory spared from wild!re La Quinta residents rally to 2,887. After two spikes in cases over the summer, Fire!ghters have stopped a wild!re from damaging A group of residents is urging the city to install a the average number of newly con"rmed infections the historic Mount Wilson Observatory, which played crosswalk at Adams Street and La Palma Drive. has dropped to a level not seen since mid-June. a pivotal role in con!rming that galaxies exist They say motorists ignore the 25 mph speed limit Harnessing that momentum, Gov. Gavin Newsom outside the Milky Way. PWREN/ALERTWILDFIRE VIA AP and posted signs warning of pedestrian tra!c. 3A recently unveiled a new framework that moves coun- ties through four color-coded stages of reopening desertsun.com Weather Volume 93 | No. 337 based on their recent per-capita case counts and re- SERVING THE COACHELLA cent positivity rate, which is a measure of how many Subscribe: Access to all High 110° ❚ Low 80° VALLEY SINCE 1927 $2.50 of our content every day. Sunny. Forecast, 14A QEAJAB-08201z See Q&A, Page 10A 8A | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2020 | THE DESERT SUN Arena

Continued from Page 1A Arena quarter of 2022. The ’s American Hock- ey League team will play in the facility once construction is complete. In an interview with The Desert Sun, OVG CEO and co-founder explained how the company’s partner- ship with Agua Caliente “ultimately un- wound” and discussions began with the Berger Foundation, a group that Lei- weke said he’s known for years. Con- cerns about parking and tra"c also bogged down the Palm Springs plans. The tribe faced “a moment of truth” when coronavirus !rst hit in March, Lei- weke said. As the virus forced the tribe’s casino properties in the Coachella Val- ley to close alongside other local busi- nesses, the arena project also paused. Around April, Agua Caliente “came back and just said, ‘This is not some- thing we can commit to today. Because of what’s going on (with COVID), our priorities have changed,’” Leiweke said. “So, we acknowledged that and said, ‘Okay, but we can’t sit around and wait A cyclist rides his bike along Varner Road near Classic Club Boulevard in Palm Desert on Sept. 15. Oak View Group and the because unfortunately for us, we got the H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation announced their plans to build a sports and entertainment arena on unincorporated clock ticking on an American Hockey land between Interstate 10 and the Classic Club. PHOTOS BY TAYA GRAY/THE DESERT SUN League team.” The tribe declined a request for com- ment Wednesday from The Desert Sun. couldn’t come up with a path forward Agua Caliente Chairman Je# Grubbe during two years of negotiations. said in a press release that the tribe “re- The foundation started working with evaluated its economic development OVG earlier this summer, Vance said, priorities” and is instead focusing on its and jumped through a lot of the normal new casino in Cathedral City and cultur- hurdles because the foundation has al center in downtown Palm Springs. been preparing it to house a project like “After working together for more than the arena since purchasing the land in a year to put a joint-venture project to- 2003. gether, and then another three months “We’ve done a lot of the pad work and to negotiate a land lease, we couldn’t utility work and o#site improvements !nd that common thread to reach an for streets,” Vance said. “That expedites agreement for the arena project,” exactly what Tim (Leiweke) needs to Grubbe said. meet his timeframe. We have a shovel- Palm Springs hospitality leaders had ready pad. ... It’s been over-excavated, hyped up the project for its proximity to re-compacted, certi!ed, grating per- the Palm Springs Convention Center, mits, we’ve been working for years on noting an ability to incorporate the are- this development. na into potential group meetings. Aftab “They needed a place where they Dada, chair of the PS Resorts hotel could have an advantage in speeding up group in Palm Springs, said while the the timeframe and this met all their cri- new location will prevent a close col- teria.” laboration, keeping the project in the The arena will be built on land previously identi!ed to house a sprawling, desert is a big win for the area. Palm 12,000-seat sports complex. Parking, traffic concerns impacted Springs hotels, for example, already !ll Palm Springs plans up for other major desert events like the music festivals and the BNP Paribas NHL expansion team, will begin play in Palm Springs. Most notably, that in- The arena was initially planned for a tennis tournament. the fall of 2021, the Palm Springs AHL cludes a second sheet of ice which will mostly undeveloped section of Agua “As long as the arena is being built in a"liate will not start playing until the act as the practice rink for the team and Caliente tribal land bordering its Palm our destination, that’s a plus-plus- 2022-23 season. a public skating rink for things like Springs casino. That