Fox Tucson, Hughes ink $5M naming rights deal for events center

The Hughes Federal Credit Union Events Center at Fox Tucson will bear the logos of the Tucson-born-and-based financial institution and the downtown venue. The theater and the overall campus will remain Fox Tucson, said Executive Director Bonnie Schock. 

"This is the most significant commitment partnership in the 74-year history (of Hughes) that reflects the scale of our commitment to Tucson and the people of Tucson," said Elisa Ross, Hughes' senior vice president and chief experience officer. 

The Fox-Hughes corporate naming rights is a first for a Tucson entertainment venue and one of the largest corporate investments in the arts in Tucson history, Schock said. And it comes months after the University of Arizona landed a pair of multimillion-dollar naming rights deals for its football stadium and basketball arena.

Casino del Sol, in the biggest naming rights partnership in Big 12 history, signed a 20-year $60-million deal last November to rename Arizona Stadium Casino del Sol Stadium.

The insurance services firm Alkeme followed up in February with a $27.7-million, 15-year deal to name McKale the McKale Center at Alkeme Arena.

Schock said the Fox naming deal follows years of partnerships between Hughes and the theater, including several over the past year. When the foundation was contemplating a naming deal last year as part of its $26.4 million "Just Around the Corner" capital campaign, Hughes checked its boxes for an ideal corporate partner. 

"We very much wanted that to be an organization that's local, rooted in Tucson, that has a long history here," she said, adding that they also wanted a company "that's really deeply committed to community and has given back to the community in lots of different ways."

"That values alignment is so strong," she said of Hughes. "We are both here showing up for the community for the long term. We are here in Tucson making stuff happen, and that is really essential to who we wanted to align with in that way, and what made Hughes, I think, want to come to the table with us."

"We're real excited," Ross said. "It's a wonderful opportunity for us to work with them and partner with them. We are so aligned in our philanthropic values."

The foundation in 2022 announced plans to buy the buildings on North Stone Avenue adjacent to the theater at 17 W. Congress St. to create a two-story events center. The new facility includes a 300-seat black box theater, expanded lobby and other spaces to host the Fox's year-round children's education programming. 

For Hughes, having its name on the building in a prominent downtown corner brings with it extraordinary visibility.

But Ross said the decision extends beyond that.

"Throughout our nearly 75-year history, we've made significant financial decisions, but this one is unique because it aligns our financial goals with our community mission," she said. "This is a philanthropic investment, not just a sponsorship. Both Hughes and the Fox are nonprofit organizations, rooted in Tucson and dedicated to serving low-income families."

Construction of the Hughes Federal Credit Union Events Center — aka Hughes Center at the Fox — will begin in 2028 after the existing buildings on Stone are demolished. Schock said that won't happen until the Fox finalizes its design development plans and works through the construction permitting process. 

In April 2025, the Fox Theatre Foundation received a $2 million donation from the Chicago-based Bert W. Martin Foundation, which supports local charities in Tucson and Southern Arizona. The gift will be spread over four years, according to foundation trustee Chandler Warden.