PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — The sports and concert venue known affectionately as “The Dunk” by Rhode Islanders could soon have a new name.
Or, it could continue being called the Dunkin’ Donuts Center.
The naming rights for the arena in downtown Providence expire on April 20, and no extension agreement has been reached, Daniel McConaghy, executive director of the Rhode Island Convention Center Authority told the House Finance Committee on Tuesday.
Negotiations with the coffee shop chain are ongoing, and other options are on the table, he said, without getting into specifics.
“We are discussing the opportunity with Dunkin’ Donuts and we are also looking at other options that will best serve the state of Rhode Island,” McConaghy said.
The 14,000-seat arena that opened in 1972 and was originally known as the Providence Civic Center has been called the Dunkin’ Donuts Center since 2001.
It is home to the Providence College men’s basketballl team and the minor league Providence Bruins hockey team. It also hosts concerts and other events that draw large crowds. During the coronavirus pandemic it has served as a testing and a mass vaccination site.
McConaghy recently announced that the building needs its leaky roof replaced, which is expected to cost nearly $8 million.