area, which was plus,” Dada said. Leiweke said that it has not yet been youth hockey and !gure skating. predominantly parking lot space, is determined what the team will be called The arena will be built on land previ- slowly returning to its former use. A lo- How this changes or if it will still use “Palm Springs” as ously identi!ed to house a sprawling, cal landscaping company was re-plant- arena timeline part of its name with the arena now be- 12,000-seat sports complex. That pro- ing trees there last week after removing ing built in an unincorporated part of posed complex, called The Shield, was them to make way for construction in The arena was originally expected to Riverside County. set to be built by a group called the Coa- January. open by fall 2021 in time for the hockey He added that he was happy with the chella Sports and Entertainment Stadi- Leiweke said he understood that the season — a timeline that is now extend- enthusiasm shown by desert hockey um Authority on 125 acres of land owned community surrounding the downtown ed by a year. fans, evidenced by the 2,500 or so de- by the Berger Foundation. site didn’t like the parking options as The arena in its new location will still posits that were put down for season Doug Vance, the foundation’s vice they were presented; hundreds of peo- house an American Hockey League tickets. president of real estate, said the foun- ple attended a public hearing last team that will be an a"liate of the NHL’s The details of the project remain dation and group mutually parted ways Seattle Kraken. While the Kraken, a new much the same as the arena planned for about four months ago after they See ARENA, Page 9A

pointed the president of AHL Palm of the notion that a desert hockey arena gether with them.” Hockey team Springs in April. “And then they’ll return might not happen after all. “It’s a game- home to Palm Springs once we’re ready changer to us and this and OVG staying Hockey team name Continued from Page 1A to kick o#.” here will basically save hockey in the One of the reasons OVG didn’t hesi- desert. Kids were already scrambling One of the hot topics for local hockey However, Oak View Group has cho- tate to remain in the valley with a future and going to other cities to !nd ice time. fans was always what is the desert AHL sen to keep the arena and the hockey arena and hockey team is the reception It’s not been great. Without a place to team going to be called. The team has team in the Coachella Valley, now build- they have received from local hockey skate in the desert, there’s no hockey in !led trademarks for six names including ing its 10,000-seat venue in an unincor- fans. Leiweke said around 2,500 depos- the desert.” Firebirds, Dragons, Sun, Eagles, Hawks porated area north of Interstate 10 near its and season tickets were purchased in Larson said many of his youth play- and Falcons. Cook Street in the mid-valley. anticipation of the team playing in Palm ers had to drive more than an hour to Or- But now both parts of the name are The original plan was to have the Springs. ange County or Riverside or Ontario, up in the air. Forget about the mascot AHL team debut in Palm Springs for the For anyone who put money down to just to practice for an hour, and then name, will the team still even be called 2021-22 season. That is no longer an op- reserve season tickets and no longer drive back. That will still be the case un- Palm Springs now that the arena will be tion. The arena at its new location is wants them with the change in location til the arena is built, which now won’t be built in an unincorporated part of River- scheduled to break ground in 2021 and and the extra year’s wait, a refund will until 2022, but having this light at the side County near Palm Desert and be ready in late 2022, in time for the be made. end of the tunnel will help keep the Thousand Palms? AHL’s 2022-23 season. “Yeah, we had about 2,500 season hockey spirit alive in the desert, Larson It was announced in July that the Se- Instead of !nding an alternate site for tickets sold, quite a few of those are club said. attle NHL team would be called the Kra- a year, Tim Leiweke, CEO of Oak View seats. So we literally have a waiting list “It’s already been a strange year, with ken, a mythical squid-like underwater Group, said the Kraken will not have an on premium seats that’s almost going to COVID-19. We’ve had to push back the monster. Will the desert’s team name in AHL a"liate play during the 2021-22 ful!ll all of the inventory that we have,” season and push it back again,” he said. some way be connected? season and will wait until the following he said. “We’ll be contacting all of those “We’re just trying to keep kids in the Leiweke said that both parts of the season. He noted that the Las Vegas folks (Wednesday). If they bought sea- game, keep them excited about hockey team’s name are still to be determined, Golden Knights, the most recent NHL son tickets or premier seats because of and keep the sport alive in the desert. but that whatever it is it will represent expansion team before the Kraken, the downtown Palm Springs location, Having an AHL team and a new arena the entire valley. didn’t have an AHL team until year three and they want a refund we obviously and new rinks coming to the desert de!