PPG Paints Arenais a multi-purpose indoorarenainPittsburghthat serves as the home of thePittsburgh Penguinsof theNational Hockey League(NHL). It previously was the home of thePittsburgh Powerof theArena Football League(AFL) from 2011 to 2014.

PPG Paints Arena
The Paint Can
The House thatCrosbyBuilt
PPG Paints Arena in 2017
PPG Paints Arena is located in Downtown Pittsburgh
PPG Paints Arena
PPG Paints Arena
Location near Downtown Pittsburgh
PPG Paints Arena is located in Pennsylvania
PPG Paints Arena
PPG Paints Arena
Location in Pennsylvania
PPG Paints Arena is located in the United States
PPG Paints Arena
PPG Paints Arena
Location in the United States
Former namesConsol Energy Center
(2010–2016)
Address1001Fifth Avenue
LocationPittsburgh,Pennsylvania,U.S.
Coordinates40°26′22″N79°59′21″W/ 40.43944°N 79.98917°W/40.43944; -79.98917
Public transitPittsburgh Light RailSteel Plaza
OwnerSports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County
OperatorAnschutz Entertainment Group
CapacityIce hockey:18,187
Basketball:19,000
Arena football:16,280
End stage: 14,536
Center stage: 19,758[1]
Field size720,000 sq ft (67,000 m2)
SurfaceMulti-surface (ice)
ScoreboardMitsubishi
15' × 25' "Black-Packaged LED"
Construction
Broke groundAugust 14, 2008
BuiltAugust 2008 – August 2010
OpenedAugust 18, 2010
Construction costUS$321 million
($454 million in 2023 dollars)[2]
ArchitectPopulous (formerly HOK Sport)[3]
Astorino[4]
Architectural Innovations[4]
Fukui Architects[4]
Lami Grubb[4]
Project managerICON Venue Group[5]
Structural engineerThornton Tomasetti/Raudenbush
Services engineerM-E Engineers, Inc.
General contractorHunt Construction Group[6]
Main contractorsOxford Development
Pittsburgh Arena Development, LP
Tenants
Pittsburgh Penguins(NHL) (2010–present)
Pittsburgh Power(AFL) (2011–2014)
Website
ppgpaintsarena.com

Construction was completed on August 1, 2010,[7]and the arena opened in time for the 2010–11 NHL season.[8]It replaced the Penguins' former arena,Civic Arena(formerly known as Mellon Arena), which was completed in 1961. A ceremonial ground-breaking was held on August 14, 2008. The arena is the firstLeadership in Energy and Environmental Design(LEED) gold-certified arena in both the NHL and AFL.[9]Soon after the arena opened in 2010 it was named "Best New Major Concert Venue" in thePollstarConcert Industry Awards and "Best NHL Arena" in theSports Business Journalreader poll.[10][11]The arena was originally namedConsol Energy Center(CEC) afterConsol Energypurchased the naming rights in December 2008. The current name comes from Pittsburgh-basedPPG Industries,who purchased naming rights in October 2016.[12][13]

Planning and funding

Soon after buying the Penguins in 1999,Mario Lemieuxbegan exploring a replacement forPittsburgh Civic Arena,the oldest arena in the NHL (built in 1961).[14]In an attempt not to use public funding, the Penguins filed for a slots license under the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. The Penguins were granted the license, though the decision of which casino company would receive approval was the Gaming Control Board's decision.[15]The Lemieux Group reached an agreement withIsle of Capri Casinos,which offered to fully fund a US$290 million arena, if Capri could also construct a $500 million casino nearby.[15]Other casinos, includingMajestic Star CasinoandForest City Enterprises,also agreed to partially contribute to the arena's funding.[16]On December 20, 2006, the Gaming Control Board awarded the license to Majestic Star Casino, who agreed to pay $7.5 million for the first 30 years,[17]in addition to the Penguins paying $4 million per year.[18][19]The casino experienced financial difficulty, which could have led to taxpayers financing the entire project. However, on August 14, 2008, the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board selectedNeil Bluhmto take ownership of the casinos, which pulled the casinos out of risk of bankruptcy.[20]The casino, now known as theRivers Casino,eventually opened on August 9, 2009, in the North SideChateauneighborhood.

