OAK VIEW GROUP AND MCLENNAN DESIGN REVEAL ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY VISION FOR COACHELLA VALLEY ARENA

Green-Inspired Commitments Developed in Conjunction with Populous And ME Engineers

Creates Positive Environmental Impact for Valley
Coachella Valley Arena Sets to Achieve Carbon Neutrality for
All Operations By 2025

PALM SPRINGS, CALIF. – May 6, 2021 – Oak View Group (OVG), the global venue development, advisory, and investment company for the sports and live entertainment industries, McLennan Design, a regenerative architecture, planning, and design firm focused on deep green sustainability, today announced the overall environmental sustainability plans for the Coachella Valley Arena, a new state-of-the-art, privately financed sports and entertainment arena near the City of Palm Desert. Developed in conjunction with global design and architecture firm Populous and global engineering design firm ME Engineers, the vision represents Oak View Group’s commitment to inspiring positive change and the urgent need for climate action while building and operating the most progressive, responsible, and sustainable venues of the future.

“Sustainability is one of the core values of Oak View Group and is embedded in all our activities, said Tim Leiweke, CEO of Oak View Group. “All of our arenas in both the U.S. and around the world, from the UBS Arena in New York to Co-op Live in Manchester, and now Coachella Valley Arena, are putting sustainability at the heart of both design and operations.”

With the intention of achieving carbon neutrality for all operation by 2025, , Coachella Valley Arena will achieve the goal by scaling up on-site renewable energy over time and purchasing carbon offsets for the remaining carbon emissions from natural gas and non-renewable electricity.

The arena also announced it will utilize an array of other measurable and verifiable sustainable best practices to lessen the impact on the environment and focusing on areas such as energy and carbon; waste and materials; water; site and transportation; and health and wellness. These include features such as energy-efficient lighting, low-flow/waterless plumbing fixtures, energy recovery mechanical systems, groundwater supply recharge, recycled water irrigation, use of locally adapted plant material, and a photovoltaic array. The arena is also targeting Zero Waste by diverting 97%+ of waste from landfills. Additionally, upon opening, approximately 25% of the arena’s overall energy demand will come from on-site photovoltaics (P.V.).

“The Coachella Valley Arena project is another example of OVG’s leadership merging sustainability with sports,” said Jason F. McLennan, CEO, McLennan Design. “Each year thousands of people will visit one of the greenest venues in the world – and see first-hand the power of renewable energy to help reduce climate impacts. The project’s goal of achieving full carbon neutrality further exemplifies OVG’s commitment to creating a truly sustainable future for the sports and entertainment industry.”

Robert Norvell, principal, Populous commented, “Coachella Valley Arena is a venue unlike any other. The windswept forms of the exterior reflect the natural vernacular of the desert landscape with palm tree islands as an oasis and respite from the harsh sun. The exterior has eliminated all southern and western glazing and oriented the public exterior spaces and glazing to the east and north protecting these spaces and the building from excess UV exposure. The venue offers unique experiences by harnessing the warm climate of the desert year-round, giving guests outdoor experiences that reduce the overall enclosed space thus reducing the carbon footprint required to maintain a larger internal volume. The arena’s seating bowl is buried in the earth lessening the exposure of the façade, downsizing its overall height, and allowing direct access to the main concourse eliminating the need for escalators.”

Coachella Valley Arena

Environmental Sustainability Vision and Commitments: Summary of Findings

Overall Vision

Upon opening, approximately 25% of the arena’s overall energy demand will come from on-site photovoltaics (P.V.).
Solar-covered parking canopies will supply power to the arena as well as provide shading for outdoor thermal comfort.
Upon opening, the arena will be offsetting all carbon emissions from natural gas use in the building through carbon offsets by a reputable, to be announced, conservation organization. These offsets will be measurable, additional, and third-party verified.
To achieve full carbon neutrality, future expansion of the PV system is planned to maximize renewable energy on-site once net metering is allowed. A key partner for this future expansion is the local utility company with who we are working closely to push for infrastructure and net-metering systems that would allow excess energy generated on-site to be used by the arena, or sold back to the grid and utilized by the surrounding community.
Additionally – Coachella Valley Arena is targeting Zero Waste by diverting 97%+ from landfills.

