Smoothie King Center
The New Orleans Arena opened its doors on the 19th of October 1999. Construction costs reached $114 million before the first game was played. This facility sat in the Central Business District next to the Caesars Superdome. It seated 17,805 people for concerts and 16,867 for Pelicans games. The ceiling stood 65 feet high from beam to roof. A wind engineering firm named CPP tested the design back in 1996. That testing proved vital when Hurricane Katrina struck six years later.
The New Orleans Brass ice hockey team played their first home game here in 1999. They were the arena's very first tenant. When the NBA Hornets arrived in 2002 they demanded state funding for conversion costs. The Brass refused to pay more than a certain amount. They folded due to the lack of another suitable arena nearby. The Hornets played their first game against the Utah Jazz on the 30th of October 2002. The Jazz had called New Orleans home from 1974 until 1979. Later the VooDoo football team began play in February 2004.
Hurricane Katrina hit on the 29th of August 2005. Medical operations moved from the Superdome to this arena immediately after. Workers had been struggling with poor lighting and soggy carpet inside the dome. This building fared far better during the storm thanks to its 1996 testing. It reopened to activities only one month after the hurricane passed. A sellout crowd of 17,744 watched the Lakers defeat the Hornets on the 8th of March 2006. That was the first home game since the disaster struck.
Major upgrades occurred throughout 2013 focusing on the gameday experience. The club levels expanded while new Loge Boxes were created. Concession stands received an upgrade alongside LED boards. On the 5th of February 2014 officials announced a ten-year naming deal. The venue became the Smoothie King Center before the 2014 NBA All-Star Game. Exterior renovations followed in September and October 2014. They painted the center from bluish green to light gray. An outer LED lighting system replaced older fixtures.
The facility hosted three NBA All-Star Games in 2008, 2014, and 2017. The league pulled the 2017 event from Charlotte due to local laws. College sports arrived with the Southeast Regional tournament in 2011. The Women's Final Four took place here in both 2004 and 2013. ArenaBowl XXI happened in 2007 and ArenaBowl XXII followed in 2008. The 2012 Southeastern Conference men's basketball tournament filled the seats. The arena also held the 2002 NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Final Four.
Roy Jones Jr fought Eric Harding for the light heavyweight title on the 9th of September 2000. Jones won by TKO in the tenth round. Professional Bull Riders events ran from 2000 through 2003. The Bassmaster Classic XXXIII weigh-in occurred in August 2003. WWE brought Royal Rumble to town in 2001. They returned with Extreme Rules in 2009 and Hell in a Cell in 2011. Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live visited in November 2019 and February 2022. The venue continues to host major sporting events today.
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Common questions
When did the New Orleans Arena open its doors?
The New Orleans Arena opened its doors on the 19th of October 1999. Construction costs reached $114 million before the first game was played.
What is the seating capacity for Pelicans games at the Smoothie King Center?
The facility seated 16,867 people for Pelicans games. It also seated 17,805 people for concerts.
How did Hurricane Katrina affect the New Orleans Arena compared to the Superdome?
This building fared far better during the storm thanks to its 1996 testing. Medical operations moved from the Superdome to this arena immediately after Hurricane Katrina hit on the 29th of August 2005.
When did the venue become known as the Smoothie King Center?
Officials announced a ten-year naming deal on the 5th of February 2014. The venue became the Smoothie King Center before the 2014 NBA All-Star Game.
Which major sporting events have taken place at the Smoothie King Center since 2000?
The facility hosted three NBA All-Star Games in 2008, 2014, and 2017. It also held the Women's Final Four in both 2004 and 2013 along with multiple WWE events and professional bull riding competitions.