The arena in July 2009

The arena's funding plan was agreed upon by Lemieux, Pittsburgh mayorLuke Ravenstahl,and Pennsylvania governorEd Rendellon March 13, 2007, after much negotiation.[21]During negotiations, the Penguins explored moving the franchise toKansas CityorLas Vegas(the latter of whichreceived an NHL expansion team in 2017); after the deal was made the Penguins agreed to stay in Pittsburgh for at least 30 more years.[21]Lemieux later stated that relocating the franchise was never a possibility, but instead it was a negotiation tactic to help the team get funding for the arena from both state and local officials.[22]The arena was originally scheduled to open for the 2009–10 NHL season; however, this was pushed back to the 2010–11 NHL season.[23][24]The arena was expected to cost approximately $290 million, but rose to $321 million due to increased cost of steel and insurance.[25][26]The Penguins agreed to pay $3.8 million per year toward construction, with an additional $400,000 per year toward capital improvements.[21]After $31 million cost rise, the Penguins pledged an additional $15.5 million, while the State and Sports and Exhibition Authority split the difference.[25][26]In September 2009, the State contributed an additional $5.08 million from the "Pennsylvania Gaming Economic Development and Tourism Fund" to cover a rising "interest on variable rate bonds".[27]

Design and construction

The arena in May 2009

Populous,designers ofPNC ParkandHeinz Field,designed the building working with local architect Astorino to develop the construction documents, while the ICON Venue group andOxford Developmentoversaw the building of the arena.[28]More than a dozen buildings were razed in order to create room for the new arena.[29]On April 8, 2008, Populous presented design renderings to the Pittsburgh City Planning Commission, receiving negative feedback.[8]Local architect Rob Pfaffmann went so far as to say, "If I put aHome Depotsign on that, it looks like a Home Depot. "[8]Populous returned on May 6 with new plans, which were unanimously approved by the City Planning Commission.[30][31]

"This is going to be, technologically, one of the most advanced buildings in the country."

David Morehouse,Penguins president[32]

The Penguins have contacted the Pittsburgh Technology Council, which includes 1,400 businesses, in order to find new technologies to implement into the arena's design.[33]On demand replays from touch-screens will be available in luxury suites, while "YinzCam "—a system developed byCarnegie Mellon Universitystudents—will allow any fans to view instant replays from multiple angles on their cell phones.[32]The arena's capacity will be 18,087 for hockey, in honor ofSidney Crosby's number87,[14]and 19,000 for basketball games.[34]The venue will hold 14,536 to 19,758 for concerts, depending on the layout. The venue will also include 1,950 club seats and 66 suites, in honor ofMario Lemieux's number66.[34]Ticket prices will range from $115,000 to $150,000 per season for luxury boxes to individual game tickets at $22.[35]Ken Sawyer, Penguins' chief executive officer, asked that the interior be modeled after that of the venue then known asJobing.com ArenainGlendale, Arizona.[36]"I was just taken aback by their seats," said Sawyer, "Even when I was up in a high level, I had a great view."[36]NHL CommissionerGary Bettmancalled the building "very well designed."[37]Bettman liked the size of the concourses and the view offered of Pittsburgh's skyline.[37]

Mario Lemieuxalong with officials from thestateandlocalgovernments ceremonially broke ground on a new hockey arena on August 14, 2008.[38]Shovels, with shafts made from team captain Sidney Crosby's usedhockey sticks,were used for the ground-breaking ceremony.[39][40]Erection ofstructural steeltook place from January 2009[36]to August 2009.[41]While the arena was under construction, the PenguinswontheStanley Cup,and brought the Cup to the arena's construction site on July 9, 2009, during the offseason.[42]