Energy & Carbon

Site generated power from a 1MW P.V. array that will produce approximately 25% of the building’s total energy use.
Offsetting all carbon emissions from gas use
EV charging capabilities with planned expansion over time
All LED lighting and sports lighting.
Building and lighting controls to minimize energy usage / maximize building efficiency.
Ammonia refrigerant (zero GWP / zero ODP) ice plant.
High-efficiency condensing boilers and water heaters for building and domestic water heating.
Water-cooled chiller plant for high-efficiency building cooling.
Airside economizers in all air-handling equipment.
Energy recovery in a majority of air-handling units.
Eliminated glazing at south and west façade to reduce heat gain and provide a more energy efficient exterior.
The building is sunk 25′ below-grade reducing exposed exterior façade and further increasing energy-efficiency.
Reflective “cool” roof material to reduce heat gain.

Waste & Materials

Targeting Zero Waste by diverting 97%+ from landfills.
Crafted concrete specification to permit low carbon concrete.
Optimized structural system to reduce material quantities.

Water

Waterless urinals in public men’s restrooms.
Low flow plumbing fixtures throughout the facility.
One-third of the project will utilize infiltration trenches that will capture and infiltrate the stormwater runoff, recharging the groundwater supply. The rest of the site will use vegetated swales that are incorporated into the site landscape. These swales will also recharge the groundwater supply and provide some passive irrigation to the planting within them.
As part of the overall site-specific plan, the 100-year storm runoff from the Arena project will be retained on the property to reduce the overall runoff leaving the site.

Site & Transportation

Use of native and locally adapted plant material to reduce required maintenance and irrigation, minimize stormwater runoff, which has the potential to provide benefits to local wildlife.
Use of trees and larger plantings to help reduce heat island effect.
Use of recycled water for on-site irrigation.
Working to expand mass transit options with Sunline
Promote connectivity with walkways to connect to existing and future development.
Promote alternative transportation by providing bicycle racks and pathways, as well as areas on-site that may be designated for rideshare drop-off/pick-up.

Health & Wellness

CO2 monitoring for ventilation efficiency.
All products meet the requirements of SCAQMD (South Coast Air Quality Management District) VOC limits for Interior adhesives, sealants, and coatings, which meets LEED V4 requirements for indoor air quality.

Located on 43.35 acres of land at I-10 and Cook Street, in Riverside County on land owned by the Berger Foundation, the arena will be more than 300,000 square feet and feature 11,000-plus seats and include modern suites and premium hospitality clubs. It will be the home of the Seattle Kraken’s American Hockey League (AHL) team and will include an adjoining facility that will serve as a year-round community gathering space and the training center for the AHL team.

With a focus on the prioritization of technology, sustainability, and green initiatives, the world-class arena will also be built for music and host the best and biggest names in the music industry on an annual basis. In addition to sports and entertainment, the arena will accommodate conventions, large meetings, international events, as well as award shows and exhibitions and will be privately funded at no risk to Riverside County taxpayers. Construction of the new arena is expected to create hundreds of permanent and temporary jobs for the community. The arena is projected to open in the last quarter of 2022.

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About Oak View Group (OVG)

Oak View Group (OVG) is a global sports and entertainment company founded by Tim Leiweke and Irving Azoff in 2015. OVG is focused on being a positive disruption to business as usual in the sports and live entertainment industry and currently has eight divisions across four global offices (Los Angeles, New York, London, and Philadelphia). OVG is leading the redevelopment and operations of Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle, WA, and UBS Arena in Elmont, NY as well as leading arena development projects in Austin, TX, Manchester, UK, and Milan, Italy. OVG Global Partnerships, a division of OVG, is the sales and marketing arm responsible for selling across all OVG Arena Development projects.