- “We want to work with the Kraken to of its existence. will 100% do that. If they want to hang in nitely helps.” come up with a brand that is equally as “Our plan is that the arena’s going to there with us, and I think almost every- Larson said another plus is that the unique and equally as important to the open in time for the AHL 2022-23 sea- one will, then we’ll just roll it over and arena will likely draw youth hockey Coachella Valley,” Leiweke said, later son, that’s the current target,” Leiweke they’ll start in the 2022-23 season.” tournaments and events, which will adding. “Whether it’s Palm Springs or said, adding that the players that the The details of the project remain make the desert’s stamp in the hockey Palm Desert, we represent the whole Kraken draft in 2021 will still see action much the same as the arena planned for world even larger. Also the mid-valley valley. Our season ticket holders are even without an a"liate team. “So Palm Springs. Most notably, that in- location will help cut down drive time from the valley. ... Now, what we call it is they’ll have two or three young kids that cludes a second sheet of ice which will for many of the players who live in Palm to be determined. We’ve been focused they may lend out to somebody for a act as the practice rink for the team and Desert or La Quinta. on getting all these agreements done. year, which is what Las Vegas did. I be- a public skating rink for things like According to Forro, the partnership And so I think our next process will be lieve that my brother (, CEO youth hockey and !gure skating. between the team and the youth hockey geared towards the branding. Whether of the Seattle Kraken) and That component will be even more community will be integral. we call it Palm Springs or Palm Desert, (General Manager of the Kraken) are critical than it was in the previous incar- “The youth hockey community has the reality is we’re the valley’s team.” thinking that that’s the way they’re gon- nation because the desert’s only other been devastated with the Ice Castle With a nod toward his brother Tod na handle this as well.” rink, Desert Ice Castle, shuttered its closing so us coming in and working to- who was with him on a Zoom call with So the players the Kraken acquire doors in May, leaving desert hockey gether with them is going to be really The Desert Sun as the two watched an over the next year will be sprinkled players and skaters with no place to important and powerful,” Forro said. NHL playo# game from a Seattle Kraken among other AHL teams for the 2021-22 play. “I’ve got young kids 10 and 8 years old, merchandise store, Leiweke said that season. Je# Larson, director of the desert’s and if their sports were taken away ... he’s hoping to push him to get the Palm “It’s pretty typical, especially for an top youth hockey club Desert Blaze and hockey isn’t one of those sports Springs team name out by the holidays. expansion. It’s nothing that hasn’t been Hockey, said the fact that the arena and where you can just go play in any !eld It was presumed he meant the holidays done before, so they will adjust accord- hockey team are staying in the desert is like soccer. It’s tough and these families of 2020. ingly, and we’ll still have great players to a huge development for the hockey fam- are ingrained and they’ll travel far Shad Powers is a columnist for The develop, they’ll just be playing else- ilies of the desert. lengths, so we’re excited to have this Desert Sun. Reach him at shad.pow where,” said Nick Forro, who was ap- “We were very worried,” said Larson, community sheet of ice and work to- [email protected]. DESERTSUN.COM | THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2020 | 9A

Timeline: How the planned Palm Springs arena moved The Oak View Group — which in 2019 unveiled plans to build a hockey and enter- tainment arena in downtown Palm Springs — announced Wednesday that it’s relocating its project east to a parcel near the Classic Club golf course and In- terstate 10. Oak View had previously planned to partner with the Agua Caliente Band of Ca- huilla Indians, but the tribe is no longer involved with the project. Instead, Oak View said it is partnering with the H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation, which supports educational and other charitable projects, on the new iteration of the arena. The land near the Classic Club had previously been identified for a proposed indoor stadium project called The Shield. The property is owned by the Berger Foundation. The proposed arena is to be occupied by an American Hockey League team and set to open in 2022. Here’s a timeline of events of the Oak View Group arena project and The Shield proposal.

