Smoothie King Center

We have had a blast to each event we’ve been to. We’ve been to concerts and basketball games and other were a lot of fun. The food is really good, also. A lot of local favorites are offered.

Being from California, and having gone to Staples Center in LA, I have high standards of how an Arena should be. This place is a treat. I had a great time watching the Pelicans V. Hornets game. The place is very clean and interior design is off the beautiful.
*100 Tier Level Seats — If you get the 100 Level Seats, you have access to a lounge area with more dining options. It is quite the treat. You have the option of getting Shrimp and Grits in an awesome sauce layered over it. You also can get a spicy hot dog that is different from the outer venue’s It really is something else.
**Pelicans Store — The store is remarkably similar to how the Brooklyn Net’s store looks with the high windows. They do have a plethora of options from alternate jersey’s regular jerseys, different NOLA logos and hats and trinkets. It’s a really nice area.
***Arena — The arena is very beautiful with huge jumbotron above the court. I’m not sure why I’m not too impressed with Staples Center and I’m really impressed with this place. It was awesome just watching the game.

We walked here from our hotel about 15 minutes away to see the Lakers play Pelicans since Kobe Bryant is retiring. Place is awesome and the Pelicans fans were very welcoming which was great. We got into the smoothie center only waiting in like maybe 5 to 10 minutes and when we got inside I was liking how clean it was and wasn’t a crazy house. We didn’t have the best seats in the house since it was last minute but the view was good regardless. Prices for drinks and food are what we expect from any stadium. Overpriced beers and food.

Went to this place 3 times total. Every time I’ve been there, the staff is VERY friendly and really fun to talk to. They are all very professional and help you find your seat, tell you how to get to the bars with the least wait, and all just seem very happy to be there.
The only improvement that should happen, is that they should have staff watching the stairs for spills. One night I saw 5 people slip on the stairs, the first one fell and spilled her drinks all over and no one cleaned it up, so people kept slipping. Someone went out to get someone to clean it, but no one showed up.
Overall, it’s a great place to go to for a show and the staff is awesome.

Smoothie King Center is great. There’s so many different events here but the one we frequent the most is Pelican Basketball. The center is always clean. The seats are great. The staff are friendly. Parking is easy to get to.

Attended a Pelicans game on New Year’s Eve against the Clippers.
Besides the performance of the Pels I was happy with my experience here. Smoothie King is located to the southwest-​ish of the Superdome. Our seats were good and affordable. We sat in section 121 for about $ 60 a ticket.
Again, the on court performance left me wishing for more but everything else was top notch for a NBA game. The halftime performance was awesome. They had a dance theme that counted down the top songs of the year. The in-​game entertainment was well organized and kept the crowd involved. They had t-​shirt tosses, calendar giveaways, and it was Jrue Holiday bobblehead night.
They do not allow selfie sticks here. We had to stash it outside in a dark place behind a bush.

Only come to the arena for Pelicans games. I sit in section 305 row 3 which are pretty good seats at $ 1200 for 2 tix a season. There’s no bad seat in the house though.
I spent 5 yrs in section 311 row 12. There’s a big difference in where I was to now where I’m at. They added a HUGE screen center court so that makes up for the view if anyone is wondering what the view is like from 31l row 12.
I’m looking forward to next season where I shall invest in the lower bowl 100 level of the arena. That’s goes from spending $ 1200 on two seats a season… to $ 1200 for one seat

Pelicans basketball and rock concerts are the main reasons we go to to the SKC. (I still have a hard time not calling it the Arena.) We’ve sat in all the sections, usually the 100s, a couple of times way up in the 300s, and once in the 200 suites. For the Trans-​Siberian Orchestra concert, it was quite cold when we arrived. After the show started with all its pyrotechnics, it warmed up to an acceptable level. Several times for the Pelican games we’ve had access to the Capital One Lounge. The food there is quite good. Considering the start times for most Pelican games, it’s an acceptable alternative to getting downtown early enough to eat at a restaurant and then navigate your way to the SKC. Parking is fairly efficient with plenty of options. In one of those quirks of life, I have often found it cheaper to park at the MB Superdome rather than a parking garage leading up to the SKC. I guess the reason for the discount is that it takes longer to leave. I have yet to run into any issues with traffic control after an event, other than they won’t clear traffic for me so I can leave instantly.

It’s hard to review this place and not have it taken down a couple notches with the product the New Orleans Pelicans put on the floor. So reviewing the building only its 4 stars. Easy to get in and out of. Super comfy seats. Good concessions. The biggest plus is the staff. Super friendly and helpful. They act like people who love to come to work. Smiles from everyone and you could hear it in the way they talk. Only downside is parking. There isn’t much. We parked several blocks away and walked but NO is a lively city so the walk wasn’t bad at all. Also the NO police working the game act like like it is the biggest hassle they have ever had to deal with. I will return.

