PPG Paints Arena facts for kids
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The Paint Can
The House that Crosby Built |
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PPG Paints Arena in 2017
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 PPG Paints Arena
Location in Downtown Pittsburgh
PPG Paints Arena
Location in Pennsylvania
PPG Paints Arena
Location in the United States
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| Former names | Consol Energy Center (2010–2016) |
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| Address | 1001 Fifth Avenue |
| Location | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 40°26′22″N 79°59′21″W / 40.43944°N 79.98917°W |
| Public transit |  Steel Plaza |
| Owner | Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County |
| Operator | Anschutz Entertainment Group |
| Capacity | Basketball: 19,000 Concerts: 14,536–19,758 Ice hockey: 18,087 (2010–2011) 18,387 (2011–2023) 18,187 (2023–present) |
| Field size | 720,000 sq ft (67,000 m2) |
| Surface | Multi-surface (ice) |
| Scoreboard | Mitsubishi 15' × 25' "Black-Packaged LED" |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | August 14, 2008 |
| Built | August 2008 – August 2010 |
| Opened | August 18, 2010 |
| Construction cost | US$321 million ($436 million in 2022 dollars) |
| Architect | Populous (formerly HOK Sport) Astorino Architectural Innovations Fukui Architects Lami Grubb |
| Project manager | ICON Venue Group |
| Structural engineer | Thornton Tomasetti/Raudenbush |
| Services engineer | M-E Engineers, Inc. |
| General contractor | Hunt Construction Group |
| Main contractors | Oxford Development Pittsburgh Arena Development, LP |
| Tenants | |
| Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL) (2010–present) Pittsburgh Power (AFL) (2011–2014) |
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PPG Paints Arena is a large indoor stadium in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. It's the home ice for the Pittsburgh Penguins, a professional ice hockey team in the National Hockey League (NHL). From 2011 to 2014, it was also home to the Pittsburgh Power, an Arena Football League (AFL) team.
The arena was finished on August 1, 2010. It opened just in time for the 2010–11 NHL season. It took the place of the Penguins' old stadium, Civic Arena, which was built in 1961. Construction officially began on August 14, 2008. PPG Paints Arena is special because it was the first arena in both the NHL and AFL to earn a "LEED gold certification." This means it was built using environmentally friendly methods and materials. Soon after it opened, it was named the "Best New Major Concert Venue" and the "Best NHL Arena." The arena was first called Consol Energy Center after a company bought the naming rights in 2008. In 2016, PPG Industries, a company from Pittsburgh, bought the naming rights, giving the arena its current name.
Contents
Building the Arena: From Idea to Reality
Soon after buying the Penguins in 1999, team owner Mario Lemieux started looking for a new home for the team. The old Civic Arena was the oldest in the NHL. Lemieux wanted to build a new arena without using public money.
The Penguins worked with different casino companies to help fund the project. One company, Majestic Star Casino, agreed to pay millions of dollars over 30 years. The Penguins also agreed to pay money each year. There were some money problems with the casino at first. However, a new owner, Neil Bluhm, took over and solved these issues.
Mario Lemieux, along with Pittsburgh's mayor and Pennsylvania's governor, agreed on a funding plan in March 2007. During these talks, the Penguins considered moving to other cities like Kansas City or Las Vegas. Lemieux later said this was a way to help get funding for the arena. The arena was supposed to open in 2009 but was delayed until 2010. The cost of building the arena went up from about $290 million to $321 million. This was due to higher costs for things like steel and insurance.
Designing a Modern Sports Home
The company Populous, which also designed PNC Park and Heinz Field, created the arena's look. They worked with a local architect named Astorino. Many old buildings were torn down to make space for the new arena. When the first designs were shown, some people didn't like them. One architect even joked it looked like a "Home Depot." Populous came back with new plans, which were approved.
The Penguins wanted the arena to have cool new technology. For example, fans in luxury suites can watch instant replays on touch-screens. A system called "Yinz Cam," made by students at Carnegie Mellon University, lets fans watch replays from different angles on their phones.
