Major technology campus Port San Antonio in Texas (US) has unlocked plans to build a new innovation center that will include a 2,500 seat esports arena. The technology campus is already home to leading aerospace, cybersecurity, defence, robotics, and other advanced operations.
The new building will consume $60 million and will span 130,000ft2. It will be funded through a commercial loan, which the Port will repay through multiple revenue streams generated by the facility, including entertainment events, conferences and industry partnerships.
The planned center will be run by Los Angeles (US)-based venue and events management company ASM Global and will be a prime destination that engages hundreds of thousands of people annually from throughout the region, across the country and around the globe.
They will include competitors and spectators of major esports events, students and their families participating in entertainment, cultural and learning experiences; and technical aficionados who will use the facility to collaborate while they create, demonstrate and sell their latest technological innovations.
The building’s key components under a single roof will serve multiple functions simultaneously. They are:
- A 2,500-seat state-of-the-art technology arena that can be configured for different uses, including esports competitions, concerts, product launches and large training programs. Retractable seating will allow the space to host conventions and conferences;
- Space that will serve as the new home of the San Antonio Museum of Science and Technology (SAMSAT), which will stage numerous hands-on exhibits, demonstrations and classes. The area will also serve to showcase futuristic technologies as part of educational programs and will help companies demonstrate their innovations to prospective buyers;
- Integrated classrooms and meeting spaces to further support educational programs, smaller industry meetings and collaboration among different partners and their clients;
- A research and development lab that will provide scalable space and prototyping/ fabrication equipment to support the work of start-ups. It will also facilitate greater collaboration between technology companies of all sizes with universities and other research partners to help specific projects advance; and
- As a leading destination and community gathering space for a wide range of users, the facility will also feature a large 24-hour electronic gaming area and a full-scale food hall, including catering support for the various events hosted at the center.
Today, the campus is home to over 14,000 jobs, of which nearly 4,000 have been added by the Port’s tenant customers since the Tech Port vision was launched in 2018.
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