Smoothie King Center, Indoor sports arena in Central Business District, New Orleans, United States
The Smoothie King Center is a multipurpose arena in the Central Business District of New Orleans with 18,500 seats across several levels. The building features modern sound systems and digital scoreboards throughout the facility.
The arena opened in October 1999 under the name New Orleans Arena as a new venue for the city. In 2014, it received its current name through a partnership with the company Smoothie King.
The building serves as home to the New Orleans Pelicans and regularly draws basketball fans from across the region. On nights without games, the interior often transforms into a concert venue for national and international performers.
The facility sits near several parking lots and hotels in the city business district. The building enforces a clear bag policy and offers different food stands on all levels.
After Hurricane Katrina, medical operations previously housed in the Superdome were moved into the arena, whose design had been wind-tested in 1996 and fared better in the storm. Damage to the arena was estimated at $13 million, and it stayed closed for 187 days, reopening on March 4, 2006.
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