. ▁ ▁The ▁facility ▁was ▁designed ▁over ▁the ▁next ▁few ▁years , ▁and ▁construction ▁began ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 4 . ▁ ▁The ▁first ▁phase ▁opened ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 5 , ▁and ▁the ▁theatre ▁opened ▁the ▁following ▁year . ▁ ▁In ▁October , ▁ 2 0 1 3 , ▁up gr ades ▁were ▁approved ▁for ▁the ▁Grand ▁Hall , ▁adding ▁ar ena - style ▁se ating ▁and ▁an ▁ice ▁r ink ▁system . ▁ ▁The ▁U GA ▁Ice ▁Daw gs ▁hockey ▁team ▁began ▁playing ▁their ▁home ▁games ▁there ▁starting ▁with ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 4 – 1 5 ▁season . ▁ ▁The ▁Grand ▁Hall ▁was ▁referred ▁to ▁as ▁the ▁Classic ▁Center ▁Arena , ▁before ▁being ▁renamed ▁Ak ins ▁Ford ▁Arena ▁at ▁The ▁Classic ▁Center , ▁after ▁the ▁naming ▁rights ▁were ▁sold ▁to ▁Ak ins ▁Ford ▁of ▁W inder , ▁Georgia ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 5 . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁it ▁was ▁announced ▁that ▁the ▁American ▁Arena ▁League ' s ▁Pe ach ▁State ▁C ats ▁ar ena ▁football ▁team ▁would ▁be ▁moving ▁to ▁Ak ins ▁Ford ▁Arena ▁at ▁The ▁Classic ▁Center ▁for ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁season . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁ ▁Official ▁website ▁ ▁Category : Ind oor ▁aren as ▁in ▁Georgia ▁( U . S . ▁state ) ▁Category : Ind oor ▁ice ▁hockey ▁ven ues ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Category : S ports ▁ven ues ▁in ▁Georgia ▁( U . S . ▁state ) <0x0A> </s> ▁Com