State Farm Arena

• 1. Steel And Rust In Atlanta

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  The Omni Coliseum stood in downtown Atlanta for nearly three decades before its structural failure became undeniable. Built with Cor-Ten weathering steel, the arena was designed to form a protective rust seal that would ensure longevity. However, Atlanta's humid subtropical climate prevented this process from working as intended. The steel never stopped rusting, causing the facility to deteriorate faster than anticipated by its original designers. By the late 1980s and early 1990s, city officials recognized that the Omni required replacement regardless of any other factors. Ted Turner owned the Atlanta Hawks at the time and wanted to bring an NHL team back to the city after the Atlanta Flames moved to Calgary in 1980. The league determined the Omni was not suitable even as a temporary facility due to these structural problems and lack of modern amenities. Officials decided to demolish the Omni on the 26th of July 1997. A new arena would be built in the same location to replace the aging infrastructure.

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• 2. Philips To State Farm Deal

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  Eindhoven-based technology company Philips purchased the initial naming rights to the arena in February 1999 for $185 million over 20 years. This agreement established Philips Arena as the venue name until June 2019. In February 2018, reports indicated that Philips would not renew its naming rights agreement when it expired. The decision stemmed primarily from Philips' withdrawal from the consumer electronics market in 2013. On the 29th of August 2018, State Farm purchased the naming rights to the arena in a 20-year deal costing $175 million. The transition marked a significant financial shift for the organization. The original cost to build the arena opened in 1999 stood at $213.5 million. Ownership lies with the Atlanta Fulton County Recreation Authority while operation falls under the Hawks led by Tony Ressler along with investors including Grant Hill. These financial arrangements shaped how the facility operated for two decades before the name change occurred.

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• 3. Gut Rehab And Seating Bowl

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  The arena originally featured an unusual layout where club seats and luxury boxes aligned solely along one side of the playing surface. General admission seating occupied the other three sides. This arrangement differed vastly from many contemporaries which placed revenue-generating luxury boxes and club seats in the belly of the arena. That design choice caused upper decks to be two to four stories higher than standard configurations. Renovations completed during the 2017-2018 period removed the upper levels of the suite wall. Premium seating spread throughout the arena replaced those upper areas with standard seating options. Phase one renovations reduced total suites from 90 down to 40 units. A Courtside Club behind one basket added new premium features. Thad Sheely described the 2018 work as a gut rehab that brought new dining options including a bar and grill operated by country group Zac Brown Band. Additional unique features included an in-arena barber shop run by Atlanta rapper Killer Mike and Topgolf suites. Over 50,000 square feet of former office and storage space repurposed into fan space transformed the interior experience significantly.

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• 4. Hawks Thrashers Dream Tenure

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  State Farm Arena serves as home venue for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association since opening in 1999. It also served as home to the Atlanta Thrashers of the National Hockey League from 1999 until 2011 when the team moved to Winnipeg. The facility hosted the Atlanta Dream of the Women's National Basketball Association from 2008 to 2016 and again in 2019. Temporary home status extended to Georgia Tech basketball during 2011 while Philips Arena underwent construction delays. The largest crowd ever recorded for an Atlanta Hawks game occurred on the 2nd of May 2008 during Game 6 of the Eastern Conference First Round against Boston Celtics with attendance reaching 20,425 spectators. The arena seats 17,608 for basketball games and over 18,000 for concerts. For other entertainment events capacity reaches up to 21,000 people. The venue includes 92 luxury suites plus nine party suites and 1,866 club seats available for premium viewing experiences throughout the building.

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• 5. Elton John And Concert History

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  Philips Arena held its first event with a September 1999 concert by musician Elton John. This performance marked the beginning of the venue's history hosting major musical acts. State Farm Arena ranks among the busiest arenas globally having sold well over 550,000 concert tickets in 2007 alone. It ranked as the third-busiest arena in the United States during 2011. Significant performances included shows by The Who, The Weeknd, Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, Madonna, U2, and Beyoncé. A notable concert took place on the 3rd of June 2000 when Bruce Springsteen performed American Skin for the first time ever during his second show at the venue. Another highlight occurred on the 25th of August 2016 when Drake and Future headlined Summer Sixteen Tour drawing crowds exceeding 28,000 attendees. Recent years featured appearances by artists like Bad Bunny, Olivia Rodrigo, Justin Timberlake, and Billie Eilish. Revenue figures from specific concerts ranged widely from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars depending on artist popularity and ticket sales volume.

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• 6. Championships And Tournaments Hosted

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  The arena hosted the NBA All-Star Game in both 2003 and 2021 while also hosting the Atlantic Coast Conference men's basketball tournament in 2012. NHL events included the 2008 All-Star Game which marked the Thrashers' only Stanley Cup Playoff appearance in 2007. The venue served as host for game three of the 2010 WNBA Finals where Seattle Storm defeated Atlanta Dream. In 2013 Philips Arena hosted finals of NCAA Division II and Division III college basketball championships held alongside the 2013 Final Four at Georgia Dome. Other major tournaments included the 2004 US Figure Skating Championships and semifinals of the 2022 League of Legends World Championship featuring South Korean teams T1 and DRX. DRX won the finals held later at Chase Center in San Francisco. The arena also hosted Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live events in both 2024 and 2025 seasons. These diverse sporting events demonstrated the facility's versatility beyond professional team home games.

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