Distrito T-Mobile Puerto Rico game changer

Article posted by Coliseum, July 18^th, 2025

Image: Coliseum GSVA

Jorge L. Pérez who is a top-drawer executive with the ASM Global Puerto Rico narrates the story of Puerto Rico (unincorporated territory of the United States) rising-like-a-phoenix-from-the-ashes – the resilience and recovery of the Caribbean island following spells of disaster and hardship.

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He describes Puerto Rico as “our comeback story” and tells how the small island has weathered many storms – the Zika epidemic in 2016, bankruptcy in May 2017, Hurricane Maria in September 2017, and then the pandemic in March 2020 – and while Puerto Rico did not come out unscathed but it faced the storm and today the island is emerging as a premier entertainment destination in the form of the Distrito T-Mobile. Helping Puerto Rico script the success story is the venue development company ASM Global.

As the Regional General Manager (GM) for the venue management company ASM Global, Puerto Rico, Jorge L. Pérez oversees the daily operations and management of over 1,000,000 square feet of premier, award-winning venues for entertainment, sports, meetings, and conventions in the island.

In a candid conversation with ‘Coliseum’, Jorge L. Pérez, CVE, Regional General Manager (GM), ASM Global, Puerto Rico, speaks with certitude how Puerto Rico has come back from the brink and is today experiencing a significant rise as a premier entertainment destination (Distrito T-Mobile) with tourism flourishing. He further says that leveraging its global expertise in venue management the ASM Global is boosting Puerto Rico’s economic development by managing key convention and entertainment venues. Pérez also states, “Puerto Rico has 40 percent of the population living below the poverty line. If we were to be a part of the United States of America we would be three times poorer than Mississippi which is a poor State. Yet, we have more Walmarts (an American multinational retail corporation) and Walgreens (an American company that operates one of the largest drugstore chains in the United States) per square mile than any place in the world.”

ASM Global

Los Angeles (US)-based the ASM Global is a leading venue management company and producer of live event experiences. Acquired by the premium experiences company Legends in 2024 with over 400 premier venues worldwide the ASM Global operates and invests in the world’s most important stadiums, the arenas, the convention centers, and the theaters including the entertainment districts and the mixed-use developments.

Jorge L. Pérez began by informing that the Legends and the ASM Global “joined forces recently to create the world’s leading live events company dedicated to delivering unforgettable fan experiences. I create memorable experiences and focus day in and day out on that. We grow innovation, profits and iconic events – World Cup, Super Bowls, Olympics, and the Final Four. The Legends and the ASM Global provide a wide array of tailored data-driven solutions from feasibility studies, project development, partnerships, venue management, and hospitality.”

Puerto Rico Resilience

Though Puerto Rico felt the pain of the pandemic, the Zika epidemic, the largest Municipal bankruptcy ever in the United States “which had a huge impact on the economy”, and Hurricane Maria which left a trail of death and destruction behind but the resilience of the people of the island is something to write home about.

The island also stands out among the global tourism destinations due to its unique blend of natural and cultural assets, modern infrastructure and business-friendly policies gaining international recognition.

He added, “We had a group of private investors who reached out to Legends and ASM Global. They had the vision of creating this amazing entertainment district right across the street from our 30,000-capacity Puerto Rico Convention Center – the Distrito T-Mobile in San Juan which opened in 2021, a vibrant complex offering a wide array of entertainment options including live music, dining, ziplining, immersive digital experiences, movie theaters, arcades, and more. This is where the game changed for Puerto Rico. We also have the ASM Global-managed 4,000-capacity Coca-Cola Music Hall and we are the exclusive brokers for the owners and the developers in naming rights and commercial partnerships.”

Distrito T-Mobile

Pérez pointed out that the synergy of resources propelled the Distrito T-Mobile to meet the international standards transforming it into a premier destination that now attracts high-profile global events and productions that once bypassed the island – “Adding to its appeal the Distrito T-Mobile is seamlessly complemented by the neighboring venues under the management of the ASM Global including the Coca-Cola Music Hall, the 19,500-capacity Coliseo de Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rico Convention Center creating a dynamic and interconnected entertainment hub.”

Challenges Galore

The ASM Global top shot said that they faced challenges galore – due to the pandemic for 18 months no revenue was generated and it was a scenario of shoestring budget – “We told the Government to assign funds as we wanted to hard sell Puerto Rico as a premier destination. The Distrito T-Mobile was completed but due to COVID the scheduled opening was pending. Though we were still facing the effects of Zika, fiscal crisis and the crippling effects of Hurricane Marie and the global pandemic we saw a silver lining, a way out of the crisis, live entertainment (Distrito T-Mobile). Soon, we landed major acts like the Dick Clark’s (American TV personality and radio host) New Year Rockin’ Eve – 2021, 2022 and 2023. The second big one was the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Backlash and Smackdown in May 2023. Both the events broke Internet viewership records as well as sales for merchandise and memorabilia. The organization proclaimed the Backlash event as the ‘highest grossing and most viewed Backlash’ in the WWE history.”

Soon, more major events followed and the cash registers chimed.

Conclusion

Puerto Rico’s ability to flip a crisis and craft promotional efforts to attract main events piqued the attention of the world-class events and the producers wielding top revenues during a global pandemic – “We faced budget challenges coming out of a global crisis. Our strategy required cuts and aimed at creating confidence with our public sector partner.”

He affirmed, “In Puerto Rico we have elite venues, we have great gastronomy and we have great culture. Today, Puerto Rico has become a vibrant hub for the world-renowned artistes, international sporting events and cultural showcases drawing audiences from across the globe. The venue managed by the ASM Global for the Puerto Rico Convention District Authority, including the Coliseo de Puerto Rico, the Puerto Rico Convention Center and the Coca-Cola Music Hall within the Distrito T-Mobile – have played a pivotal role in the transformation. These celebrated spaces have not only elevated tourism but has also fostered a deep sense of local pride.”

Jorge L. Pérez concluded by stating, “The conclusion is that when you have companies like the Legends and ASM Global managing the venues and you have a Government that has a shared vision of what is excellence the end result is the Coliseo de Puerto Rico finishing in the last three years in No 12, No 15 and No 16 in global ticket sales. That’s pretty impressive when you compare to the destinations we are competing against.”

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