July 19, 2018: J. David Miller, the foun- Palm Springs before and after events der and coach of the SoCal Coyotes at the planned arena. The cost of the arena and related parking infrastructure could also be about developmental football team in the Dec. 2: The City of Palm Springs re- $10 million less than expected, partly because of a general lull in construction desert, and a group called the Coa- leases a report examining the potential during the pandemic and more competitive pricing. TAYA GRAY/THE DESERT SUN chella Sports and Entertainment Stadi- public safety, parking, traffic and envi- um Authority, announced plans to ronmental effects of the arena project. build a $300 million, 12,000-seat Palm Springs would possibly need Since the CSU San Bernardino satel- mixed-use stadium in Thousand Palms parking meters, residential parking lite campus opened in 1986, the city has that would be called The Shield at 1 Arena permit systems, and changes to on- worked toward making it an indepen- Coyote Way. The proposed sports street parking times to handle the Continued from Page 8A dent Cal State university. Nestande complex would include a hotel, medical influx of people streaming downtown sees the arena as another plus in trying facilities, a senior living village and for events at the arena. The report also December, and many residents gave to achieve that goal. retail, and be located on 125 acres of indicates that the city would try to criticism about the project. “The more we can drive people to land owned by the Berger Foundation come up with ways to generate reve- “Did we change our direction that come to our area here … the more likely in the area between The Classic Club nue from the development even night? No, we had an obligation and a we are to get students to attend Cal golf course and Interstate 10. The sta- though it is on tribal land, and there- commitment to our partners in Agua State,” Nestande said. dium had a proposed 2021 completion fore not subject to taxation. Caliente,” Leiweke said about the De- While the new arena is sited less date. cember meeting. “But then when the than 10 miles from the McCallum Thea- In addition, Palm Springs’ fire and po- May 28, 2019: Tod Leiweke, the chief coronavirus came along, and then tre, which features touring Broadway lice departments say they need nearly executive of the newly created Nation- when they changed as to their direction musicals and other musical artists, $20 million for new equipment and al Hockey League team in Seattle, con- and priorities as a tribe, it gave us a Chairman Harold Matzner said he facilities, and $3.6 million annually to firms in an iHeartRadio interview that chance to take a step back.” doesn’t have concerns about the close bolster staff at the beginning of the Palm Springs is one of two markets, Now, all parking for the new arena proximity. next fiscal year, to prepare for the along with Boise, Idaho, being consid- location will be contained onsite. Ac- “They’re playing a completely di!er- downtown arena project. ered for a team in the American Hock- cess to the facility, right o! the high- ent genre (of music) they have a lot of ey League. Dec. 4: A Palm Springs city staff report way, will be easier in comparison to overhead for, and they’re not going to indicates the arena will need almost 12 weaving through smaller Palm Springs open it for most of the (acts) we have,” June 26, 2019: The Agua Caliente Band million gallons of water each year to roads and neighborhoods. Matzner said. “I think it’s wonderful for of Cahuilla Indians and the Oak View accommodate an AHL affiliate team The cost and related parking infra- the valley. That kind of a facility is part Group announce a $250 million, and other events, and outlines other structure could also be about $10 mil- of the valley growing up.” 300,000-square-foot sports and enter- environmental concerns. It makes rec- lion less than expected, partly because tainment arena in downtown Palm ommendations for clean energy, re- of a general lull in construction projects How does this change Springs on 16 acres of tribal land ducing dust and traffic pollution, and during the pandemic and more com- review process? downtown off Calle El Segundo, just other measures. petitive pricing, Leiweke said. north of the tribe’s casino. Oak View “I hope people realize we listen, we The site of the proposed arena is un- Group and the Seattle NHL partner to Dec. 5: The Palm Springs City Council heard what the community wanted. incorporated land just south of the submit an application for its AHL affili- unanimously approves a resolution They wanted us to be self-contained,” Coachella Valley Preserve, and is al- ate play in the arena. Live Nation Enter- urging developers of the arena project he said this week. ready part of a prior master plan that tainment also signs on as a strategic to build onsite parking and work with Ron Willison, who lives in the Palm Oak View Group o#cials say previously partner to provide a large stable of top the city to mitigate other arena im- Springs Deauville, a condominium went through a lengthy environmental touring artists and premium live pacts. A standing-room-only crowd of complex