The arena can hold 18,087 fans for hockey games. This number honors Sidney Crosby's jersey number, 87. For basketball games, it can hold 19,000 people. For concerts, the number of seats changes from 14,536 to 19,758. The arena also has 66 special suites, honoring Mario Lemieux's jersey number, 66.
Mario Lemieux and government officials officially broke ground for the arena on August 14, 2008. They used shovels made from Sidney Crosby's old hockey sticks. While the arena was being built, the Penguins won the Stanley Cup in 2009. They even brought the Cup to the construction site to celebrate!
The arena was first named after Consol Energy, a large coal company. They signed a 21-year deal with the Penguins in 2008. In 2016, PPG Industries bought the naming rights. This happened because Consol Energy was having financial difficulties.
PPG Paints Arena is unique because it doesn't sell Coca-Cola or Pepsi products. Instead, it sells drinks from the Dr Pepper Snapple Group. This includes brands like Dr Pepper, 7 Up, and A&W Root Beer.
Like most NHL arenas, PPG Paints Arena has a special horn that blows when the Penguins score a goal. It also sounds before a home game and after the Penguins win. This goal horn was brought over from the old Civic Arena.
Hockey at PPG Paints Arena
Pittsburgh Penguins Home Ice
Team owner Mario Lemieux and captain Sidney Crosby were the first to skate on the new ice on July 27, 2010. They were joined by young hockey fans wearing their jerseys.
The Penguins played their first pre-season game at the arena on September 22, 2010. They won 5–1 against the Detroit Red Wings. Forward Mike Comrie scored the first goal in the new arena. The team officially opened the building on October 7, 2010, against their rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers. The Flyers won that game 3–2. The Penguins got their first win at the arena on October 15, 2010, against the New York Islanders.
The first playoff game at PPG Paints Arena was on April 13, 2011, against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Penguins won that game 3–0. Goaltender Marc-André Fleury had a shutout.
In 2016, PPG Paints Arena hosted its first Stanley Cup Finals games. The Penguins beat the San Jose Sharks to win their fourth Cup. Even though the Penguins won the Cup in San Jose, the arena hosted a watch party for fans. They did the same thing in 2017 when the Penguins won their fifth Cup.
College Hockey Events
On July 13, 2010, the arena was chosen to host the 2013 NCAA Frozen Four. This is a big college hockey tournament. It was the first time Pennsylvania hosted this event.
Since 2012, the arena has hosted the Three Rivers Classic. This is a two-day college ice hockey tournament. Teams like Penn State and Robert Morris University often play in it.
Basketball Games and Tournaments
Both the University of Pittsburgh and Duquesne University have their own locker rooms at the arena for their basketball teams. They played their first game there on December 1, 2010, in the "City Game." Pitt won that game 80–66.
The arena has hosted several important college basketball events. These include the 2010 SEC/Big East Invitational. Duquesne University has also hosted many of its home games at the arena.
PPG Paints Arena has been a host for the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament multiple times. It hosted games in 2012, 2015, and 2022.
Other Exciting Events
Arena Football
After the arena was built, the Arena Football League decided to bring a team to Pittsburgh. On August 19, 2010, it was announced that the Pittsburgh Power would play at PPG Paints Arena starting in 2011. The team's owner included former Pittsburgh Steelers player Lynn Swann.
Gymnastics and Wrestling
In 2016, the arena hosted the Kellogg's Tour of Gymnastics Champions. It also hosted the 2019 NCAA Division I men's wrestling championship in March 2019.
Professional Wrestling
The arena has hosted many WWE events, including big shows like Royal Rumble in 2014 and Payback in 2023. It also hosts regular TV shows like Raw and SmackDown. A planned Raw show in March 2020 was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Getting There
PPG Paints Arena is easy to reach by car, with exits from major highways nearby. It's also close to the Steel Plaza transit station, which is part of Pittsburgh's subway system.
First Events and Concerts
The arena officially opened on August 18, 2010, with a concert by Paul McCartney. Tickets for his first show sold out in just five minutes! This led to a second show being added the next day.
See also
In Spanish: PPG Paints Arena para niños
