WALKER, Mich. — After nearly 25 years of hosting concerts and other events, DeltaPlex Arena is closing its doors.
DeltaPlex Arena President Joel Langlois announced Wednesday that the DeltaPlex will permanently close on July 31, 2022.
According to Langlois, the decision to close comes after COVID-19 pandemic caused the venue to close for more than 16 months.
During that time, Langlois says, many expenses continued during that time with very little income coming in.
The DeltaPlex, previously known as the Stadium Arena, was built in 1952. Over the decades, the building evolved and reopened in 1998 after an extensive, ground-up restoration.
Here’s the full statement from Langlois on the closure:
“It is with mixed emotions that I am announcing that the DeltaPlex will be closing and ceasing business as of July 31, 2022.
We have been impacted by many circumstances which were out of our control. The effect of the Covid virus on our community was devastating, and the mandated shutdown of our business for over 16 months created an extraordinary hardship. During that time, many of our expenses did not stop while we saw little to no income. The few events and facility use over that time were, for the most part, done without any expectation of rent and was done as part of our civic obligation to give back to our community during a difficult time.
Even though the past few years have been challenging, the decision to close has been difficult. Over the past 25 years, Lee Anne and I have been honored to come to know many wonderful people, many of which we now refer to as family. Our team of hard-working and loyal staff, many great clients, City of Walker and the West Michigan community have all worked alongside of us to build this business.
With that all being said, we are at a point in life where we feel it is time to move on to the next chapter. We have been humbled by the dedication of the many people around us and will be working with them to provide future opportunities.”
The DeltaPlex is home to the Grand Rapids Gold.
Steve Jbara, founder and president of the Grand Rapids Gold, said in a statement to FOX 17 that the team is well on its way to finding a new home.
“We’re very thankful for the seasons we played at the DeltaPlex Arena. We enjoyed some truly special moments there with our players, our staff, and our fans, and we’re grateful to Joel Langlois for seven years of excitement in that space. Gratefully, knowing this announcement was coming, we are well on our way to finding a new home in Grand Rapids, one that further solidifies our efforts to elevate all aspects of our fan experience."
