Ball Arena

• 1. Groundbreaking On Speer Boulevard

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  The first shovel hit the earth on the 20th of November 1997. This date marked the official start of construction for a new facility in downtown Denver. The project aimed to replace the aging McNichols Sports Arena that had served the city for decades. Groundbreaking ceremonies took place at the site along Speer Boulevard. A light rail station was planned for the western side of the complex to improve public transit access. The arena opened its doors to the public in October 1999. It became home to both the Colorado Avalanche and the Denver Nuggets. An atrium inside the building featured a suspended sculpture showing hockey and basketball players in motion. Breckenridge Brewery Mountain House also found space within the new structure as a restaurant.

• 2. Naming Rights Shift To Ball Corporation

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  PepsiCo held the naming rights from the opening day until late 2020. On the 22nd of October 2020, those rights transferred to Broomfield-based Ball Corporation. This agreement made Ball the exclusive sustainability partner of the venue. Kroenke Sports & Entertainment signed the multi-year deal with the corporation. All KSE-owned teams began using recyclable aluminum products provided by Ball. The goal was to reduce plastic waste across all concessions. By 2022, the arena transitioned to serving food and drinks in aluminum packaging instead of plastic cups. In May 2022, officials announced plans to redevelop surrounding parking lots into a mixed-use area. The Denver City Council approved a larger project on the 21st of October 2024. That plan includes over 6,000 housing units scheduled for completion by 2050.

• 3. Stanley Cup And NBA Championships Won Here

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  The facility hosted the 2001 NHL All-Star Game during its early years. Two Stanley Cup Finals series took place at this location in 2001 and 2022. The Colorado Avalanche won both championships while playing as the home team. Hockey history continued when the NCAA Division I tournament held west regionals here in 2007. The University of Denver hosted that event before the Frozen Four round came to town in 2008. Basketball history arrived with the 2005 NBA All-Star Game. Three games of the 2023 NBA Finals were played inside these walls. The Nuggets secured their first title in franchise history on the 12th of June 2023. They defeated the Miami Heat in Game 5 to end a forty-seven-year drought. The arena also hosted NCAA men's basketball tournament games in 2004, 2008, 2011, 2016, and 2023. The Mountain West Conference held its women's Final Four there in 2012.

• 4. UFC And ONE Championship Fight Nights

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  UFC held its first event at the venue on the 24th of September 2011. That card featured Jones versus Rampage under UFC 135 branding. Henderson versus Edgar II followed the next August for UFC 150. The promotion returned in 2017 for Shevchenko versus Peña on Fox television. November brought another fight night featuring The Korean Zombie against Rodríguez. Most recently, Namajunas versus Cortez took place in July 2024. ONE Championship held ONE 168 in September 2024. These events added professional fighting to the roster of sports hosted here. Mixed martial arts fans filled seats for multiple years of competition. The venue adapted well to the octagonal ring setup required for these matches.

• 5. The Denver Debacle Scheduling Conflict

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  the 18th of May 2009 marked a turning point when WWE cancelled three scheduled events. A scheduling dispute arose because the Nuggets played Game 4 of the Western Conference finals against the Los Angeles Lakers that same day. One taping was set for the 25th of May 2009, but had to move to Staples Center. Vince McMahon appeared on KUSA and accused Stan Kroenke of inept management. A spokesperson from KSE defended their actions as professional despite what they called a propaganda campaign. The conflict became part of the May 25 Raw episode itself. Impersonators of Kroenke and Jerry Buss performed a skit about indifference toward wrestling fans. McMahon entered the ring and jokingly proposed forming his own basketball league. He shoved the impersonator down while threatening consequences for pushing back fans. A tag team match followed where Lakers jerseys defeated Nuggets jerseys.

• 6. Concerts And Political Conventions Held Here

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  Celine Dion opened the arena with a sold-out show on the 1st of October 1999. Her performance dedicated to the Columbine community came less than six months after the school shooting. Beyoncé, Paul McCartney, Lady Gaga, and Taylor Swift have all performed there since then. Imagine Dragons, Pink, NSYNC, Shania Twain, Cher, Kiss, Justin Timberlake, Elton John, Twenty One Pilots, and Madonna also held concerts at this venue. The International Convention and Contests of the Barbershop Harmony Society met here during the 2nd of July 8, 2007. The Grand Prix of Denver street race ran annually until 2006. The majority of the 2008 Democratic National Convention took place inside these walls. Barack Obama received his official nomination as the party candidate that week. His acceptance speech occurred later at Invesco Field at Mile High instead. Madonna's MDNA Tour stop in 2012 sparked controversy due to fake guns used in a performance. Bluegrass musician Billy Strings played three consecutive sold-out nights in January 2025.