UTICA — If you build it, they will come. That was the premise behind the Utica University Nexus Center, and it has more than proven true. The 169,440-square-foot facility at 400 Oriskany St. West opened in November 2022 with a goal to attract sports tournaments. It has done that in spades, including hosting the 2024 […]
UTICA — If you build it, they will come.
That was the premise behind the Utica University Nexus Center, and it has more than proven true.
The 169,440-square-foot facility at 400 Oriskany St. West opened in November 2022 with a goal to attract sports tournaments. It has done that in spades, including hosting the 2024 International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Women’s World Championship. The international ice-hockey tournament, which included 10 national women’s hockey teams and spanned 12 days, drew total attendance of more than 68,000 across the 29 games played. The event was the highest-ever attended IIHF Women’s World Championship in the United States.
The tournament generated an estimated $3.4 million in spending around the area by those who attended.
The Utica University Nexus Center, which features three 200-foot by 85-foot multipurpose playing surfaces that can be utilized as ice sheets or turf, hosts more than just hockey, says Chief Revenue Officer Keith Veronesi. “It’s a multi-function recreation space, not just hockey.”
The Nexus Center is also attached via walkway to the Adirondack Bank Center at the Utica Auditorium next door, adding a fourth surface.
“We just held the American Cornhole League here,” Veronesi says. That event drew more than 600 people and aired on ESPN.
The Nexus Center has also hosted a number of expos including The Home Show and an antique clock show.
“The building is just about at capacity most of the time,” Veronesi says, with the summer months being especially busy with events like indoor soccer.
It’s a good problem to have but can come with challenges, he notes. The Nexus Center will continue to work with USA Hockey for events, which means the organization books venue time far in advance to guarantee the location. That makes the venue less available for other events.
“We’re becoming a destination to these types of events,” Veronesi says. The facility itself is a draw, but so is its location, situated near the NYS Thruway and easy to get to. It offers lots of hotels, restaurants, and other nearby activities that help make the Nexus Center a popular choice.
Located in downtown Utica, the Nexus Center joins other recent projects including the Wynn Hospital and the City of Utica’s Harbor Point development that are revitalizing the downtown district.
“I think the Nexus Center has been pivotal to the revitalization,” Veronesi contends.
The center employs a small full-time operations team and brings in more staff to turn over the building before and after events.
