Green light for SAP Center renovations

Article posted by Coliseum, September 4^th, 2025

Image: San Jose Sharks and Perkins and Will

The SAP Center home of the NHL’s San Jose Shark’s will undergo a major $425 million renovation project after the City Council gave the scheme the green light.

Sharks Hockey Digest said that after releasing a memorandum of understanding on August 15, the San Jose City Council held a vote on the proposed redevelopment. The City Council voted unanimously in favor of approval.

The upgrades will not only affect the Sharks, but also other entertainment events held at the venue.

The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, US. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference and are owned by the San Jose Sports & Entertainment Enterprises.

The 17,562-capacity SAP Center at San Jose is an indoor arena located in San Jose, California, US. Its primary tenant is the San Jose Sharks of the NHL, for which the arena has earned the nickname ‘The Shark Tank’.

Image: San Jose Sharks and Perkins and Will

The Sharks have played at the SAP Center since 1993, winning six division titles. The arena is among the oldest in the NHL and has gone without a major renovation.

During the presentation to the City Council, the Sharks proposed multiple upgrades. This included assisting visiting NHL teams with their route from the locker room to the bench.

Jonathan Becher, President of Sharks Sports & Entertainment, said in a statement, “The Sharks have been proud to play in San Jose for the last 30+ years and look forward to another 25 more.

“While we have consistently invested our own funds to maintain the city-owned SAP Center and intend to continue doing so, this partnership with the City of San Jose will bring much-needed renovations and improvements for arena guests, the teams, and performers.”

Image: San Jose Sharks and Perkins and Will

San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan was thrilled with the result of the council vote, stating that the Sharks truly mean a great deal to the city of San Jose.

Mahan said, “This is an exciting day for San Jose. It’s certainly one of the biggest announcements that I’ll have the honor of making as San Jose’s mayor, and I can definitely say it’s one that all of our residents care about.

“That’s because our Sharks make us proud. Our Sharks bring us together. To be frank, our Sharks bring a lot of the vibrancy and tax dollars to help fund the services we all rely on, and support an incredible ecosystem for small businesses and our subculture organizations.”

During the presentation to the San Jose City Council, 16 public members provided comments. All of them were in favor of the city approving the deal, including one who admitted to being cautious and originally against.

Image: San Jose Sharks and Perkins and Will

Becher added: “I wasn’t here in ’93 when the building opened. But I gotta imagine, it feels similar. We have a new beginning on the ice with a brand-new team and a lot of hope here. This is somehow parallel to that.

“We don’t know exactly every renovation we’re going to do, but knowing that we got at least 25 more years in this building, knowing we have a chance to make it a world-class facility again, as it was when it first opened, it just feels like home.”

Becher said that a better detailed plan of what will get done and when should become more apparent in March of 2026.

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