SAN JOSE — Before work begins on a $425 million renovation of the SAP Center, the San Jose Sharks plan to move into their new downtown headquarters at 450 W. Santa Clara St.
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In July, the NHL team paid Google $10 million for the 22,100-square-foot office building.
“We want to be an anchor for the downtown,” said Chris Shay, a senior vice president for government affairs with Sharks Sports & Entertainment. “We want to help the community and neighborhood become more vibrant.”
The Sharks launched a full renovation of the interior. The large windows and sunlit spaces of the new office site will serve as a sharp contrast to the team’s experience at the SAP Center.
“Our existing offices are literally underground,” Shay said.
Once the upgrades are complete, the team expects to move corporate office staff to the new site sometime this year.
“This is going to be a really refreshing change for us,” said Scott Emmert, a Sharks senior vice president for communications.
The Sharks signed a 25-year lease for the SAP Center as part of the renovation and relocation projects.
“The scale of the renovations we are doing within SAP Center accommodate the new team dressing room and some of the offerings for our games,” Shay said. “We will be able to start the heavy construction on the basement level of the SAP Center right after the first of the year.”
The Legends Level is the new name of the SAP Center basement area, where the Sharks enter the rink. The existing Club Level will become the Premier Level, the Main Concourse will remain the Main Level, and the Penthouse Level will become the Loft Level.
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To pay for the $425 million in renovations, the city of San Jose agreed to provide $325 million through its general fund and municipal financing. Sharks Sports and Entertainment will provide $100 million.
“The renovations will create a better and safer fan experience, improve operations, and bring the arena into greater compliance with current NHL and building code standards,” an August 2025 city staff report states. “These renovations will enhance the arena’s competitiveness in attracting premier talent, both for headline touring acts and elite athletes, by upgrading the ‘VIP’ back-of-house facilities and hockey clubhouses to align with contemporary industry standards.”
Primary construction work at SAP Center is slated to be completed in phases over a seven-year period.
Sharks officials believe the work at the SAP Center and standalone headquarters will help bolster endeavors Google launched as part of the company’s Creekside Socials plans.
Google established the Creekside Socials community and sports district as a way to help activate the western edges of downtown prior to the tech company’s launch of a mixed-use neighborhood in the area.
Venues that are part of the Creekside Socials community include SPARK Social San Jose, an outdoor food truck park with rotating food trucks; Bay Padel, which offers outdoor padel tennis courts and a juice bar; The Playground by HIIT School, a fitness and sports training site; RFRD Canine Recreation Center, a dog daycare, training and recreation site; Good Karma Bikes; FOUND*SJ, a reuse and vintage thrift retail shop; and Local Color San Jose, an artist nonprofit.
“We hope that we can use the Sharks’ long-term commitment to help create incredible value for the city of San Jose and our downtown,” Shay said.
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