Ball Arena facts for kids
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Ball Arena in 2022
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 Ball Arena
Location in Colorado
Ball Arena
Location in the United States
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| Former names | Pepsi Center (1999–2020) |
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| Address | 1000 Chopper Circle |
| Location | Denver, Colorado, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 39°44′55″N 105°0′27″W / 39.74861°N 105.00750°W |
| Public transit | RTD: E W at Ball Arena–Elitch Gardens station |
| Owner | Kroenke Sports and Entertainment |
| Capacity | Basketball: 19,520 Hockey/Lacrosse: 18,007 Concerts: 21,000 |
| Field size | 675,000 sq ft (62,700 m2) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | November 20, 1997 |
| Opened | October 1, 1999 |
| Construction cost | US$187 million (US$341 million in 2022 dollars ) |
| Architect | HOK Sport |
| Project manager | ICON Venue Group |
| Structural engineer | Thornton Tomasetti |
| Services engineer | M-E Engineers |
| General contractor | Mortenson Construction |
| Tenants | |
| Colorado Avalanche (NHL) (1999–present) Denver Nuggets (NBA) (1999–present) Colorado Mammoth (NLL) (2003–present) Colorado Crush (AFL) (2003–2008) |
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Ball Arena is a big indoor stadium in Denver, Colorado, USA. It used to be called the Pepsi Center. This arena is home to three professional sports teams. The Denver Nuggets play basketball here. The Colorado Avalanche play ice hockey. And the Colorado Mammoth play lacrosse. It's a busy place for sports and other fun events!
History of Ball Arena
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Ball Arena opened its doors in October 1999. It took the place of another stadium called McNichols Sports Arena. Building the arena started on November 20, 1997. The whole complex includes a special practice area for the Nuggets basketball team. There's also a restaurant called the Breckenridge Brewery Mountain House. Inside the main entrance, you can see a cool sculpture. It shows hockey and basketball players in action.
Arena Upgrades and Naming Rights
In 2013, the arena got a brand new scoreboard. It's a big rectangular screen that replaced the old octagonal one. This new screen makes watching games even better.
For many years, the arena was known as the Pepsi Center. This was because PepsiCo held the naming rights. But in 2020, a company called Ball Corporation took over. Now it's called Ball Arena. Ball Corporation is also the arena's "sustainability partner." This means they help the arena use recyclable aluminum products. The goal is to reduce plastic waste. By 2022, all drinks and snacks were served in aluminum packaging.
Future Plans for the Area
There are plans to make the area around Ball Arena even better. The parking lots will be turned into a large new neighborhood. This project will add over 6,000 homes by 2050. It will help connect the arena more closely to Downtown Denver.
Exciting Events at Ball Arena
Ball Arena hosts many different kinds of events. From thrilling sports games to big concerts, there's always something happening.
Hockey Highlights
Ball Arena has seen many exciting hockey moments. It hosted the 2001 NHL All-Star Game. The Colorado Avalanche also won the Stanley Cup Finals here in both 2001 and 2022. Winning at home was a huge celebration for fans!
The arena has also hosted college hockey tournaments. In 2007, it held the NCAA Division I hockey regionals. The next year, it hosted the "Frozen Four" championship round.
On January 12, 2025, a special event happened. The first Professional Women's Hockey League (PWHL) game in Denver was played here. Over 14,000 fans came to watch. This set a new record for women's hockey attendance in the United States.
Basketball Blockbusters
Basketball fans have also seen amazing games at Ball Arena. It hosted the 2005 NBA All-Star Game. In 2023, the Denver Nuggets won their first-ever NBA championship here! They won Game 5 of the 2023 NBA Finals on June 12, 2023. This ended a 47-year wait for the team.
The arena has also hosted many college basketball games. It held games for the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament several times. In 2012, the NCAA Women's Final Four championship was played here.
Action-Packed Mixed Martial Arts
Ball Arena has been a venue for exciting mixed martial arts events. The UFC has held several of its big fights here. These events bring top fighters to Denver.
Professional Wrestling Shows
Many professional wrestling shows have taken place at Ball Arena. Both WWE and, in the past, WCW have broadcast their events from here.
The "Denver Debacle" Story
In 2009, there was a scheduling conflict at the arena. The Denver Nuggets basketball team had a playoff game scheduled. This was on the same night as a WWE Raw wrestling show. Because of this, WWE had to move its events to another city.
WWE chairman Vince McMahon was not happy about the change. He said the arena's management caused the problem. WWE then made a fun skit about the situation on their TV show. It showed a pretend owner of the Nuggets who didn't care about wrestling fans. Mr. McMahon then stood up for the fans. The main wrestling match that night even featured wrestlers wearing Lakers and Nuggets jerseys!
Other Fun Events
Ball Arena has hosted many other events besides sports.
Music Concerts and Performances
Many famous musicians have performed at Ball Arena. The very first event there was a concert by Celine Dion on October 1, 1999. She dedicated her show to the Columbine community. Other stars like Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, Taylor Swift, Elton John, and Madonna have also played here.
In 2007, the arena hosted a big singing competition. It was for the Barbershop Harmony Society, a group of men who sing together. In January 2025, bluegrass musician Billy Strings played three sold-out shows. These were his biggest concerts ever.
Political Conventions
In 2008, a major political event took place at the arena. The 2008 Democratic National Convention was held there. This is where the Democratic Party officially chose Barack Obama as their candidate for president. The final night of the convention, including Obama's speech, was held at a larger outdoor stadium.
Grand Prix of Denver
For a few years, a car race called the Grand Prix of Denver took place around the arena. It was a street circuit race that brought exciting car action to the city. The last race was held in 2006.
See also
In Spanish: Ball Arena para niños
- List of indoor arenas by capacity
