SAN JOSE, CA – San José Mayor Sam Liccardo (@sliccardo) and the San Jose Sharks (@SanJoseSharks) announced that an agreement has been reached between the Sharks and the City of San José (@SanJoseInfo) for a lease extension to allow the Sharks to remain at SAP Center at San Jose (@SAPCenter) potentially through 2040.

The terms of the agreement will be discussed by the Mayor and City Council in a public hearing on Tues., May 19 in the San José City Council Chambers.

The Sharks have called SAP Center home since the building’s inception in 1993. The current lease agreement between the City and the Sharks, amended in 2001, runs through June 30, 2018. The newly-negotiated extension states that Sharks Sports & Entertainment will continue to manage and operate the City-owned SAP Center and that the Sharks will play their home games at the facility on a fixed-term through 2025 – ten calendar years from today’s date. Beginning in 2026, the lease will renew on an annual basis through the year 2040.

“I am very pleased that we have been able to reach an agreement with the City of San José to keep the Sharks where they belong – in downtown San José,” said Sharks Sports & Entertainment Majority Owner Hasso Plattner. “I love this arena and this is the only place we want to call home. I want to thank Mayor Liccardo and the City Council for their support throughout these discussions. Our fans are what truly make SAP Center a special place – the best home-ice advantage in hockey – and we’re excited that the Sharks will remain here long term.”

“Since its opening two decades ago as the home of the San Jose Sharks, the SAP Center has consistently ranked amongst the busiest indoor sports and entertainment facilities in the country,” said San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo. “The Sharks are a major tenant to our downtown, generating millions in economic development for our City, and their success is paramount as we plan for the future. We thank Sharks Sports & Entertainment for their commitment to San José and for the significant investments and contributions that it makes in the community.”

“We are excited to extend the wonderful partnership the City of San José and the Sharks have had for more than 20 years,” said Chief Operating Officer John Tortora. “SAP Center has generated tens of millions of dollars for the City and hosted unparalleled events for San José residents, bringing millions of visitors to the downtown area and filling local hotels and restaurants. This deal ensures that Sharks Sports & Entertainment can continue to operate a world-class facility for the citizens of San José and the region.”

"The agreement between the City of San Jose and the San Jose Sharks to extend the team's lease is wonderful news for the National Hockey League, for the Sharks – and, most importantly – for the great fans in San Jose, who make 'The Shark Tank' one of our loudest and most exciting arenas," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. "The lease extension underscores Hasso Plattner's commitment to the San Jose community, provides the long-term continuity that he always has prioritized, and ensures that one of our proudest and most-successful franchises will stay at SAP Center for many years to come."

SAP Center is annually ranked by Pollstar Magazine as a top-five arena in the United States and a top-ten arena in the world in terms of non-sports tickets sold each year, and hosts an average more than 150 events per year. That number is slated to increase this year with the addition of the American Hockey League’s San Jose Barracuda, who are relocating to San José beginning this October.

Since SAP Center’s opening on Sept, 8, 1993, nearly 35 million people have stepped through the arena’s doors, attending a wide variety of world-class sports entertainment, including: San Jose Sharks hockey, NCAA men’s and women’s tournaments, U.S. Figure Skating Championships, US Olympic Trials - Gymnastics, ATP Tennis, WWE wrestling events, and the AFL ArenaBowl.

Outside the sporting world, many of the world’s most beloved personalities have appeared in San José and graced the SAP Center stage, including Paul McCartney, the Rolling Stones, Barbra Streisand, Bruce Springsteen, The Three Tenors (Carreras, Domingo, Pavarotti), Madonna, The Who, George Strait, Rev. Billy Graham, Garth Brooks, the Eagles, Eric Clapton, U2, Simon & Garfunkel, Prince, Fleetwood Mac, Jay-Z, Vicente Fernandez, Elton John, Billy Joel, Oprah Winfrey, Taylor Swift, Disney On Ice & the Ringling Brothers Circus – to name only a few.