When did Rocket Arena open in Cleveland?
Rocket Arena opened its doors on the 17th of October 1994. The facility replaced the Richfield Coliseum as the primary entertainment venue for the region and followed construction that began in 1992.
Questions about Rocket Arena
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What is the seating capacity of Rocket Arena for basketball games?
Rocket Arena seats 19,432 people in its standard basketball configuration. A major renovation project completed in 2018 reduced the previous capacity from 20,562 to accommodate expanded concourses and removed three sections of upper level seating.
Who owns Rocket Arena and when was it renamed?
Dan Gilbert purchased the naming rights in August 2005 and renamed the building Quicken Loans Arena after his mortgage lending company. The current name Rocket Arena was adopted in 2025 to align with the rebranding of various financial businesses under the Rocket name.
Which sports teams play at Rocket Arena?
The arena serves as home to the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association and the Cleveland Monsters of the American Hockey League. It also hosts the WNBA team announced by the league on the 30th of June 2025 and has hosted NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship games since 2011.
When did Rocket Arena host the first rock and roll concert in history?
The predecessor venue called the Cleveland Arena hosted the Moondog Coronation Ball in 1952 which is widely regarded as the first rock and roll concert. That older venue stood downtown until 1970 before being replaced by the modern facility that opened in 1994.