Saw Garth Brooks here while visiting NOLA on an extended weekend vacation. No complaints; Garth rocked it well. The venue reminds me a lot of the Veteran’s Memorial Stadium in Jacksonville. Would certainly come back. I had fun despite the corny name of the venue.

The renovations in the Arena make this a really nice spot to watch a concert or a game. I’ve been here many times (Sir Paul, Garth Brooks, Pelicans, Hornets, Voodoo) and I’m pleased each time.
Yes, the beers are $ 9 and the hotdogs are $ 6…but it’s an arena. Pretty much what you would expect!
The bathrooms are plentiful, so the wait-​times aren’t too bad if you have to go during a show. The 300 level seats are not bad for viewing either.
They always keep the temperatures pretty cool, which is nice for a big crowd. It does get pretty chilly in there, so bring a sweater!
It’s nice to see an arena in New Orleans starting to attract really big acts! The LED lights bring the outside up to snuff next to the Superdome. I’m pretty sure you can see these two buildings from Space!
There’s parking close-​by for a fee (typically $ 15-​$ 20), or you can try to get street parking in the CBD for free.
All in all, I’m always stoked when a show goes to the arena.

From the hive, to the nest, then Smoothie King Center. Whatever you wish to call it, it’s a venue i’ve grown to like a little more with each event i attend. It’s not super big which i think has opened up the doors for different types of shows to have a better environmental experience. My most recent visit, which was for a UFC event, compelled me to write a review.
I’ve been to many-​a Hornets, and Pelicans games here, i’ve also been to a motocross event and most recently, a UFC Fight Night. I love UFC, and last night was my first time attending a fight. Let me tell you, that was the best sixty bucks i’ve spent in my life. I will be sure not to miss another UFC event in New Orleans so long as i’m here.
I came with a few buddies of mine, we purchased our tickets about a week out from Ticketmaster and printed ours out. Some were worried about the seating arrangements, we were in sec. 106, row 9 and we saw everything perfectly. We were sitting in front some prudes who tried killing our vibe, but me at a sporting event is one thing in itself. Me with my friends at a sporting event is an even different story. But me at my first ever UFC event with my friends?!
Fughettaboutit.
She quickly learned that i don’t take things in life as seriously as others, and got with the program. Some people are so bitter, but if you’re around me long enough, you will not remain in a salty mood, i have powers to change ya attitude, real quick. We all left outta there laughing and smiling our faces apart.
Still expect to pay Disney World prices for concessions and other merchandise, that’s to be expected. There’s designated smoking areas, so don’t fret. Y’all will be packed like sardines out there tho. There isn’t much cover from the elements in the smoking area also, so do take note. Also, i find it can get quite chilly in the arena so i would suggest bringing a light jacket whenever you do pay a visit.
It seems the days of bad seats with newer arenas are behind us, i had full confidence in the seats because i’ve sat all over the arena and have yet to be disappointed with any seat i’ve been in.

I always enjoy visiting the SK center. Much smaller than other arenas I have been to. They have pretty decent overpriced food and drinks. Definitely not as expensive as sports centers in other cities.
Restrooms are clean. I like the Pelicans, even though no one else seems to! It is fairly easy to find inexpensive tickets to any game or event.
Parking is fairly ample. Most sports centers have a pretty terrible traffic flow situation before and after events. Perhaps I have been lucky, but I have always found it a breeze to come and go and not have to wait long. Be back soon!

I’ve grown to really like the SKC. The lines are usually moving pretty quickly to get in (especially compared to the Dome). The concessions are generally pretty good and those lines move quickly too. The arena is also generally pretty clean, whereas the Dome can get pretty dirty pretty quickly. I know that’s not really a fair comparison, as the Dome crowds are generally at least 4x the size of the SKC crowds (and 4x drunker). But still, I usually have more fun at the arena.
Also, I somewhat frequently get to go to the Capital One Lounge, which includes free food and snacks, and a cash bar starting an hour before the game and going through the third quarter. The freshly cooked hot plates are always very good, as are the cheese/​sausage/​fruit/​dessert spreads. Sometimes I go to the SKC just to go to the Capital One Lounge, it’s that good.

Id you haven’t been to the Smoothie King center since it was know as the New Orleans Arena, you are in for a nice surprise. The arena has had a face lift and, while the seats are the same, everything else has been refreshed.
Most importantly, the food options are far more varied and appeal to many tastes. The quality of the food is very good and significantly improved from a few years back. The drink options are much improved as well and include full service bars, spiked lemonade, bottled and draft beer and of course, smoothies. There is even a spot for sweets. You can get funnel cake, cotton candy, and all kinds of delicious things I was too full to take in.
The venue finally feels a bit swanky and top notch. We are moving on up!

I still hate the name… but, the 1970s (80s?) bathroom tile aqua blue/​green exterior is gone, so the Smoothie King Center gets 4 stars. The exterior of this place at least looks like it’s part of the modern era, so kudos for making that happen with the naming rights.
Anyhow, the arena… er… the Smoothie King Center is a nice venue for everything from basketball to concerts.
They have a nice Capital One lounge that has some decent food and drinks if you want to spend some money and hang out in there before a game. The Pelicans gear shop is loaded with all sorts of Pelicans things. It’s easy to navigate the perimeter and find your seat.
Parking is pretty convenient, with paid parking lots right across the street, and another right next door. It’s about $ 15 to park, or you can find street parking a few blocks away for free.

I’ve seen everything from concerts, to NBA games, to special events like Cirque du Soleil at the Arena (Smoothie King Center) and never had a bad seat. Even at the tippy top, in the cheap seats, the view is pretty good.
There’s plenty of parking available, but it can get pretty congested getting in and out of the lots but the police do their best to keep it moving as efficiently as possible.
My only negative on the arena is the concession prices but I guess it’s pretty standard as stadiums and arenas go. But at $ 5 for the smallest soft drink, it’s still ridiculously overpriced. The arena staff is courteous and helpful and that does always stand out and that’s a great thing!

I like it here. I have no idea why the main picture for the place is a picture of the men’s room, but okay.
I attended my first ever Pelican’s game here, as you do, and I really liked the place. There’s a nice gift shop where you can pick up all of the Pelican’s fan gear that you could ever want. Upstairs, there are plenty of food and drink stations, that will keep you hydrated and well fed during the game, or any other event that you may be attending here.
One thing I noticed was that there is staff EVERYWHERE and they are very friendly and help you find your seat or anything else that you might need. We were high in the seats for the game, but had no problem seeing all of the action and had a really good time.

Kudos to whoever finally had the balls to pull the trigger to get rid of the hideous green exterior. It’s been repainted a more likeable gray. Some of the other new features of the arena are LED lights along the exterior of the building as well as a much bigger main entrance.
Since last year they have put in all new signs at all of the concession stands. They have added new bars, renovated suites, and even added a kid-​friendly area called the STEAM zone. The STEAM zone is really neat with interactive activities for the kids that teach them the science behind basketball. You can learn about the anatomy of a basketball shoe for instance.
Other things that I love about the Smoothie King Center include the Porch Bar which overlooks the whole arena. It is located on the 300 level and gives fans a chance to watch the game by a bar without having to go into the seating area. The two bunker bars are probably the coolest spots in the whole place… nice lighting, plenty of seating, private seating areas, and nice restrooms.
Overall the arena is very nice now with lots of new or renovated areas. The fan experience here has been much improved!

I refuse to call this the Smoothie King whatever. Hehe… but seriously the New Orleans Arena is pretty darned awesome! Back when we were the Hornets I came to a few games and sat in the nosebleed section. But for my first game watching the Pelicans I had clubhouse seats! Let me tell y’all, the clubhouse is swanky!
Just look at my pix and compare the regular ladies restroom to the one in the clubhouse. My friend Steve I always makes fun of the fact that I take pix of ladies restrooms but for me it’s a big deal if it’s clean. A dirty restroom doesn’t bode well for the cleanliness of a joint for me. Besides, I have the tiniest bladder known to man so I’m always going to the bathroom so I want it to be a pleasant experience!
And the clubhouse has bars, seating areas, big screen tv’s and a couch room so you never miss the game. Plus they have people who will prepare hot food in front of you-​I so love that!
But we didn’t eat down here. We were hungry and had the yummy jambalaya and boudin upstairs. My friend did get a beer down here which was convenient.
The staff are really friendly and helpful, the arena is clean and maintained well. Plus they have fun things like a DJ outside, inflatable slides for the kids, inflatable hoops, tables outside to tailgate before the game, face painting inside, organ donor tables (with a strange anatomically correct looking heart guy-​see my pic), Pelican shops, and tons of food options!
I had such a great time cheering on my Pelicans even though they lost to Phoenix. I gotta tell ya, clubhouse is the way to go! The ticket price was $ 33 which isn’t that bad for all the amenities!
Happy arena watching!