Smoothie King Center

This article is about the multi-purpose arena in New Orleans. For the similarly named venue found in Las Vegas, see Orleans Arena.

New Orleans Arena

The Hive
New Orleans Arena following the conclusion of the 2005-06 NBA season.
Location	1501 Girod Street, New Orleans, LA 70113
Coordinates	29°56′56″N 90°4′55″W
Owner	The State of Louisiana
Capacity	Concerts: 19,000 Basketball: 18,500 Arena Football: 16,500
Construction
Broke ground	February 1998
Opened	October 19, 1999
Construction cost	$114 million USD
Architect	Arthur Q. Davis and Partners, Billes-Manning Architects, Hewitt Washington and Associates
Tenants
New Orleans Hornets (NBA) (2002–present) New Orleans VooDoo (AFL) (2004–2005, 2007–2008, 2011-present) New Orleans Brass (ECHL) (1999–2002)

New Orleans Arena is an indoor arena in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is located in the city's Central Business District, adjacent to the Louisiana Superdome.

It has been home to the New Orleans Hornets of the NBA since 2002, and is also home to some Tulane University basketball games as well as some high school basketball games and other special events. The now-defunct New Orleans Brass of the ECHL played in the New Orleans Arena their last three seasons before their demise in 2002. Since February 2004, the New Orleans VooDoo, of the Arena Football League (AFL), played their home games in the arena until the team folded in 2008. The VooDoo resumed play at the Arena in March of 2011.

The arena was completed in 1999 at a cost of $114 million and officially opened on October 19, 1999. The Brass was the main tenant for its first three years until the team was forced to fold after Hornets management demanded priority upon moving. The arena seats 19,000 for concerts, over 18,500 for Hornets games and 16,500 for arena football and has 2,538 club seats and 56 luxury suites.

The Arena is also used as a venue for concerts where it can seat from 7,500 for a half-stage setup to 17,221 for end-stage shows and at the most 17,805 for a center-stage show. For trade shows and conventions the Arena features 17,000 square feet (1,600 m²) of space. The ceiling is 65 feet (20 m) to beam and roof, 70 feet (21.5 m) to the top of the arena.

In 2006, the arena installed an LED centerhung video and scoring system from Daktronics out of Brookings, South Dakota. The centerhung installation is made up of two ring displays and eight video displays, as well as scoreboards. This installation is fullyintegrated with the more than 875 feet of ribbon display technology that was installed in the arena in 2002.

It hosted ArenaBowl XXI in 2007, the 2008 NBA All-Star Game, ArenaBowl XXII in July 2008, and will host the 2012 Southeastern Conference men's basketball tournament, and has hosted the first and second rounds of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament in 2007 and 2010, and the Southeast Regional of the 2011 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament. On September 9, 2000, the arena hosted the light heavyweight title fight between Roy Jones, Jr. and Eric Harding. Jones won by TKO in the 10th round. The Arena has also hosted the 2004 Women's Final Four and hosted the 2008 NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament South Regionals.

On March 11, 2008 the arena hosted 311 Day 2008. This bi-annual event held in New Orleans is a live concert and fan gathering celebrating the music and unity of rock reggae band 311. 14,000+ fans attended from all 50 states and 12 different countries.

Hurricane Katrina

Following Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005, medical operations that had previously been housed in the Superdome were moved to the Arena. Medical personnel had been working in an area of the Superdome with poor lighting, leaking ceilings and soggy carpet. The Arena's design was tested in 1996 by CPP, a wind engineering consulting firm, so it fared far better than the Superdome during the storm and was in better condition to house sensitive medical operations. Thus, unlike the Superdome, the Arena reopened to activities only one month after the storm.

Post Katrina revival

Sports

• The Hornets played their first game, since the start of the 2005-06 season, at the arena on March 8, 2006, to a sellout crowd of 17,744, as the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Hornets, 113–107.
• In March 2007, the PBR brought its Built Ford Tough Series tour for an event in this arena (prior to Hurricane Katrina, the PBR visited the arena for a BFTS event annually from 2000 to 2003; prior to 2003 the tour was known as the Bud Light Cup).
• In February 2008, the arena hosted the 2008 NBA All-Star Game.
• In April 2010, the PBR again visited the Arena for a Built Ford Tough Series event.