The arena was originally named forConsol Energy,the largest producer ofbituminous coalin the United States,[43]which signed a 21-year agreement with the Penguins in December 2008.[44]Secondary sponsors of the arena arePNC Wealth Management,UPMC,Verizon,American Eagle Outfitters,andDick's Sporting Goods,the last three being existing sponsors carrying over from the Civic Arena.[45]On October 4, 2016,PPG Industriespurchased thenaming rightsfrom Consol as a result of Consol wanting to get out of the naming rights deal due to the company struggling financially as a result oflow energy prices.Consol, which is also planning on letting its naming rights deal forConsol Energy Parkexpire, will remain a corporate sponsor with the Penguins in a lesser role.[12][13]

The arena with the Consol Energy Center name from 2010 to 2016

PPG Paints Arena is one of the only major sports venues whosesoft drinkcontract is not withThe Coca-Cola CompanyorPepsiCo.(Coca-Cola previously held the contract with Civic Arena.) Instead,Dr Pepper Snapple Groupholds a contract, and serves its own products such asRC Cola,Diet Rite,Cherikee Red,andSunkist Orange Soda,in addition to its more popular brands such asDr Pepper,7 Up,andA&W Root Beerthat are typically sold alongsideCoca-ColaorPepsiproducts in other venues. At the time of the arena's opening,Heinz Fieldsold Coca-Cola products andPNC Parksold Pepsi products, making Pittsburgh's three major sporting venues initially each selling different soft drinks. In 2012, Heinz Field joined PNC Park in pouring Pepsi products, breaking a 50-year commitment with Coca-Cola, while PNC Park switched to Coca-Cola products for 2014.[46]The final years of the Civic Arena were without a pouring rights contract due to its impending demolition. In this time, Coca-Cola retained pouring rights in fountains (seemingly due to the cost of a large scale changeover) and Dr Pepper/7 Up products were exclusively sold in bottles. This is one of the few times that a venue this large has sold products from competing soft drink companies.[47]

As with most other NHL arenas, the Penguins make use of agoal hornwhenever the team scores a goal at home. It is also played just before the beginning of a home game, and after the Penguins win. Their current goal horn, made byNathan Manufacturing, Inc.and introduced in 2005 to coincide with the arrival ofSidney Crosbyto the team, was brought over from the Civic Arena to the PPG Paints Arena after the Penguins closed the Civic Arena.[48][49]

Hockey

Penguins

The western facade of the arena in March 2010 before it officially opened and its arena signage installed, with the Civic Arena reflected in itscurtain wallwindow.

Team owner Mario Lemieux and captain Sidney Crosby officially opened the new ice on July 27, 2010, the same day as the official press conference to announce the2011 NHL Winter ClassicatHeinz Field.The two skated for about five minutes before being joined on the ice by a group of young hockey fans all wearing Lemieux's #66 or Crosby's #87 jerseys.[50]

The Penguins opened the arena with a pre-season game on September 22, 2010, with a 5–1 win over the rivalDetroit Red Wings.PenguinsforwardMike Comriescored the first goal in the new arena, 81 seconds into the game.[51]The team also added a third home pre-season game to the schedule. Team President David Morehouse said, "Our feeling is that more fans will want the chance to see and experience Consol Energy Center, so we thought it made sense to add the third preseason home game."[52]

Inside PPG Paints Arena during a Penguins pre-season game in 2010.

The Penguins officially opened the building on October 7, 2010, against theircross-state rivalsPhiladelphia Flyers,with the Penguins falling 3–2. The first goal was scored by the Flyers forwardDaniel Brièreat 2:51 in the 2nd period, apower playgoal. The first Penguin goal was scored by forwardTyler Kennedy44 seconds into the third period. The stars of the game were awarded to Kennedy,Claude Girouxand Flyers rookie goaltenderSergei Bobrovsky,who made 29 of 31 saves in his NHL debut.[53]The Penguins earned their first win at the arena on October 15, 2010, against theNew York Islanders,prevailing on an overtime power-play goal by defensemanAlex Goligoski.It was also the first overtime game at the new arena. GoaltenderBrent Johnsonearned the win for the Penguins, making 22 saves.[54]

The first playoff game in PPG Paints Arena was against theTampa Bay Lightningon April 13, 2011. The first playoff goal in the building was scored byAlexei Kovalev.The Penguins would go on to win the first playoff game by a score of 3–0.Marc-André Fleuryhad a 32-save shutout. The Penguins would go on to lose in seven games.[55]

During the 2011 off-season, 300 seats were added, increasing the hockeyseating capacityfrom 18,087 to 18,387.[56]

PPG Paints Arena hosted its first Stanley Cup Finals in2016,which saw the Penguins defeat theSan Jose Sharksin six games to clinch its fourth Cup. Although the Penguins clinched the Cup at theSAP Center(home of the Sharks), PPG Paints did host a watch party for what turned out to be the series-clinching game, charging $10 for admission with all proceeds going to the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation. Concessions and the team store were open, and the arena's goal horn played after every Penguins goal just like at a regular home game.[57]The arena hosted a similar watch partythe following yearfor game six while the Penguins played theNashville PredatorsatBridgestone Arena,which like the year before turned out to be the series-clinching game for the Penguins' fifth Cup.[58]

Panorama view of the lower bowl of PPG Paints Arena before the first playoff game at the arena in 2011.
The scoreboard of PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA during a Penguins vs. Rangers game in 2019.

Collegiate

On July 13, 2010, the arena was selected to host the2013 NCAA Frozen Four,scheduled for April 11 and 13, 2013. The Penguins along withRobert Morris Universityhosted the first NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey championship held in the state ofPennsylvania;the event also marked the first time that an NCAA championship game in a major team sport had been held in the city of Pittsburgh. "We are absolutely thrilled to have been chosen to host the 2013 Frozen Four at the (Consol Energy Center)," RMU head men's ice hockey coachDerek Schooleysaid. "The Frozen Four will be a major showcase for the city of Pittsburgh as well as our emerging hockey program. This is one of the NCAA's premier events, and Robert Morris and the city of Pittsburgh will be an excellent host."[59]

In December 2012, the arena began hosting theThree Rivers Classic,a two-dayDivision Icollege ice hockey tournament. The inaugural tournament took place on December 28–29, 2012 and featured teams fromPenn State,Robert Morris,Ohio StateandMiami (Ohio).Robert Morris won the first Classic title in a 1–0 win over Miami. The 2013 Classic featured Robert Morris and Penn State as the permanent fixtures, and also featuredBoston CollegeandBowling Green University,with Boston College winning 8–2 over Penn State in the championship game. Meanwhile, teams such asMichiganandMinnesotaare seen as potential participants for upcoming Classics.[60]

The first collegiate event at PPG Paints Arena was the fifth-annual College Hockey Showcase on October 17, 2010, hosted by Robert Morris. In the event's first game theLady Colonialswere defeated 4–3 by theNortheastern Huskies.The ColonialsACHAclub team beatPitt6–4. In the arena's first NCAA men's game, theColonials men's teamdefeatedAir Force,3–2.[61]

In conjunction with the2011 NHL Winter Classic,held on January 2 at nearby Heinz Field, a collegiate game and anAmerican Hockey League(AHL) game were contested at PPG Paints Arena on December 30, 2010. The first game matched theRIT Tigers men's ice hockeyteam against the Robert Morris Colonials; RIT won 4–3. The second game matched the top-level affiliates of the two Winter Classic teams (the Penguins and the Washington Capitals), theWilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguinsand theHershey Bears;the Bears won 1–0.

PWHL

On March 17, 2024, thePWHLplayed a one-off game between theToronto Sceptresand theMontréal Victorie(both of which were unnamed at the time) in front of a crowd of 8,850 fans, making it the largest attended women's hockey game in Pittsburgh.[62]

Basketball

Both theUniversity of PittsburghandDuquesne Universityhave dedicated locker rooms in the arena for use by the schools' basketball teams.[63]Both schools made their first appearance on December 1, 2010, in theCity Game,the first ever basketball game hosted in the venue. A neutral venue, Pitt was designated as the home team for the game,[64]which the Panthers won 80–66. The first points at the arena were made by Duquesne freshman guardT. J. McConnell,with a basket at 27 seconds into the game.[65]

