ORLANDO,
Fla., Dec. 20, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Orlando's premier downtown sports and
entertainment destination – and home of the National Basketball
Association's Orlando Magic – will be renamed the Kia Center.
Starting December 20, 2023, the
Amway Center will take on the new name. Kia
America's partnership will include new indoor and outdoor
signage, the installations of EV charging stations, Kia vehicle
displays and the Kia Terrace, a hospitality lounge for the
enjoyment of automotive enthusiasts and sports and music
fans.
"The Orlando Magic and Kia
America have been proud partners for several years and we
share in the excitement of Kia's success and growth," said Magic
CEO Alex Martins. "We look forward
to our expanded partnership which allows Kia to drive its
brand forward and deliver a direct, impactful message to our fan
base and beyond using the power of the NBA. Kia also becomes a
'Champion of the Community' partner and we look forward to working
together to positively impact the Central
Florida community."
"The naming of the Kia Center is another example of the strength
of our partnership and provides us a year-round sports and
entertainment platform for our fans," said Sean Yoon, President and CEO, Kia America. "This facility is a spectacular
asset for those who call Central
Florida home and for those who visit this global tourist
destination. Coupled with our naming rights of the Kia Forum in
California, we now stretch from
coast to coast."
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What You Should Know:
- Orlando's premier
downtown sports and entertainment destination has been renamed the
Kia Center.
- Kia is the official automotive partner of the National
Basketball Association & Orlando Magic.
- The Kia Center naming rights announcement in Orlando coincides with the historic launch of
the automotive industry's first mainstream 3-row, all-electric SUV
– the Kia EV9.
- Kia becomes an Orlando Magic "Champion of the Community"
partner and will partner on impactful Central
Florida community relations programming.
- The Kia Center in Orlando complements the Kia Forum in
Los Angeles, stretching Kia's
association with first-class entertainment from
coast-to-coast.
______________________________________________________________________
Like the renaming of the Kia Center in Orlando, the renaming of the Kia Forum in
Los Angeles in April of 2022 was a
transformational step for Kia in the
United States and an important part of the North American
debut of its multiple award-winning electric utility vehicle, the
EV6, as part of the company's ambitious Plan S, or Plan Shift,
strategy. Plan S is designed to help transform Kia into a
sustainable mobility provider including new and exciting personal
and business transportation solutions.
Kia's southeast operation includes dealerships in Orlando, Miami, Tampa,
and Jacksonville. Central Florida has 11 dealerships and is the
fastest growing Kia market in the nation.
Kia is recognized as one of the TIME100 Most Influential
Companies of 2023 and was named the Most Dependable Mass Market
Brand for three years in a row by J.D. Power. Kia offers a range of
gasoline, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles sold through
a network of over 775 dealers in the U.S., including several cars
and SUVs proudly assembled in America*.
Since opening in 2010, Orlando's downtown arena has become the
community's gathering place and has earned numerous awards,
including being named SportsBusiness Journal's 2012 Sports
Facility of the Year; the International Association of Venue
Managers' Venue Excellence Award, which is bestowed upon facilities
that excel in the management and operation of public assembly
venues; and TheStadiumBusiness Awards' Customer Experience
Award. In addition, the facility was recently voted by fans as the
no. 1 venue in the NBA for its game experience.
The NBA is a global sports and media business with the mission
to inspire and connect people everywhere through the power of
basketball. The league has established a major international
presence with games and programming in 214 countries and
territories in 50 languages, and merchandise for sale in more than
200 countries and territories on all seven continents. NBA rosters
at the start of this past season featured 120 international players
from 40 countries. NBA Digital's assets include NBATV, NBA.com, the
NBA App and NBA League Pass. The NBA has created one of the largest
social media communities in the world, with 2.1 billion likes and
followers globally across all league, team, and player
platforms.
ABOUT KIA CENTER
Kia Center, owned and operated
by the City of Orlando on behalf
of the Central Florida community, hosts
major national events, concerts and family shows since its opening
in the Fall 2010. The Orlando Magic served as the developer and the
facility was designed to reflect the character of the community,
meet the goals of the users and build on the legacy of sports and
entertainment in Orlando. The
building's exterior features a modern blend of glass and metal
materials, along with ever-changing graphics via a monumental wall
along one facade. A 180-foot tall tower serves as a beacon amid the
downtown skyline. The 875,000 square foot, Leadership in Energy and
Environmental Design (LEED) Gold-certified building features a
sustainable, environmentally-friendly design and unmatched
technology, including 1,100 digital monitors, the tallest
high-definition video board in an NBA venue and multiple premium
amenities available to all patrons in the building. Kia Center was
recently honored with the International Association of Venue
Managers' 2017 Venue Excellence Award, which is bestowed upon
facilities that excel in the management and operation of public
assembly venues. Kia Center was the only arena to garner this
distinction. Additionally, the arena has earned numerous awards,
which most notably includes TheStadiumBusiness Awards' 2013
Customer Experience Award and was named SportsBusiness Journal's
2012 Sports Facility of the Year. For more information about the
Kia Center, visit KiaCenter.com.
ABOUT KIA
AMERICA
Headquartered in Irvine, California, Kia America continues to top automotive quality
surveys and is recognized as one of the 100 Best Global Brands. Kia
serves as the "Official Automotive Partner" of the NBA and offers a
range of gasoline, hybrid, plug-in hybrid and electric vehicles
sold through a network of over 775 dealers in the U.S., including
several cars and SUVs proudly assembled in America*.
*The Sportage (excludes HEV and PHEV models), Sorento (excludes
HEV and PHEV models), and Telluride are assembled in the United States from U.S. and globally
sourced parts.
ABOUT THE ORLANDO
MAGIC
Orlando's NBA
franchise since 1989, the Magic's mission is to be world champions
on and off the court, delivering legendary moments every step of
the way. Under the DeVos family's ownership, the Magic have seen
great success in a relatively short history, winning six division
championships (1995, 1996, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2019) with seven
50-plus win seasons and capturing the Eastern Conference title in
1995 and 2009. Off the court, on an annual basis, the Orlando Magic
gives more than $2 million to the
local community by way of sponsorships of events, donated tickets,
autographed merchandise and grants. Orlando Magic community
relations programs impact an estimated 100,000 kids each year,
while a Magic staff-wide initiative provides more than 7,000
volunteer hours annually. In addition, the Orlando Magic Youth
Foundation (OMYF) which serves at-risk youth, has distributed more
than $29 million to local nonprofit
community organizations over the last 34 years. The Magic's other
entities include the team's NBA G League affiliate, the Osceola
Magic, 2021 G League champions; the Orlando Solar Bears of the
ECHL, which serves as the affiliate to the NHL's Tampa Bay
Lightning; and Magic Gaming of the NBA 2K League. The Magic play their home games at the
award-winning Kia Center – voted by fans no. 1 in the NBA for game
experience; honored with TheStadiumBusiness Awards' Customer
Experience Award; named SportsBusiness Journal's Sports
Facility of the Year; and awarded the Venue Excellence Award (VEA)
by the International Association of Venue Managers. For ticket
information, visit OrlandoMagic.com or call 407-89-MAGIC.
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SOURCE Kia America
