E-Sports arena in downtown Riverside opens Wednesday [Video]

Riverside County officials on Wednesday will celebrate the opening of The Arena, an Office of Education development that will provide space for E-Sports competitions involving video gaming enthusiasts, as well as doubling as a sometime-conference center for county business.

“We are honored to open the doors of The Arena to current and future students in Riverside County who are connecting with one another and their school communities in exciting new ways through scholastic E-Sports,” Superintendent of Schools Edwin Gomez said. “This new facility provides a cutting-edge space for competitions, while extending the sense of belonging and connection for students who are interested in pursuing their gaming passions in high school, at the next level in college, or as a career pathway.”

A ribbon-cutting ceremony at the site is scheduled for 4 p.m. Wednesday at 3958 12th St.

Gomez will be joined by other officials for the affair, which will include …