The arena hosted the 2010SEC/Big East Invitational,featuringAuburnplayingRutgersandPittsburghtaking onTennesseein Pitt's second appearance at PPG Paints. The games were televised nationally onESPN2andESPNrespectively.[66]

Duquesne hosted three home games in the 2010–11 season: on December 12 againstWest Virginia,againstDaytonon January 30, 2011, and againstXavieron February 13, 2011.[67]During the2012–2013 NHL lockout,Duquesne again hosted three home games – December 12 vs.West Virginia,January 19 vs.VCU,and February 9 vs.Xavier.For the 2013–14 basketball season, Duquesne hostedPenn Stateon December 11 andDaytonon February 22.

Duquesne hosted round of 64 and round of 32 games of the2012 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournamentat the arena and hosted the round of 64 and round of 32 again in2015.Duquesne had hosted three prior times at Civic Arena:1997,2001 (women's)and2002.In 2022 Duquesne hosted the Round of theNCAA Division I men's basketball tournament.

During his tenure asCommissioner of the NBA,David Sternmentioned the arena as a possible home for an NBA franchise should one move to Pittsburgh.[68]

For their 2017–18 season and part of the 2018–19 season, the arena served as the home of theRobert Morris Colonials men's basketball teamfor several games while the new UPMC Events Center was constructed on campus.

Arena football

An interior panorama of PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, PA

Shortly after PPG Paints was built, theArena Football Leagueconsidered starting an expansion team in the arena,[69]but the league folded in August 2009.[70]However, after atwo-year hiatus,the AFL returned and eyed an expansion team in Pittsburgh.[71]On August 19, 2010, news sources reported that PPG Paints Arena would be home to thePittsburgh Power,which began play in the spring of 2011. The team's ownership group includes formerPittsburgh SteelersandPro Football Hall of FamememberLynn Swann.Pittsburgh was the 5th city added for the 2011 AFL season, joining theSan Jose SaberCats,Kansas City Command,New Orleans VooDooandPhiladelphia Soul– who were all previous members of theArena Football League.[72]In nine home games, the Power averaged 9,197 fans per game, a figure that included an audience of 13,904 that showed up for the season opener against the Philadelphia Soul. Overall, the Power ranked sixth among the 18 Arena Football League teams in average attendance through 17 games that season, and its average attendance was about 1,000 people more than the AFL average.[73]

Gymnastics

In 2016, the arena hosted the Kellogg's Tour of Gymnastics Champions.[74]

Wrestling

The 2019 NCAA Division I men's wrestling championship was held at the arena in March 2019.[75]

Professional wrestling

The arena has hosted variousWWEpay-per-views and premium live events,includingRoyal Rumblein2014,Roadblock: End of the Linein 2016,Extreme Rulesin2018andPaybackin2023.It has also hosted variousRawandSmackDownTV shows. The arena planned to hostRawon March 16, 2020, but on March 12, the show, along with all other WWE events at that time, were canceled and relocated to theWWE Performance Centerdue to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[76]

Transportation access

PPG Paints Arena is served by exits at Mile 1 ofInterstate 579and exits 70A and 72B ofInterstate 376;it is also within 1 mile ofInterstate 279.Three blocks to the west of the center is theSteel Plazatransit station of thePittsburgh subway system.

Events

The arena opened on August 18, 2010, with a performance byPaul McCartney.[77]The demand for the first show was so great that tickets sold out within five minutes of going on sale. This prompted the addition of a second show, a day later on August 19.[78]Originally, Pittsburgh-nativeChristina Aguilerawas planning to open the arena on August 3, 2010. Due to conflicts with construction, Aguilera canceled her show.[citation needed]

In media

Justified,anFXtelevision drama that debuted in March 2010, used the center's final construction phase as a filming location to depict the "new Federal Courthouse" on the show.[79]

Grudge Matcha 2013 film shot its climactic fight scene at the PPG Paints Arena.[citation needed]

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