Phoenix Suns Arena - Phoenix Suns Arena Guide

The Phoenix Suns Arena was built as a replacement facility at Arizona Veterans Memorial Coliseum; the arena didn’t officially break ground until August of 1990 and wasn’t finished until June of 1992.

The original naming rights agreement was sold in January of 1990 to Tempe-based America West Airlines. From its conception until 2006 the arena was known as America West Arena. The next year, America West purchased rival carrier U.S. Airways, and although America West was the airline that purchased U.S. Airways, it took the U.S. Airways name as did the arena.

In 2014 Talking Stick Resort which is located in Scottsdale, Arizona, secured the new naming rights. After meetings on a contract extension were delayed earlier in the year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Talking Stick Resort announced that the naming rights deal had expired in November of 2020. Until a new agreement is reached, the venue will be known as Phoenix Suns Arena.

In 2019 The Phoenix City Council approved the second major renovation in the arena, with the team paying up to $80 million as well as any overrun costs. The first renovation was completed in March of 2003 that saw a 16,000-square-foot atrium built on the northwest side of the arena. That $67 million design was created to keep fans cool while waiting in line for tickets.

Interior view of Phoenix Suns Arena

Below is a seating plan of Phoenix Suns's Phoenix Suns Arena:

Several popular bars are located within walking distance to the arena, with a few of the favorites being Majerle’s Sports Grill, Lustre Bar, Copper Blues Rock Pub & Kitchen, and Bitter & Twisted Cocktail Parlour. Bitter & Twisted is the emerging hotspot located on the historic Luhrs Tower’s ground floor in downtown Phoenix. They offer a massive bar menu containing 116 cocktails and a food menu that has some fantastic appetizers. Bitter & Twisted is an excellent option for a pre-game drink in the downtown Phoenix area.

While several of the bars and pubs in the area offer several food options, a few other food options are a favorite of the locals and are right around the arena that you can stop at before tip-off. Some of the area’s options include Willie’s Taco Joint, Mancuso’s Restaurant, The Arrogant Butcher, Blue Hound Kitchen & Cocktails, Chico Malo, and many others. Phoenix is less passionate than the average city about its basketball team, but it is still a great city with fantastic food options to stop and grab a bite before a game.

On the Phoenix Suns Arena tour, you can be one of the first fans to experience the new facilities as you walk through the updated spaces that are located throughout the arena. There is also free parking that is available in the garage attached to the arena.

Typically, Suns tickets vary on who they are playing on the given night, but tickets can be found for as low as $13, with an average price of $82. The Phoenix Suns Arena also offers a wide range of premium seating options, including:

Lower Level Seating, Dos Equis Beer Garden, North Lounge, CLub Gils River & Ultra Club, and the Annexus Social Club.

The Phoenix Suns Arena has a wide range of tickets scaling all ticket prices, so you will be able to find any seat in the building that caters to your taste.

Since the Phoenix Suns Arena is located near Phoenix’s heart, there are several travel options you can choose from. The most popular transportation methods would include the Valley Metro plans, which operates the regional bus and light rail systems and alternative transportation programs. There are also various forms of care services and thousands of parking spots if you chose to bring your vehicle.

The address for the Phoenix Suns Arena is as follows:
• 201 E Jefferson St, Phoenix, AZ 85004

While traffic during game nights will drive larger crowds than usual down to Phoenix, you should be in the clear of heavy traffic if you leave a few hours before tip-off. If you are coming from surrounding suburbs, you will most likely be coming into the city on one of the three major highways (I-10, I-17, and U.S. Route 60).

While there are public/paid parking options on any given game night, the lot that the Phoenix Suns Arena sponsors is a five-story parking garage that is connected to the arena that has 700 parking spaces. These spaces are normally only available to suite ticket holders and premium seat owners, though some spaces are opened to the general public daily. The arena also recommends parking at the Jefferson St. Garage, located directly next to the venue.

For public transportation, you are most likely looking to be on Valley Metro plans which operate the regional bus and light rail systems and alternative transportation programs. With the wide range of transportation options, you should be able to find reliable services before and after a Suns game.

If you are coming from out of state and flying, you will most likely fly into Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. The drive from the airport to the arena is 5 miles and will roughly take 25-40 minutes to reach the arena. The most popular transportation methods to the Phoenix Suns Arena are tram + bus ($4-$6), taxi ($15-$20), or car.