Van Andel Arena is a 12,000 plus seat multi-purpose

arena An arena is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators ...

, situated in the Heartside district of

Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the second most-populated city in the state after Detroit. Grand Rapids is the ...

, United States. The arena attracted over five million patrons in its first 5 years, 1996–2001. It is home to the Grand Rapids Griffins of the

American Hockey League The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 season, every team in the le ...

, the top minor league affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings, with fans giving it the nickname "The Freezer on Fulton". It is also home to the

Grand Rapids Gold The Grand Rapids Gold are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and are affiliated with the Denver Nuggets. The Gold play their home games at Van Andel Arena. They began play as the Anaheim ...

of the NBA G League, the minor league affiliate of the Denver Nuggets. Van Andel Arena is the fourth-largest arena in Michigan, as well as

West Michigan West Michigan and Western Michigan are terms for an arbitrary region in the U.S. state of Michigan's Lower Peninsula. Most narrowly it refers to the Grand Rapids- Muskegon-Holland area, and more broadly to most of the region along the Lower Pe ...

's largest; only Little Caesars Arena in

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at t ...

, the Jack Breslin Student Events Center in

East Lansing East Lansing is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. Most of the city lies within Ingham County with a smaller portion extending north into Clinton County. At the 2020 Census the population was 47,741. Located directly east of the state capital ...

, and the Crisler Center in Ann Arbor, Michigan, are larger.

Background

After a $78 million construction effort, the arena opened on October 8, 1996. The 12,000 plus seat arena is managed by

ASM Global The Anschutz Entertainment Group (AEG), also known as AEG Worldwide, is an American global sporting and music entertainment presenter and a subsidiary of The Anschutz Corporation. It is the world's largest owner of sports teams and sports event ...

. It was named in recognition of the largest benefactors, Jay and Betty Van Andel. The arena was the home court of the now defunct

Grand Rapids Hoops The Grand Rapids Hoops were a basketball team that played in the Continental Basketball Association based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Their first season was in 1989 and their final season was in 2003. Professional basketball later returned to Grand ...

of the Continental Basketball Association from 1996 to 2001 and the Grand Rapids Rampage of the Arena Football League from 1998 to 2009. It has been hosts to acts such as Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Eric Clapton, Pearl Jam, Green Day, Metallica, Phish, Slipknot,

Jack White John Anthony White (; born July 9, 1975), commonly known as Jack White, is an American musician, best known as the lead singer and guitarist of the duo the White Stripes. White has enjoyed consistent critical and popular success and is widely c ...

, Bruce Springsteen,

Paul McCartney Sir James Paul McCartney (born 18 June 1942) is an English singer, songwriter and musician who gained worldwide fame with the Beatles, for whom he played bass guitar and shared primary songwriting and lead vocal duties with John Lennon. One ...

, Phil Collins, Eagles, Britney Spears, Janet Jackson, Aerosmith, Ariana Grande, Elton John,

Lady Gaga Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta ( ; born March 28, 1986), known professionally as Lady Gaga, is an American singer, songwriter, and actress. She is known for her image reinventions and musical versatility. Gaga began performing as a teenag ...

, Demi Lovato, Roger Waters,

The Who The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist and singer John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered ...

, Kiss, Mötley Crüe,

Red Hot Chili Peppers Red Hot Chili Peppers are an American rock band formed in Los Angeles in 1983, comprising vocalist Anthony Kiedis, bassist Flea, drummer Chad Smith, and guitarist John Frusciante. Their music incorporates elements of alternative rock, funk ...

Avenged Sevenfold Avenged Sevenfold (abbreviated as A7X) is an American heavy metal band from Huntington Beach, California, formed in 1999. The band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist M. Shadows, rhythm guitarist and backing vocalist Zacky Vengeance ...

, Rush, TLC, Marilyn Manson,

Kenny Chesney Kenneth Arnold Chesney (born March 26, 1968) is an American country music singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He has recorded more than 20 albums and has produced more than 40 Top 10 singles on the US ''Billboard'' Hot Country Songs and Country ...

, OneRepublic, Kid Rock, Katy Perry, P!nk, TobyMac, Trans-Siberian Orchestra, The Harlem Globetrotters,

World Wrestling Entertainment World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and va ...

All Elite Wrestling All Elite Wrestling (AEW) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Jacksonville, Florida. It is considered the second largest wrestling promotion in the United States behind WWE. AEW is owned by Shahid Khan and his son Tony, ...

, Disney, Disney on Ice, NCAA Hockey Regional Championships, the AFL ArenaBowl XV game, professional boxing and basketball exhibition games for the

Detroit Pistons The Detroit Pistons are an American professional basketball team based in Detroit. The Pistons compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Central Division and play their home games at L ...

, Michigan State University Basketball & Grand Valley State University. On October 20, 2001, during a show co-headlining with Slipknot,

System of a Down System of a Down (also known as SoaD or simply System) is an Armenian-American heavy metal band formed in Glendale, California, in 1994. Since 1997, the band has consisted of Serj Tankian (lead vocals, keyboards); Daron Malakian (guitar, voc ...

bassist

Shavo Odadjian Shavarsh "Shavo" Odadjian ( hy, Շավարշ "Շավո" Օդաջյան; born April 22, 1974) is an Armenian-American musician, best known as the bassist of heavy metal band System of a Down. He also plays bass in a trap group called North Kingsl ...

was assaulted, racially profiled and escorted out of the arena by security guards working for DuHadway Kendall. He filed a lawsuit in 2003.

Description

As a

concert A concert is a live music performance in front of an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, choir, or band. Concerts are held in a wide variet ...

venue, the Van Andel Arena seats 12,858 for end-stage shows, and 13,184 for center-stage shows. The arena floor measures and features 9,886 permanent seats, of which 1,800 are club seats and 44 luxury suites, with the 16 luxury suites in the upper bowl seating 20 each, and the lower 24 bowls seating 15, and the others at 18. In addition, there are 1,300 retractable seats.

In popular culture

The arena and Grand Rapids Griffins are featured briefly in a sketch on the comedy show ''

Nick Swardson's Pretend Time ''Nick Swardson's Pretend Time'' is a TV sketch comedy show created by and starring actor and comedian Nick Swardson. The show premiered on Tuesday, October 12, 2010, at 10 p.m. EST on Comedy Central and ran for two seasons, with the final firs ...

'', in which Nick attempts to propose but is instead repeatedly hit in the face with hockey pucks. The arena was also the setting for System of a Down's 2005 music video for their single, "Hypnotize".

References

External links

Official website

Grand Rapids Griffins

Grand Rapids Gold
{{Authority control Sports venues completed in 1996 Indoor arenas in Michigan Sports venues in Michigan Grand Rapids Gold Grand Rapids Griffins Sports in Grand Rapids, Michigan Buildings and structures in Grand Rapids, Michigan Economy of Grand Rapids, Michigan NBA G League venues Indoor ice hockey venues in Michigan Arena football venues Basketball venues in Michigan College ice hockey venues in the United States Continental Basketball Association venues Gymnastics venues in the United States 1996 establishments in Michigan