Mobile Arena’s Half‑Way Milestone and the New Hockey Team Reveal

The Mobile Arena is halfway finished, with a big beam lifted to the top of the frame in a ceremony that marked 50 % completion. City officials, builders and the arena’s future manager from Colorado signed a beam to celebrate this progress. The mayor said the structure is now a “catalyst” for jobs, tourism and new events. A new minor‑league hockey team will start playing in the arena when it opens in January 2027. The owners, a Jacksonville company called Zawyer Sports & Entertainment, plan to announce the team’s name, logo and ticket details in an “epic event” in June. They want to keep the mystery a bit longer, so they won’t reveal whether the new team will use the old Mysticks name that played there 24 years ago.The arena is also set to host Mardi Gras balls from January 2027. The venue’s manager is talking with several mystic societies to fit the balls into the new space and keep costs reasonable. The mayor promised that no group would be forced out because of high fees. Construction has used 3, 250 tons of steel and the future arena will seat 10, 275 people. The project cost was originally budgeted at about $250 million and is now under budget, with a new inspection contract that costs only half of what was first planned. The building firm expects the roof to be finished before hurricane season, which would protect the structure from weather damage. The arena is part of a larger $300 million investment in downtown Mobile, aiming to bring more concerts, shows and sports events to the area. The council will vote soon on a title sponsor for the arena, which could give it a new name.