Wrestling

• On December 13, 1999, the arena hosted WCW Monday Nitro.
• On August 22, 2000, the arena hosted WWF Smackdown.
• On January 21, 2001, the arena hosted the WWF Royal Rumble.
• On December 18, 2001, the arena hosted WWF Smackdown.
• On September 2, 2003, the arena hosted WWE Smackdown.
• On July 10, 2007, the arena hosted WWE Smackdown.
• On July 7, 2008, the arena hosted a near sellout crowd to WWE Raw.
• On January 5, 2009, the arena hosted WWE Raw.
• On June 7, 2009, The New Orleans Arena hosted WWE Extreme Rules.
• On December 13, 2010, The New Orleans Arena hosted The 2010 WWE Slammy Awards on Monday Night RAW
• On October 2, 2011, The New Orleans Arena will host WWE Hell in a Cell Pay Per View

Concerts

• Tim McGraw and Faith Hill - July 5, 2006 (the arena's largest crowd ever, for any event.)
• Keith Urban - October 20, 2006
• Def Leppard - November 17, 2006, with Journey and Stoll Vaughan and August 18, 2009, with Cheap Trick and Poison
• The Police - June 30, 2007, with Fiction Plane
• T.I. and Ciara - August 3, 2007
• Nickelback - August 17, 2007 and April 17, 2009, with Seether and Saving Abel
• Tool - November 17, 2007
• Hannah Montana/Miley Cyrus - January 26, 2008, with Everlife and October 20, 2009, with Metro Station
• Van Halen - February 8, 2008
• 311 - March 11, 2008
• Mary J. Blige and Jay-Z - April 9, 2008, with The-Dream
• Rush - April 20, 2008
• Alicia Keys - May 22, 2008
• New Kids on the Block - October 18, 2008, with Tami Chynn
• Metallica - November 23, 2008, with Down and The Sword
• Celine Dion - January 10, 2009
• Lil Wayne - January 11, 2009, with Gym Class Heroes, Keri Hilson, T-Pain and Keyshia Cole and April 14, 2011
• The Eagles - January 23, 2009
• Mötley Crüe - February 28, 2009
• Britney Spears - March 3, 2009, with The Pussycat Dolls
• Coldplay - June 9, 2009, with Snow Patrol
• Fleetwood Mac - June 20, 2009
• Green Day - August 7, 2009, with Kaiser Chiefs
• The Jonas Brothers - August 15, 2009 (sold out in 25000 minutes)
• Jamie Foxx - August 27, 2009
• Journey - September 26, 2009
• AC/DC - October 28, 2009
• Eric Clapton - March 6, 2010, with Roger Daltrey
• John Mayer - March 10, 2010
• Michael Bublé - July 14, 2010, with Naturally 7
• Usher - December 28, 2010, with Miguel and Trey Songz
• Rascal Flatts - March 13, 2011
• Lady Gaga - April 9, 2011, with Semi Precious Weapons and The Scissor Sisters
• Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band - May 3, 2011

Other info

• In the summer of 2008, new Daktronics "see through" shot clocks were installed, replacing the existing box units.

External links

• Official New Orleans Arena website

Events and tenants
Preceded by Charlotte Coliseum	Home of the New Orleans Hornets 2002 – present	Succeeded by current
Preceded by first arena CenturyTel Center	Home of the New Orleans VooDoo 2004–2005, 2007–2008 2011-future	Succeeded by last arena current
Preceded by Thomas & Mack Center	Host of the NBA All-Star Game 2008	Succeeded by US Airways Center
Preceded by Madison Square Garden	Home of the Royal Rumble 2001	Succeeded by Philips Arena
Preceded by Thomas & Mack Center	Host of the ArenaBowl ArenaBowl XXI - ArenaBowl XXII	Succeeded by Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena