Gila River Arena (Glendale, Arizona)

Design and capacity

The arena was designed as a flexible bowl with configurations for ice sports, concerts and large-scale shows. For hockey the listed seating capacity is roughly 17,125 spectators, with modest additional capacity when standing-room areas are used (reported at about 17,534). The seating plan includes standard bowl seats as well as premium club areas and private suites, and the interior is equipped with modern scoreboard and arena systems to support televised events and concerts.

History and naming rights

When the facility opened it was commonly referred to as the Glendale Arena. In late 2006, an online company acquired the arena's naming rights and the building became known under a corporate brand beginning January 1, 2007. That naming-rights agreement later ended and in 2014 a new deal with a regional tribal gaming enterprise resulted in the current name, Gila River Arena, which was made official in September of that year. These changes reflect a common practice in modern sports venues, where corporate and community partnerships provide funding and can influence public recognition of a building.

Uses and notable events

The arena was built to host a range of events beyond professional hockey. Typical uses include:

• Major concerts and touring productions.
• Other professional sporting events, such as arena football, lacrosse and mixed martial arts.
• Family shows, graduations and community gatherings.
• Periodic college basketball and postseason tournament events.

From 2003 to 2007 the Arizona Sting of the NLL played home games at the arena. The facility has also periodically been used for large-scale entertainment productions and regional sporting showcases.

Significance and legacy

Gila River Arena is an example of an early-21st-century multipurpose arena built to anchor development and provide a home for a major professional sports franchise. Its history illustrates typical trends in venue finance and branding, including municipal involvement in construction and the sale of naming rights to corporate and tribal entities. The arena remains a notable indoor venue in the Phoenix metropolitan area and continues to be used for sports, music and community events.

arena | sports arena | Arizona Coyotes | NHL | Glendale, Arizona | opening date | 2003 | NLL