behind the Agua Caliente ca- review process. events. more than 300 people gathered at the sino, said Wednesday that the arena To get approval to move forward, Palm Springs Convention Center laugh July 3, 2019: Following the announce- was a concern for him and many of his they’ve submitted an addendum to that and boo during a discussion of parking ment of the Palm Springs arena, J. neighbors. Willison said he believes plan that will have to be approved by solutions. Palm Springs Mayor Geoff David Miller says he sees the an- OVG made a wise decision to relocate. the Board of Supervisors. Kors makes it clear the city can only nouncement of a new 10,000-seat “(Agua Caliente) have always been Leiweke doesn’t expect to run into make suggestions — not requirements arena for downtown Palm Springs less good neighbors here,” Willison said. environmental concerns or have a need — regarding the arena on tribal land. as competition for his project and more “I’m thrilled to see what’s going up with for habitat mitigation. “Because of the “The tribe is a sovereign nation and as a complement. “We’re flattered that the museum and the spa, but that was master plan and all the work that’s they get to build what they want on they validated the sports tourism re- just not a great location.” been done by the Berger Foundation their land,” he said. port that we authored,” said Miller. The Ellen Sopkin and her husband own a Foundation, the site’s clean,” he said. only update Miller shares is that he Tim Leiweke pledges to work with the home on North Vía Miraleste near Alejo “There’s no hazard, no cleanup, no re- believes The Shield stadium, originally city and the community, pointing to his in the Movie Colony, and said she “can’t mediation of any kind.” planned for 12,000 seats, will be ex- experience developing 18 arenas and be happier” after hearing news. Con- OVG also doesn’t have to start from panded to 14,000 seats. A rendering is stadiums in other cities. “We have cerns over the arena almost made the scratch on the design of the building, released of the proposed stadium and always forged a relationship with the couple put their home up for sale. which will be similar to the Palm there are no further updates on when community,” Leiweke said. “We have “The streets are way too small for Springs proposal. That building was the project will break ground. always listened to their issues. We that many cars,” Sopkin said Wednes- going mostly underground to preserve have always done everything we can to day. “People are just not that nice when sight lines of the mountains, but due to July 8, 2019: The Agua Caliente Band provide minimal disruption to their it comes to those events and they’re go- an existing $ood plane at the new loca- of Cahuilla Indians prepares an envi- quality of life.” ing to be drinking. You think about that tion, it will be more elevated. ronmental study for board members to when you leave a game at Dodger Stadi- “The look of the building is very sim- evaluate looking into potential effects Dec. 16: Oak View Group names John um, and that’s quite a neighborhood ilar to what we already have designed,” related to aesthetics, air quality (in- Bolton as its general manager of the when you’re trying to get out.” Leiweke said. “So, we just essentially cluding greenhouse-gas emissions), Palm Springs arena. Another potential issue centered moved and did adjustments to make it cultural resources, energy, water, land Jan. 6: The Agua Caliente Band of Ca- around additional public safety costs work on the site, but it’s going to give us use, noise, public services, transporta- huilla Indians rejects recommendations associated with arena events. Palm a much quicker process because we’re tion/traffic and utilities related to the from the city to put all required park- Springs’ "re and police departments so far down the road with all of our arena. ing spaces onsite and to redirect pa- said last December that they would planning and all of our design develop- July 12, 2019: The Desert Sun queries a trons away from city parking lots and need nearly $20 million for new equip- ment.” number of experts who study sports garages. The tribe states it would di- ment and facilities, plus an additional David Freedman, a member of the and entertainment facilities, as well as rect Oak View Group to negotiate with $3.6 million annually to increase sta!. Palm Springs Sustainability Commis- Tim Leiweke, the CEO of Oak View the city over millions of dollars in po- Agua Caliente had ultimate author- sion, played an active role in building Group, about how they think the arena lice and fire upgrades the city says are ity for all land-use decisions on its res- environmentally-friendly recommend- could affect local businesses. Leiweke needed for the arena. ervation as a sovereign nation, but ed alternatives for the Palm Springs it- says the arena could bring $100 million there was a process for the city to make eration of the arena. He said the move Jan. 9: A civic interest group called to the Palm Springs economy each recommendations. The city made 81 means there will be a “load of cars that Palm Springs Together purchases a year, but economic studies have