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Smoothie King Center

Smoothie King Center
Smoothie King Center logo.png
Smoothie King Center.jpg
Former names New Orleans Arena (1999–2014)
Address 1501 Dave Dixon Drive
Location New Orleans, Louisiana
Coordinates 29°56′56″N 90°4′55″W / 29.94889°N 90.08194°W / 29.94889; -90.08194Coordinates: 29°56′56″N 90°4′55″W / 29.94889°N 90.08194°W / 29.94889; -90.08194
Owner The State of Louisiana
Operator SMG
Capacity Concerts: 17,805
NBA Basketball/Hockey: 16,867
College basketball/NBA playoff games: 18,500
Arena Football: 16,900
Construction
Broke ground November 30, 1995
Opened October 29, 1999
Construction cost US$114 million
($164 million in 2017 dollars)
Architect Arthur Q. Davis and Partners
Billes-Manning Architects
Hewitt Washington and Associates
Project manager CS Associates
Structural engineer Walter P Moore
Services engineer Smith Seckman Reid, Inc.
General contractor Manhattan/Gibbs
Tenants
New Orleans Brass (ECHL) (1999–2002)
New Orleans Pelicans (NBA) (2002–present)
New Orleans VooDoo (AFL) (2004–2008, 2011–2015)

The Smoothie King Center is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New Orleans, Louisiana. It is located in the city's Central Business District, adjacent to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The arena opened in 1999 as New Orleans Arena and has been home to the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association (NBA) since 2002. The New Orleans VooDoo of the Arena Football League played their home games in the arena from 2004 until the team disbanded in 2008. The VooDoo resumed play at the arena in March 2011, until after the 2015 AFL season when the franchise folded.

The arena was completed in 1999 at a cost of $114 million and officially opened on October 19, 1999. The arena seats 17,805 for concerts, 16,867 for Pelicans games and hockey, 18,500 for basketball (Specifically College Basketball and New Orleans Pelicans Playoff Games)., and 16,900 for arena football. It has 2,800 club seats and 56 luxury suites.

The arena as a concert venue can seat 7,500 for half-stage shows, 17,221 for end-stage shows and 17,805 for a center-stage shows. 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 1999, the arena's first tenant, the New Orleans Brass ice hockey team of the ECHL played their first home game in the arena. The team played in the arena their last three seasons. When the New Orleans Hornets arrived in 2002, they persuaded the state government to demand that the Brass foot the cost of converting the arena between basketball and hockey configurations. That expense was more than the Brass were willing to pay, and they were forced to fold due to the lack of another suitable arena.


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