A rendering of the new Entertainment and Sports Arena. (Courtesy of Events DC)

It’s here! The grand old … Entertainment and Sports Arena.

Okay, the name leaves something to be desired. But the new home of the Mystics, practice facility for the Wizards, and jack-of-all trades entertainment center in Congress Heights is opening on September 22.

The 120,000-square-foot arena, located on the St. Elizabeths Hospital campus in Ward 8, was announced in 2015. Officials have touted it as “bigger than basketball,” a reference to both its intended effects on the neighborhood at large and the wide range of events that the arena will host.

No less than Mary J. Blige is going to make it a family affair two weeks after the ribbon cutting, headlining a concert on October 6. Rock band Cage the Elephant will take to the stage on October 13, and other events around the opening will be announced in the coming days. A spokesperson for Events DC roughly estimates that about 40 percent of the events will be entertainment-related.

In addition to the Wizards and Mystics, Events DC is also committed to investing in eSports—the first announced event at the facility was an eSports competition scheduled for November. D.C.’s new NBA G League team, the Capital City Go-Go, will also begin its inaugural season at the Entertainment and Sports Facility.

That generic name is a placeholder for now.

“Once we open, we’ll be looking to attract a naming rights deal,” says Events DC spokesperson Lindsey Forrester. “We wanted to get it open and then take that as our phase two approach.” The agency has contracted with an outside agency that specializes in naming rights, and is looking to rebrand the site within the next six to twelve months.

The largely taxpayer funded facility was initially estimated to cost $55 million, before growing by $10 million and then creeping up another couple million.

While the administration of Mayor Muriel Bowser has promoted the new arena as “a catalyst for growth in the Congress Heights community,” the new facility has also drawn fears about displacement from some longtime residents. A small group of protesters disrupted the groundbreaking in 2016.

“We’re nervous about some things,” Bob Matthew, who had lived in the area for more than four decades, told city officials at a community meeting last year. “Lord protect us from gentrification.”

But officials believe it will offer a boost to a neighborhood that has struggled to attract amenities. The city estimates the arena will create an estimated $90 million in new tax revenue over the next two decades, and draw in more than 80,000 annual visitors per year.

“The ESA is about jobs, opportunity, and community,” Bowser said in a statement. “It’s about ensuring that every neighborhood, in every corner of our city has world-class housing and amenities.”

A full list of the forthcoming events at the ESA is available here.

Previously:
‘Lord Protect Us From Gentrification’: Community Raises Concerns About Congress Heights Arena In Testy Meeting
Photos: New Renderings Show Updated Exterior Of Wizard’s Practice Facility
Costs Of Wizards Practice Facility Is Already Up By $10 Million
Photos: See The First Renderings Of Future Wizards Practice Facility
Activists Disrupt Bowser’s Demolition Of St. Elizabeths
Both Congress Heights Neighbors And Mystics Fans Are Skeptical Of Basketball Complex