BUFFALO, N.Y. -- KeyBank has made public plans to rename the arena in downtown Buffalo as KeyBank Center. It's one of several announcements the company made Wednesday ahead of its merger with First Niagara.
Staff from KeyBank and First Niagara gathered to celebrate in Larkin Square.
President of KeyBank, Beth Mooney, announced the arena will soon have a new name after the merger is approved by federal regulators.
"As the puck drops on the new 2016-2017 season, you will rooting for the Sabres in KeyBank Center," Mooney said.
Gary Crosby, president of First Niagara, also announced a million dollar grant commitment to organizations that serve Western New York.
"Now the money is important, of course it is but even more important are the organizations that put that money to work so effectively," Crosby said.
There are nine Western New York organizations that will share in the grant: The Boys and Girls Club of the Northtowns, the Boys and Girls Club of Buffalo, Compeer, Buffalo Prep, Junior Achievement, the Seneca Street Community Development Corp, Youth Mentoring Services of Niagara County, Hillside Work Scholarship Connection, and the Be a Friend Program. KeyBank also awarded $20 million to the First Niagara Foundation and $1 million to Say Yes Buffalo.
Mooney says KeyBank's committment to doing business and philanthropy in the state of New York is unprecedented.
"Buffalo will be our 2nd largest city that we do business in outside of our headquarters in Cleveland, Ohio. We will be the 13th largest bank in the United States, doing business in 15 states, and New York will be the single largest state that we do business in."
KeyBank's northeast regional headquarters will be located in Larkinville and Key will sponsor a Larkin Summer Series with First Niagara.