Acrisure Arena, a linchpin for expanding live music in Greater Palm Springs and the home of the AHL’s new Coachella Valley Firebirds, was comedically christened Dec. 14 with a sold-out Chris Rock/Dave Chappelle show and musically anointed a night later by the Doobie Brothers.

Grupo Firme capped the hat trick of sellouts on Dec. 16 and the Firebirds made their sell-out debut at the $300-plus million, 11,000-seat venue on Dec. 18.

Founding Doobie Brothers Pat Simmons and Tom Johnston along with longtime bandmate John McFee joined Oak View Group CEO Tim Leiweke, OVG co-founder Irving Azoff, who has long managed the band, joined John Bolton, the building’s general manager, plus a host of dignitaries for an official ribbon-cutting ceremony that included a Native American blessing.

The arena was privately funded by OVG, Live Nation and the NHL Seattle Kraken, the Firebirds’ parent team.

“We had some jets but the budget ran over on the building,” Leiweke quipped after vintage aircraft from the Palm Springs Air Museum flew over as Indio High School’s Pride of the Desert Marching Band played the Star Spangled Banner.

Acrisure Arena is the sixth venue opened by Oak View Group over the past 12 months, which includes Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena, New…