Redevelopment
Between 1995 and 2006, the arena was the home venue to the San Diego Gulls of the ECHL and the San Diego Riptide of the AF2, but both franchises folded. The Gulls franchise majority owner was Arena Group 2000 LP, a private company which is also the current arena leaseholder. When the team was disbanded - and not sold - there was local speculation regarding the company's closely held secret intentions for the property. Many outsiders suspected implosion of the Arena and redevelopment of the property, as redevelopment of this chunk of real estate had supposedly been a prime motivation for Ron Hahn (of the Hahn Company) when he first took an interest in this property in 1991. Future development will depend on the City of San Diego and the vision that both they and AEG have for sports and entertainment in San Diego.
The venue continues to host up to 100 events annually. Event type breakdown: 30 Concerts, 50 Family Shows, 10 Sporting Events and 10 other. The San Diego Sports Arena remains the only ice arena facility in San Diego County, and hosts annual skating events such as Stars on Ice and Disney on Ice with Feld Entertainment twice each year. The facility is the only arena in San Diego that has a group sales department and for this reason hosts almost all of the major family shows to come to San Diego like the Harlem Globetrotters, Sesame Street Live and Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey Circus each year. The arena also serves as a home court for the L.A. Lakers in a preseason NBA game each fall. The property continues to derive income from the Kobey's Swap Meet, held every weekend in the west end of the parking lot which attracts over one million people annually.
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