found planning recommendations to the pro- aren’t going to be idling around Palm full-page advertisement in the Los that building sports facilities has little ject, of which the tribe accepted 69. Springs, looking for a parking space.” Angeles Times asking for Gov. Gavin to no positive relationship with eco- Palm Springs Mayor Geo! Kors said He labeled that fact the “largest en- Newsom, state Attorney General Xavier nomic growth and development. Wednesday that while Palm Springs vironmental win for Palm Springs,” Becerra and federal authorities to re- was working with the tribe and OVG to though he cautioned that the green- July 23, 2019: The NHL team in Seattle view the tribe’s plans. “We respect the address details like tra#c, parking and house gas emissions, while moving announces its official name, the Kra- Tribe’s property rights, but we have public safety, it was not involved in the away from the population center, won’t ken, which is an octopus-like sea mon- rights, too, namely to a healthy envi- decision to move locations. actually decrease because people will ster of legend. ronment and quality of life,” the group “I think there were bene"ts to having still need to drive there. said in the advertisement. Aug. 14, 2019: Oak View Group files a it in downtown Palm Springs and a The future of the arena’s location in trademark for “Palm Springs Firebirds” Feb. 5: The Agua Caliente Band of Ca- number of issues that needed to be re- Palm Springs "rst came into question as a potential name for its AHL affiliate. huilla Indians announces the ground- solved if it were to be in downtown,” he in June, when Leiweke con"rmed that breaking ceremony for the new arena said. “The city has no say in where they plans were on hold amid the pandemic. Sept. 2, 2019: Palm Springs Mayor Pro on Feb. 18. decided to build it.” Before this week, one of the last o#- Tem Geoff Kors and City Councilman cial announcements about the project J.R. Roberts host a community meeting Feb. 12: The Agua Caliente Band of Arena could drive came in February, when the arena’s at the Palm Springs Convention Center Cahuilla Indians postpones its ground- Palm Desert economy groundbreaking was delayed due to with about 100 attendees, who share breaking ceremony, citing “extenuat- “extenuating circumstances,” accord- concerns over parking and traffic. Rob- ing circumstances” as the reason. A Palm Desert Mayor Gina Nestande ing to the tribe. Vance, the Berger Foun- erts admits he doesn’t love the pro- new date isn’t announced. said the arena will be an “economic dation’s vice president, noted that posed location for the arena. “I’m not April 28: NHL Seattle names Nick Forro driver” for her mid-valley city, which is without the land and environmental re- going to pussyfoot around — I’m not the president of the affiliate team in home to two university campuses and view already in place, it’s likely that happy the arena is this close to town,” Palm Springs. the McCallum Theatre. Leiweke would’ve had no choice but to he said. “I’d be much happier to see “As people come to this hockey sta- take the entire project out of the valley. the arena closer to the freeway and out June 17: Tim Leiweke confirms to The dium, they’ll also need a hotel to stay in “If the Berger Foundation hadn’t of town. We just don’t get a choice in Desert Sun the arena is on hold due to or they’ll go visit a restaurant or any of prepared the land for something like that.” the COVID-19 pandemic. “Once we get our fabulous businesses that are locat- this, they would have not been able to past (the virus) we’ll make a decision if The Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla ed near there,” said Nestande, who was meet the timeframe and we would have we’re gonna proceed,” Leiweke said. Indians announces the following day it approached by the Berger Foundation lost them for the project and the valley,” will have a “comprehensive parking Sept. 16: The Oak View Group and The as a courtesy in terms of any impact the Vance said. “To capture them and keep plan” to support the arena. H.N. and Frances C. Berger Foundation arena, situated o! the I-10 Cook Street them here, … I was so happy to enter- announce a partnership to build a pri- exit, might have on the city. tain the idea that’s now come to fru- Sept. 20, 2019: The Desert Sun un- vately financed sports and entertain- Over the past few years, the city has ition. The tax revenue that the county covers planning documents revealing ment arena on land owned by the seen hotels go up in the Cook Street and the community and the valley are onsite parking spaces would accom- foundation near I-10 and Cook Street. area, including a Fair"eld Inn and going to experience are going to be sec- modate less than 1% of a full house at Oak View says it is no longer working Hampton Inn & Suites with more ond to none.” the proposed arena. with the Agua Caliente tribe. planned near the DMV. Cook Street is Sta! reporters Sherry Barkas, Brian Nov. 8: A new report anticipates heavy also home to CSU San Bernardino and Blueskye and Mark Olalde contributed — Brian Blueskye, staff writer traffic at intersections in the heart of UC Riverside campuses. to this report.