We're hearing from Jacksonville's mayor about his thoughts on selling the naming rights to the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Arena.
"Mayor Brown will not remove Veterans Memorial Arena off the arena. That will stay," Mayor Alvin Brown told WOKV exclusively on Wednesday.
We've been hearing from some veterans who say it would be despicable and disrespectful to everyone who's worn a military uniform to sell the naming rights to a corporate sponsor.
“To see on that [Veterans Memorial] on that building makes me feel like my community really appreciates what I did,” says retired Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel Robert Adelhelm.
Mayor Brown says the city may look to sell naming rights inside the arena for things like suites but says the name outside will absolutely not change.
"There's always a way to diversify the way you do things," says Mayor Brown. "Obviously, like other cities and sports venues, people look for naming rights to support what they do in the community."
Mayor Brown says we wouldn't enjoy the freedoms we do here had it not been for the sacrifices veterans have made in the past, and here in Jacksonville one way we give a nod to them is by having the arena named after them.
"We owe it to them...it's the least we can do," says Mayor Brown.
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