Originally Published:
Article Written By: Regina Elling, The San Diego Union Tribune
If the walls at Pechanga Arena could talk, Ryan Golden has some idea of what they might say.
That’s because Golden — who took over as general manager of the iconic sports and entertainment arena in January — has been listening to stories of people’s experiences at the Midway District venue for years.
Whether it’s thousands of screaming girls waiting to see a Harry Styles concert, fans at a San Diego Gulls hockey game or a mixed martial arts world title bout or children lined up to watch “Disney on Ice,” Pechanga Arena has hosted thousands of events since it opened in 1966 as the San Diego International Sports Arena.
“Everyone has a cool story of the time they saw someone they were a fan of,” Golden said. “Stuff like that makes this place so special.
“I love that part of this industry — hearing the stories of a child being totally focused on an event or a couple’s special night out or a game or a concert. It resonates and keeps me coming back.”
The 14,000-capacity arena is operated by ASM Global and Legends and is owned by the city of San Diego. The Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians, owner of the Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, holds the naming rights.
Before becoming the arena’s GM, Golden had been assistant general manager since 2021, overseeing operations such as security, guest services, capital improvements and setup for teams and events.
As general manager, he now has all those responsibilities, as well as booking.
“I handle ticketing issues, anything to do with the box office, oversee marketing and advertising for shows, as well as administrative issues from [human resources] and finance,” he said.
“Ryan has a deep understanding of the arena’s operations, and over the past few years, he has proven he is the right person to take over at the helm,” Felix Mussenden, senior vice president of arenas, stadiums and theaters for ASM Global, said in a statement.
Golden’s predecessor as GM, Steve Eckerson, remains at the arena in a consulting role while spending more time with his family and traveling, Golden said.
“He’s been doing this over 30 years and has been a great mentor for me,” Golden said. “People adore him and what he’s done for the industry.”
Despite the multitude of challenges with every event, “we strive for no hiccups,” Golden said.
But it’s not always easy in the nearly 60-year-old arena.
“This building can be really hard to work in,” he said, noting that there are no elevators. “And keeping a building of this age pristine so people can overlook that — the work is never done.”
And once the sports figures and celebrities leave after an event, the staff still has a lot of work to do. From picking up and loading folding chairs to filling bags with trash, everyone pitches in, Golden said.
“It’s great to be surround by a team that cares and feels accountable for all those pieces that might not be the funnest part of the job but still have to be done,” he said.
Golden said he discovered his passion for the entertainment industry between his college courses and an internship for the Hartford Wolf Pack hockey team at the Hartford Civic Center in Connecticut.
After growing up with his mother and brother in small-town Merrimack, N.H., Golden graduated in 2003 after four years at the University of Connecticut.
His desire to ditch the cold weather after graduation led him to San Diego, and within a month he landed a job with the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League. But upon commuting back and forth for six months, he realized that “Anaheim and San Diego weren’t that close after all.”
It didn’t take long for Golden to move from the Ducks to the Los Angeles Kings, where he took a marketing manager position with Kings owner Anschutz Entertainment Group, or AEG.
He lived in Redondo Beach for the next 15-plus years, spending time at AEG as vice president of events for the Microsoft Theater (now named the Peacock Theater) and L.A. Live in Los Angeles.
His wife, Meghan, also works in the industry; they met at an industry event. They have a son, Wesley, 9, a daughter, McKenna, 5, and a goldendoodle, Winnie, now a year old.
After the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, “I knew I wanted to get back down to San Diego,” Golden said, noting that he and his wife have family ties in the area.
“Even during 15 years of living in Los Angeles, I wouldn’t change my San Diego phone number,” he said.
Still, managing Pechanga Arena carries some uncertainty, given that the city plans to redevelop the 48-acre property containing the arena. But Golden said that’s part of what attracted him to the job.
Midway Rising, the team (including Legends) that is working with the city on the project, proposes a new 16,000-seat arena with state-of-the-art amenities, plus 4,250 new homes — about 2,000 of which would be designated affordable for low- and middle-income households — and a walkable center including entertainment, food, retail and parks.
“There is such an illustrious history with this arena, but it’s time to create a new arena for new generations of fans, for new experiences and new memories,” Golden said.
Golden said the city hopes to release an environment impact report on the project in the next few weeks, and he’s hopeful the plans will be approved by the end of the year and the new arena could open by 2028.
The day the new venue opens will be special for San Diego, Golden said, and he’s already looking forward to hearing the stories.
Pechanga Arena is at 3500 Sports Arena Blvd. For more information, visit pechangaarenasd.com.
