The Now Arena (originally known as the Sears Centre , Sears Centre Arena and stylized as NOW Arena ) is a multi-purpose arena in Hoffman Estates, Illinois , a northwest suburb 25 miles (40 km) from Chicago , near land which formerly contained the Poplar Creek Music Theater . Since 2016, the arena has been home to the Windy City Bulls , the Chicago Bulls ' affiliate in the NBA G League .
6-644: The Holiday Showcase was an annual musical holiday stage show presented at the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, Illinois . It was put on by the Elgin Symphony Orchestra and featured Cirque du Soleil . The Phantom of the Opera star, Doug LaBrecque hosted the first Holiday Showcase at the newly opened Sears Centre in 2006. It featured the Elgin Symphony Orchestra , Cirque du Soleil aerialists, and
12-682: A chorus of over 400. The one-night event was a success leading to the Holiday Showcase continuing the next two years. Reflecting on the prior year's Holiday Showcase, music director of the Elgin Symphony Orchestra Robert Hanson stated, "The move to the Sears Centre came about when an ESO Elgin Symphony Orchestra board member, who also is a Sears Centre board member, suggested we consider having our holiday show at
18-520: A joint venture between Sears Holdings , Ryan Companies, and the Village of Hoffman Estates. The project began in 1998; however, plans were not finalized until 2005. Construction began in July 2005. The venue opened as Sears Centre on October 26, 2006, with performances by Duran Duran and Bob Dylan . In 2011, the Village of Hoffman Estates took over ownership of the arena after Ryan Companies walked away from
24-570: The Sears Centre." For the past 25 years, the Elgin Symphony Orchestra had held holiday concerts at The Hemmens Cultural Center . The 2007 Holiday Showcase was hosted by soprano Diane Penning and tenor Benjamin Brecher and featured Cirque du Soleil aerialists and jugglers, director Michael Weber, the Elgin Symphony Orchestra , and Olympic ice skaters Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov . Tony Award -winning vocalist Jodi Benson hosted
30-450: The arena due to the arena's lack of success. However, since the village took over the arena and hired Global Spectrum to manage it, the arena has shown improvement. The naming rights to the arena were not affected by Sears Holdings declaring bankruptcy in 2018, with the company paying $ 1.5 million to secure naming rights for an additional 18 months. On June 23, 2020, the Village of Hoffman Estates approved an $ 11.5 million deal to rename
36-401: The third annual Holiday Showcase in 2008 and the show became known as the biggest holiday event in the area. It featured Cirque du Soleil aerialists and jugglers, the Elgin Symphony Orchestra , and Olympic ice skaters Melissa Gregory and Denis Petukhov . They also teamed up with charity Toys for Tots collecting before the start of the performance. Sears Centre The venue was
#131868