Harford Community College Officially Opens New 3,200 seat APG Federal Credit Union Arena

From Harford Community College:

On December 4, Maryland State Senators Barry Glassman and J. B. Jennings, Maryland State Delegates Susan McComas and Kathy Szeliga, Harford County Executive David Craig, Harford County Council President Billy Boniface, Harford County Council members Dion Guthrie, Mary Ann Lisanti, James McMahon, Chad Shrodes, Richard Slutzky, and Joseph Woods, and other community and business leaders attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony and court dedication for the official opening of the new 3,200 seat APG Federal Credit Union Arena at Harford Community College. The Arena is the largest indoor venue in Northeastern Maryland. Funding for the project was provided by the State, Harford County, and the College.

The new facility, under construction since groundbreaking in August 2011, will be used for sporting events for the College’s basketball and volleyball teams in addition to community and regional events, commencements, concerts, special events, fundraising activities, meetings, conferences, and trade shows. Hord Coplan Macht was the architect, and Turner Construction oversaw the construction work for the project.

APG Federal Credit Union’s partnership with the College for the arena naming rights that was announced earlier this year includes an annual contribution of just over $50,000 per year over 15 years. The financial support funds scholarships for Harford students, as well as operations and programming in the Arena.

“We are of course grateful for the significant financial support from the State of Maryland and Harford County. Without their financial assistance, our dream of this magnificent arena would not have been realized. We thank them for having the confidence and foresight to support this facility. In the future, we hope to prove what a great investment they made. We are also thankful for the support from the APG Federal Credit Union. Their lead gift and ongoing sponsorship will allow the College to make this a one-of-a-kind venue for all of Harford County to enjoy for years to come,” said Dennis Golladay, President of Harford Community College.

Several events will be held at the Arena in the coming months. The Harlem Globetrotters will perform to a sold-out crowd on December 30; Family Fun Fest Day, a free open house for the general public, will be held on January 12; Fighting Owl Bobblehead Night and Extreme Team Dunk Show is scheduled for February 1; MD JUCO Conference Men’s and Women’s College Basketball Tournaments will be held February 14-17; 14th Annual Alumni & Friends Wine Expo is scheduled on February 24; Northern Chesapeake Modern Living Expo will be held March 22-24; Northern Chesapeake Women’s Expo is scheduled on May 4-5; and Northern Chesapeake Men’s Expo will take place June 8-9. In addition, five Harford County high school graduations have been lined up for June.

The Arena is located adjacent to the newly renovated Susquehanna Center; the original 1968 athletic facility has doubled in capacity and includes an expanded, state-of-the-art fitness center, dance studio, modernized swimming pool, multipurpose gymnasium, up-to-date learning technologies throughout, plus space for instruction, meetings, and community use.

In conjunction with the opening of the Arena, Harford Community College is conducting a seat-naming campaign. Twelve hundred seats are available for naming at a cost of $100 per seat. Information about the seat-naming opportunities is available from Denise Dregier, HCC Director for College and Alumni Development, 443-412-2428 or ddregier@harford.edu.

For more information about the APG Federal Credit Union Arena at Harford Community College, visit harford.edu/arena or call 443-412-2570.