The Stockton Marina is looking to be revitalised by SMG, a worldwide venue management company that manages over 260 venues around the world.
“Our kind of mainstay is in arenas, football stadiums, convention centers, we do have a couple unique venues with Equestrian Parks, public community ice rinks and now a marina,” said General Manage Kendra Clark.
SMG manages other locations in Stockton, such as the Stockton Arena, the Stockton Ballpark, the Bob Hope Theatre and Oak Park Ice Arena.
All but the Ice Arena are located downtown.
All of these venues hold special events. For example, there may be another women’s NCAA tournament in the Stockton Arena, according to Clark.
“In March, we actually hosted the NCAA Women’s Regional Basketball tournament, and Stockton actually was number two out of the Last four cites for attendance,” said Clark.
The Marina has been around since 2009 and the company in charge of it before SMG left Stockton about a year and a half ago, leading to the city self operate.
“What kind of intrigued our company, because this is our first marina, is that we saw potential down here on the waterfront,” said Clark. “So, with the horseshoe of the ballpark, and then the arena, Weber Point and then the Marina, we really want to create a destination down here, and give people a reason to come down here.”
Some of the things SMG has in mind for the marina is a summer concert series, a weekly farmer’s market on the south short promenade and other events, along with a marina sundries store that sells snacks, drinks and whatever one would need before going out to the Delta.
SMG is looking to add Wi-Fi for those who live in their boats.
Another thing Clark wants to add is paddle boats.
“Families could come down here on the weekend, rent a paddle boat, paddle boat around, grab a bite to eat and then go to a Ports game,” said Clark. “There’s a lot of opportunity down here, and that’s what we’re excited about.”
The revitalization of the marina would be another attraction for Stocktonians to visit while downtown, along with the smaller businesses opening up in the area.
“You have Ten Space, who has taken over basically a block and is starting to redevelop is with Trail Coffee, it’s getting ready to open up next week, and there’s a upscale hair salon thats on that same block now,” Clark said. “And then across the street you have The Deliberation Room.”
SMG’s ultimate goal is to make an event destination out of the Stockton Marina.
“That’s our commitment to the city,” said Clark. “We want to reduce subsidy, that’s the number one goal at all, now five venues. But ultimately, to do that, you have to create the destination, you have to give people a reason to come down here.
And all these venues connect to each other, so the ball park, the arena, the marina, the theatre and even Oak Park Ice Rink, there’ synergy between all five venues and that’s what we look forward to further developing and diving into, and getting people downtown.”