Smoothie King Center

Smoothie King Center
Name	Smoothie King Center
Location	New Orleans, Louisiana, United States
Opened	1999
Owner	City of New Orleans
Operator	ASM Global
Capacity	16,867 (basketball)
Architect	Ellerbe Becket
Former names	New Orleans Arena

Smoothie King Center is a multi-purpose arena located in New Orleans, Louisiana, United States. It serves as a major venue for professional basketball, concerts, conventions, and civic events, and anchors the Central Business District near the Mississippi River. The arena is closely associated with regional culture and economic development initiatives tied to the Superdome complex and the city's tourism infrastructure managed by local and national event promoters.

History

The arena was conceived during the 1990s as part of a broader strategy to revitalize downtown New Orleans and to provide a modern home for the New Orleans Pelicans franchise formerly known under different names. Groundbreaking followed municipal approval and partnerships involving the City of New Orleans, private developers, and sports franchise ownership groups. The facility opened in 1999 as the New Orleans Arena, hosting NBA regular-season games and national touring productions. The venue sustained closures and operational challenges associated with Hurricane Katrina in 2005, during which recovery efforts involved federal, state, and local agencies. In the 2010s, a naming-rights agreement with a national nutrition retailer resulted in rebranding, reflecting an era of corporate partnerships similar to other large arenas such as Madison Square Garden and Staples Center.

Design and Construction

Designed by the sports architecture firm Ellerbe Becket in collaboration with engineering consultants, the arena reflects late-20th-century trends in urban arena design emphasizing sightlines and bowl seating models seen in venues like United Center and American Airlines Arena. Structural systems incorporate steel trusses and pre-stressed concrete, with mechanical and acoustic engineering influenced by standards applied at the Sydney Super Dome and State Farm Arena. Construction contracts were awarded to regional general contractors and specialty subcontractors experienced with municipal venues and convention centers such as the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. Compliance with municipal building codes, seismic considerations, and accessibility standards required coordination with the New Orleans City Council and regulatory bodies. The seating bowl, concourse circulation, and back-of-house logistics were planned to accommodate NBA specifications established by the National Basketball Association and touring production load-ins typical of promoters like AEG Presents and Live Nation Entertainment.

Facilities and Features

The arena's main bowl seats approximately 16,867 for basketball and can be reconfigured for concerts and other events, comparable to capacities at arenas such as Barclays Center and Toyota Center. Back-of-house amenities include loading docks sized for tractor-trailer access used by touring productions promoted by Ticketmaster clients, locker rooms meeting NBA standards, and hospitality suites used by corporate partners, franchises, and civic sponsors. Technology systems include arena-grade scoreboard displays and sound reinforcement akin to installations at Cox Pavilion, video boards similar to those in Oracle Arena, and rigging infrastructure compliant with industry safety codes administered by associations like the International Association of Venue Managers. The venue houses premium lounges, club seating, and executive suites used by municipal stakeholders and leaseholders drawn from entities such as Entergy and regional hospitality brands. Foodservice and concessions reflect partnerships with national and regional vendors often contracted in coordination with municipal procurement offices.

Events and Tenants

Primary tenants have included the New Orleans Pelicans of the National Basketball Association and, historically, college basketball programs like the Tulane Green Wave and LSU Tigers for select events. The arena has hosted major touring residencies and concerts featuring artists promoted by Live Nation Entertainment, AEG Presents, and legacy promoters associated with venues like Madison Square Garden. It has also been the site of National Collegiate Athletic Association tournaments, boxing cards promoted by outfits such as Premier Boxing Champions, and mixed martial arts events similar to Ultimate Fighting Championship shows. Civic events have included commencements for universities like Tulane University and University of New Orleans, political rallies featuring national party organizations, and cultural festivals tied to institutions such as the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival when satellite activities required indoor staging.

Notable Moments and Records

The arena has been the setting for franchise milestones including playoff games involving the New Orleans Hornets era and record-attendance concerts that rival numbers posted at other large urban arenas. It gained national attention during post-Hurricane Katrina recovery when it served as a locus for events coordinating relief and civic engagement alongside agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency and nonprofit organizations. Memorable performances have included headline concerts by artists associated with genres integral to regional culture, attracting comparisons to historic shows at venues like Orpheum Theater and Saenger Theatre. Sporting records set on the court include franchise scoring highs and playoff momentums comparable to notable game records from teams such as the San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat when measured by attendance and box-score rarities.

Transportation and Access

The arena is accessible via major thoroughfares including Interstate 10 and local arteries linking downtown New Orleans to the French Quarter and the Warehouse District. Public transit connections include bus routes operated by the New Orleans Regional Transit Authority and proximity to streetcar lines extended during urban redevelopment projects similar to corridors serving the Canal Streetcar Line. Parking is provided through municipal lots and private garages managed by downtown parking operators, with event-day traffic management coordinated by the New Orleans Police Department and municipal transportation planners. Ground transportation services include regional shuttle operators servicing the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and rideshare services regulated by the City of New Orleans municipal code for private transport network companies.

Category:Basketball venues in LouisianaCategory:Sports venues in New Orleans