Wintrust Arena ribbon cutting

Oct. 19, 2017

Wintrust Arena opened to the public on Saturday with an official ribbon cutting ceremony, behind-the-scenes tours and practices for DePaul's men's and women's basketball teams. As the latest addition to the McCormick Square community, which also recently unveiled the new Marriott Marquis Chicago hotel, Wintrust Arena presents a state-of-the-art entertainment center in Chicago's South Loop.

The arena is the newest home to DePaul University men's and women's basketballs teams, as well as Chicago's WNBA team, the Chicago Sky. (Steve Woltmann/DePaul Athletics)

A. Gabriel Esteban, Ph.D., president of DePaul, shared remarks at the event. The arena will serve as a venue for concerts, large-scale meetings and other events that complement the conventions taking place on the McCormick Square campus. (Steve Woltmann/DePaul Athletics)

The ribbon cutting featured opportunities for the public and surrounding neighbors to tour the facility and get a first look at the newest fixture on Chicago's South Side. (Steve Woltmann/DePaul Athletics)

With 10,000 seats and 22 suites, Wintrust Arena is both an intimate and state-of-the-art venue intended to better connect the near South Side and city at large through sports and entertainment. (Steve Woltmann/DePaul Athletics)