DCU Center The DCU Center , formerly known as The Centrum , Centrum in Worcester and Worcester ' s Centrum Centre , is an indoor arena and convention center complex located in downtown Worcester , Massachusetts . The facility hosts a variety of events including concerts , sporting events , family shows , conventions , trade - shows and meetings . The DCU Center is owned by the City of Worcester and managed by SMG , a private management firm for public assembly facilities . The naming rights were purchased in 2004 by DCU , Digital Federal Credit Union . History . Centrum in Worcester , as it was then known , opened in September 1982 after years of construction delays with a capacity of roughly 12 , 000 , marked by a Frank Sinatra concert . The arena was expanded to 14 , 800 seats in 1989 with the addition of the 300 - level balconies . The convention center addition was completed along with a renovation of arena infrastructure in 1997 . This upgrade resulted in the facility ' s name change to Worcester Centrum Centre . The venue received further updates with the DCU naming rights purchase , including new signage both inside and outside the facility , and a new center - hung video scoreboard for the arena bowl . Events . The DCU Center ' s primary tenant is the Worcester Sharks AHL team , owned and operated by its NHL affiliate San Jose Sharks . Prior to this , the venue was home to the Worcester IceCats , also of the AHL . The New England Surge of the Continental Indoor Football League also called the Center home for two seasons , but after the 2008 season the team ceased all operations . They were the second indoor football team to do so , after the Massachusetts Marauders of the Arena Football League . Boston area teams use the arena as an occasional home venue for pre - season games . Worcester has been host to the Boston Celtics every few years but the most recent Celtics game resulted in a tense situation when play was called off due to condensation from the ice forming on the court The DCU Center also hosted the 2009 AHL All - Star Classic on January 29 , 2009 . The PlanetUSA All stars defeated Team Canada 14 - 11 , in the highest scoring AHL All Star game in history . Expansion , Convention Center . The facility expanded in 1997 with the opening of an attached state - of - the - art convention center that features panoramic views of downtown Worcester . The complex , described as an architectural gem , added 50 , 000 square feet of exhibit space , 11 meeting rooms , a 12 , 144 square foot ballroom ( the largest in Central Massachusetts ) and a state - of - the - art kitchen . The facility ’ s 100 , 000 - plus square feet of exhibit space is filled by consumer shows , trade shows , conventions , conferences , and other public and private functions year - round . An additional headquarters hotel for the facility , the Hilton Garden , opened in October 2006 doubling the number of rooms previously available in the facility ’ s other headquarters hotel , the Crowne Plaza . < br > < br > < br > Renovations . It was announced on June 3 , 2009 that the DCU Center would undergo a series of major renovations , starting in June 2009 and going through to September . There will be 3 or 4 phases to the renovations , and to avoid delays and conflict , work will be done only in the summer months , so it does not interfere with the Worcester Sharks AHL season which begins in October . Work on the arena is expected to last 3 to 4 summers , thus making a completion date of somewhere during the summer of 2011 or 2012 . Some of the major improvements mentioned for the summer 2009 phase include a new electrical system , new ice chillers , and a completely new ice floor all of which are original to the arena which opened in 1982 . Other improvements to the arena during phase 1 will include a new dasher board system , and a new seamless glass system which are often found in new arenas . Other improvements slated for future phases include , but are not limited to , an improved concourse , improved concessions , new and improved restrooms and the addition of suites and club seats . There are several other things that will be worked on , but have not been finalized yet by the City of Worcester and SMG .