State Farm Arena
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| State Farm Arena | |
|---|---|
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| Name | State Farm Arena |
| Location | Atlanta, Georgia (U.S. state), United States |
| Opened | 1999 |
| Owner | Georgia World Congress Center Authority |
| Operator | Atlanta Hawks |
| Capacity | 21,000 |
| Tenants | Atlanta Hawks (National Basketball Association) (1999–present) |
State Farm Arena is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Downtown Atlanta, adjacent to the Mercedes-Benz Stadium complex and the CNN Center. Opened in 1999 as Philips Arena, the venue serves as the long-term home of the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association and as a host site for major concerts, NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament games, boxing, and entertainment events. The arena has undergone significant renovations, garnered attention for its role in the revitalization of central Atlanta, and remains a focal point for sports, music, and civic gatherings in Fulton County, Georgia.
History
The arena was conceived during the late 1990s as part of a wave of new venues including United Center and Staples Center that sought to modernize urban sports facilities. Groundbreaking followed approval from the Georgia World Congress Center Authority, with construction completed in time for the 1999–2000 NBA season. The Hawks relocated from the Omni Coliseum, a venue associated with events such as the 1996 Summer Olympics basketball preliminaries and concerts by Elton John and Madonna. Over its first decade the arena hosted NCAA Tournament games, WWE events, and championship tours for artists like Beyoncé, U2, and Bruce Springsteen.
In the 2010s, ownership and management changes precipitated a major renovation announced by Hawks owner Tony Ressler and the team’s executive leadership, with design work influenced by recent retrofitting of arenas such as Barclays Center and TD Garden. In 2018 the naming rights shifted to an insurance company based in Bloomington, Illinois, prompting the current name. The arena's modernized iteration reopened following a comprehensive project that sought to enhance fan experience, incorporate new technology, and integrate the facility more closely with the surrounding Atlanta BeltLine redevelopment efforts.
Architecture and design
The original architectural program combined elements of late-20th-century arena design exemplified by firms involved with projects like Madison Square Garden renovations. The roof structure and bowl arrangement provided unobstructed sightlines for basketball, drawing on engineering precedents set by venues such as United Center and America’s Center. Renovation architects introduced a reconfigured seating bowl, expanded concourses, and a transparent façade facing Centennial Olympic Park and the CNN Center to create visual links comparable to the urban integration seen at Staples Center and Oracle Arena.
Material choices included steel trusses and curtainwall glazing similar to those in Bankers Life Fieldhouse and Moda Center. Interior wayfinding and hospitality zones were inspired by modern arenas like Barclays Center and Wembley Arena, with new suite levels and club spaces reflecting trends established at AT&T Stadium and Amalie Arena. Acoustic treatments were applied to support touring productions by acts such as Paul McCartney and Taylor Swift, and the conversion capability for ice and boxing mirrored operational flexibility found at T-Mobile Arena.
Events and tenants
The primary tenant is the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association, who play regular-season and postseason games in the venue. The arena has hosted NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament games, NBA All-Star Weekend ancillary events, boxing matches featuring fighters promoted by organizations like Top Rank and Golden Boy Promotions, and mixed martial arts cards associated with Ultimate Fighting Championship regional events. Touring residencies and concert stops have included artists from genres spanning pop, rock, hip-hop, and country such as Jay-Z, Madonna, Adele, and Garth Brooks.
Special events have included political rallies featuring figures from United States presidential elections, graduation ceremonies for institutions such as Georgia State University and Morehouse College, and awards presentations connected to organizations like the Recording Academy. The venue has also accommodated esports tournaments similar to those staged at venues like AmericasMart and entertainment spectacles comparable to shows at Radio City Music Hall.
Facilities and amenities
The arena contains a main bowl with seating configurable to approximately 21,000 spectators, private suites, club lounges, and premium hospitality areas modeled on luxury offerings at facilities such as Chase Center and Staples Center. Back-of-house facilities include locker rooms meeting NBA standards, media studios for broadcast partners such as ESPN and CBS Sports Network, and production spaces for large-scale concert setups used by touring companies like Live Nation and AEG Presents.
Concession and retail operations feature partnerships with regional and national vendors similar to those at PNC Arena and Spectrum Center, while technology infrastructure supports high-density Wi-Fi, LED ring displays, and an upgraded scoreboard comparable to installations at Wells Fargo Center. Accessibility services align with practices from arenas like KeyBank Center, providing ADA-compliant seating, assistive listening capabilities, and guest services programs.
Transportation and access
The arena is accessible via major thoroughfares including Interstate 75, Interstate 85, and Georgia State Route 10, with proximity to Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport for national and international visitors. Public transit connections include the Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority MARTA rail and bus services stopping near Five Points station and the Georgia World Congress Center complex, paralleling commuter access patterns found at Civic Center (Atlanta) stops.
Pedestrian linkages to surrounding districts such as Midtown Atlanta and Sweet Auburn are enhanced by sidewalks, bicycle lanes tied into the Atlanta BeltLine, and shuttle services used during major events, following practices similar to event transportation planning at Mercedes-Benz Stadium and SunTrust Park.
Economic and cultural impact
The arena contributes to downtown Atlanta’s hospitality and tourism sectors by generating employment, attracting concerts and sports visitors, and supporting adjacent venues including the Georgia World Congress Center and CNN Center. Economic activity from events has spillover effects for hotels like those in the Peachtree Center district, restaurants along Peachtree Street, and retail corridors serving convention attendees. Cultural impact includes fostering local music scenes by hosting performances from Atlanta-based artists such as Outkast, Goodie Mob, and Usher, and serving as a communal site for civic events, charitable initiatives, and televised broadcasts that highlight Atlanta’s role in national entertainment and sports networks.
Category:Indoor arenas in Georgia (U.S. state) Category:Sports venues in Atlanta