ADDRESS: 200 Apex Drive Wytheville, VA 24382
Know Before You Go!!!
MENU
ABOUT
Hitachi Energy Arena (previously known as the Appalachian Regional Exposition Center or APEX Center) is a multi-purpose sports and entertainment venue located in Wytheville, Virginia. The arena seats 3,650 for ice hockey, and 5,000 for concerts and other events.
Construction of the 90,000 square-foot facility began in the fall of 2017, and was completed shortly after the turn of the decade. Originally built as a dirt floor, an ice plant was installed in the summer of 2023. The Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL) granted an expansion franchise to an ownership group that realized Wythe County's underserved hockey fan population, and ice rink installation was completed in September 2023. The Blue Ridge Bobcats began play as Southwest Virginia's first professional sports franchise in October 2023.
On June 19th, 2024, the facility announced a five-year naming rights agreement with Hitachi Energy Corporation to rename the facility "Hitachi Energy Arena".
The five-year agreement runs through 2029, and contains an option to extend for an additional five years through 2034.
Construction will begin August 1st on 3,650 brand new seats, being built on a steeper incline for an enhanced hockey viewing experience and in-arena atmosphere like no other. Construction is expected to be completed by mid-September. Upgrades will also be made to the arena's locker rooms as well as visual aides throughout the venue.
Hitachi, a global leader in its field with a plant located in nearby Bland, VA, along with Wythe County and Apex Drive Holdings are wholly committed to ensuring the long-term success of the facility, "Fueling Fun" throughout the region year-round, and in turn ensuring a commitment to success for the Bobcats on the Hitachi Energy Arena ice.
The Bobcats will formally open the ice at Hitachi Energy Arena when the franchise begins its second season in the Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL) in mid-October.
This state-of-the-art facility will not only be the home of the Bobcats, but home to their growing and passionate fanbase, and be the premier sports and entertainment destination in the New River Valley.
For more information on the arena, please visit the venue's brand-new website at hitachienergyarena.com.