Toyota Center

Location: Houston, Texas
Capacity: Basketball: 18,055 – Concerts: 19,000
Home Team: Houston Rockets

Toyota Center is an indoor arena located in downtown Houston, Texas. It is named after the Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota. The arena is home to the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA), and it was once the home of the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League.

Rockets owner Leslie Alexander first began to request a new arena in 1995 and attempted to release the Rockets from their lease at The Summit, which ran until 2003. However, he was denied by arena owner Chuck Watson, then-owner of the Aeros, who also wanted control of a new arena. The two sides agreed to equal control over an arena in a deal signed in 1997, but the proposal was rejected by city voters in a 1999 referendum. It was not until the city and the Rockets signed an amended agreement in 2001, excluding the Aeros, that the proposal was accepted.

Construction began in July 2001, and the new arena was officially opened in October 2003. The total costs were $235 million, with the city of Houston paying the majority, and the Rockets paying for enhancements. Toyota paid US$100 million for the naming rights.

The arena can seat 18,104 for a basketball game, 17,800 for ice hockey games, and 19,300 for concerts. The prices for courtside seats to a Rockets game in the new arena were raised by as much as 50% compared to prices in the team’s old home, while upper-deck seat prices were lowered.

It has 103 luxury suites and 2,900 club seats (Sections 105–109, Frost Bank West Club; Sections 118–122, Frost Bank East Club). The Rockets East & West Clubs feature upscale concessions, extra-wide seats, a full private bar featuring premium wine and beverage selections, and concierge service. The adjacent 2,500-space Toyota Tundra garage is connected to the arena by a private skybridge that can be accessed by Suite, Court-side, and Club Seat holders.

Other than basketball games, the arena has hosted UFC events and it also hosted the 9th Annual Latin Grammy Awards on November 13, 2008, along with Prince, Tool, Guns N’ Roses, Coldplay, Bon Jovi, Adele, and Garth Brooks concerts.