Bossier City, LA – The City of Bossier City and CenturyLink, Inc. announce that Bossier City’s CenturyTel Center will become the CenturyLink Center later this year. The rebranding is a result of a License and Naming Agreement (“Agreement”) between the City of Bossier City and CenturyTel Service Group, LLC d/b/a CenturyLink. Under the Agreement, CenturyLink will pay the City of Bossier City $3,250,000 to have the naming rights to the arena for 10 years.
CenturyTel began operating under the name CenturyLink in mid-2009 following the company’s acquisition of Embarq Corporation. The company held the naming rights to the Bossier City arena with the CenturyTel name under a previous 10-year agreement with the city. The company entered into the new Agreement under the CenturyLink name in late October 2010. Rebranding the Center as the CenturyLink Center became a priority after the company acquired Qwest Communications International, Inc. in April, and launched a major CenturyLink brand announcement campaign in the legacy Qwest service areas in late May with plans to launch the CenturyLink brand across those service areas in early August.
“CenturyLink has enjoyed a positive relationship with the City of Bossier and we are pleased to have reached an agreement to retain the naming rights to the Center,” said Stuart Keyes, Director of CLEC sales for CenturyLink, said. “CenturyLink is committed to our customers and to improving the quality of life for the citizens in our markets and surrounding areas. We believe the CenturyLink Center provides value to the entire region as it hosts sporting and entertainment events and serves as a resource to the community.”
“The city is thrilled to renew this partnership with CenturyLink,” said Mayor Lorenz Walker. “The arena now has a new name, but what hasn’t change is the commitment of Bossier City and SMG management to maintain the CenturyLink Center as the premier venue for northwest Louisiana.”
Interim General Manager, Brodie McMahon, adds “We’re excited to bring more first rate entertainment to the CenturyLink Center.” Since 1977, SMG has provided management services to more than 220 public assembly facilities including arenas, stadiums, theatres and performing arts centers, equestrian facilities and convention, congress and exhibition centers. As the recognized global industry leader, SMG manages more than 11 million square feet of exhibition space.
CenturyLink is the third largest telecommunications company in the United States. The company provides broadband, voice and wireless services to consumers and businesses across the country. It also offers advanced entertainment services under the CenturyLinkTM PrismTM TV and DIRECTV brands. In addition, the company provides data, voice and managed services to business, government and wholesale customers in local, national and select international markets through its high-quality advanced fiber optic network and multiple data centers. CenturyLink is recognized as a leader in the network services market by key technology industry analyst firms. CenturyLink’s customers range from Fortune 500 companies in some of the country’s largest cities to families living in rural America.
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