Idaho Central Arena facts for kids
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The Grove Plaza at north entrance, October 2019
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 Boise
Location in the United States
Boise
Location in Idaho
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| Full name | Idaho Central Arena |
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| Former names | Bank of America Centre (1997–2005) Qwest Arena (2005–2011) CenturyLink Arena (2011–2020) |
| Address | 233 S. Capitol Boulevard |
| Location | Boise, Idaho, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 43°36′50″N 116°12′14″W / 43.614°N 116.204°W |
| Owner | Block 22 LLC |
| Operator | Block 22 LLC |
| Capacity | Ice hockey: 5,002 Basketball: 5,732 Concerts: 6,800 Boxing: 6,400 |
| Surface | Multi-surface |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | January 21, 1996 |
| Opened | September 24, 1997 28 years ago |
| Construction cost | $50 million ($91.1 million in 2022 ) |
| Architect | HNTB |
| Structural engineer | Cary Kopczynski & Company |
| Services engineer | Engineering Incorporated |
| General contractor | PCL/McAlvain |
| Tenants | |
| Idaho Steelheads (ECHL) (1997–present) Idaho/Boise Stallions (IPFL) (2000–2001) Idaho Stampede (NBA D-League) (2005–2016) Boise Burn (AF2) (2007–2009) Treasure Valley Rollergirls (WFTDA) (2008–present) |
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Idaho Central Arena is a cool sports and entertainment building in Boise, Idaho. It's a place where many exciting events happen, from ice hockey games to big concerts. This arena opened in 1997 and cost about $50 million to build.
The arena can hold over 5,000 people for ice hockey games. For basketball, it can fit more than 5,700 fans. If you go to a concert, up to 6,800 people can enjoy the show! It sits high up, about 2,700 feet above sea level.
Since it opened, the arena has been the home of the Idaho Steelheads. They are a professional ice hockey team in the ECHL league. Other teams have also played here, like the Idaho Stampede basketball team and the Boise Burn football team.
The arena has had a few different names over the years. It started as the Bank of America Centre. Then it became Qwest Arena in 2005. In 2011, it changed to CenturyLink Arena. Finally, in 2020, Idaho Central Credit Union bought the naming rights, giving it its current name: Idaho Central Arena.
What's Inside the Arena?
Idaho Central Arena has lots of cool features for visitors. There are 39 special suites for groups or businesses. You can also find 1,100 "Club Premiere" seats that offer a great view.
If you get hungry, there's The Zone restaurant overlooking the arena. Plus, there are nine other food stands, including a Blimpie sandwich shop. The arena is connected to The Grove Hotel, making it easy to get to. You can enter through the Grove Plaza. Inside, you'll see two scoreboards and a large Daktronics ProStar video screen.
The Grove Hotel also has a lot of space for meetings and conventions. This adds to the arena's own large floor space, which is about 22,247 square feet.
Exciting Events and Games
Idaho Central Arena has hosted many special events over the years. In 2006, it was home to the CBA All-Star Game. The next year, in 2007, it hosted the ECHL All-Star Game for hockey.
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Besides sports, the arena is a popular spot for other fun activities. It has hosted concerts, trade shows, and big conventions. You can also see ice shows, professional wrestling, and mixed martial arts (MMA) fights here. The Treasure Valley Rollergirls roller derby team also plays their games at the arena.
In 2018, the arena hosted UFC Fight Night 133. This was a big deal because it was the first time the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) held an event in Idaho.
The arena also hosted two NBA D-League Showcases in 2008 and 2010. During these events, all the NBA D-League teams played for four days. It was a chance for players to show their skills on national TV and to scouts from all over the country.
Since 2019, the Big Sky Conference has held its men's and women's basketball tournaments at Idaho Central Arena. These tournaments decide which teams go on to play in bigger national championships.
Who Has Performed Here?
Many famous musicians and bands have played concerts at Idaho Central Arena. Some of the artists include Judas Priest, Godsmack, Five Finger Death Punch, and Shinedown.
Other popular groups like Skillet and Rise Against have also performed. Country star Luke Bryan has played here, too. Even legendary musicians like Yes and Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band have graced the stage.
