NHL Hockey Arenas

NHL Hockey Arena Directory:

San Jose Sharks fans love their team and their arena, which sold to a 96.5 percent capacity in the team's first season, even with high ticket and parking prices.
Entering the arena means walking through a 60-foot glass-enclosed terrazzo-tiled cathedral lobby. Inside, there are cushioned seats with cup holders and good sightlines from everywhere. The sound system uses 32 speaker clusters for its 70,000-watt system.

The Sharks also have one of the more exciting game openings in the league. Players skate from the mouth of a giant 17-foot shark's head, with glowing red eyes and lots of fog.

Getting there

From the north, take 101 south to the Guadalupe Parkway (Route 87) and exit right onto Park Avenue about three blocks to Autumn Street. Go right on Autumn for two blocks, and the Arena is on the left. From the south: Take Route 87 north to San Jose and exit at Santa Clara Street.

HP Pavillion history

First regular-season game: Oct. 14, 1993, 2-1 loss to the Flames
First goal: Kip Miller, Sharks
March 20, 1994: Wayne Gretzky ties Gordie Howe's mark of 801 goals.

Arena Facts & Figures

Site and Building Information
Site Location: Downtown San Jose, at West Santa Clara Street and the Guadalupe Parkway

Site Area: Approximately 17 acres

Building Dimensions: Length -- 425 by 425 feet; Height -- 117 feet; Internal Space -- 450,000 square feet

Exterior: Concrete; space frame steel truss; ribbed stainless steel siding; 10-story glass pyramid entry

Seating Capacity: 20,000 maximum; Basketball -- 18,500; Multi-purpose -- 16,000-20,000; Hockey -- 17,483

Parking: Approximately 1,800 spaces on site; up to 8,000 spaces within a 5-10 minute walk

Executive Suites: 64

Cost: $162.5 million ($132.5 million funded by City of San Jose; $30 million funded by San Jose Arena Management Corp.)

Project Developer: Redevelopment Agency of San Jose

Owner: City of San Jose

Builder: Perini Building Company, Western Division

Construction Manager: HuntCor Inc.

Architect: Sink Combs Dethlefs

Arena Operator: San Jose Arena Management L.P.

As the cornerstone of a revitalized downtown area, the Arena is continually building excitement and civic pride for the City of San Jose and quickly establishing itself as the place to be in the Bay Area.

HP Pavillion (formerly called the San Jose Arena) has been called "the biggest success in the city's rebuilt downtown." Not only is the Arena the permanent home to four professional sports teams, but also a main reason that San Jose is quickly becoming a mecca for amatuer sporting events as varied as fencing, volleyball and Sumo wrestling.

The National Hockey League's San Jose Sharks headline the Arena's entertaining major- league sports lineup. The Arena also houses the Rhinos of Roller Hockey International and the Arena's newest tenant -- the Arena Football League's SaberCats, who entered their inaugural season in 1995.

Other major events that have come to San Jose include the 1996 U.S. Figure Skating Championships, the 1997 NCAA Men's Basketball West Regional Finals and the 1997 NHL All-Star Game. In July, HP Pavillion was chosen as the site of the 1999 NCAA women's basketball Final Four championships. In addition, the Arena plays regular host to the Cable Car Classic (college basketball), Sybase Open (the first stop on the Association of Tennis Professionals Tour) and other major sporting events.

Managed by San Jose Arena Management since opening in September 1993, spectacular HP Pavillion has hosted more than 275 events with nearly 3-million people passing through its doors.

In 1990, the City Council established the San Jose Arena Authority to oversee the operation of the Arena facility and to act as the Arena's liaison to the San Jose community. The Arena Authority reports to a 12-member board of directors, comprised of many of the same dedicated people who contributed to the Arena's development -- including representatives from the City Council, City Administration, the Redevelopment Agency (the developers of the Arena), the neighborhoods, the downtown merchants and members of the community at large.

As capital of Silicon Valley, San Jose is synonomous with high technology and San Jose Arena fits right in as a perfect showcase for architectural excellence and technological innovation. Outside, a shining stainless-steel facade supports a magnificent glass pyramid entry soaring 10 stories above the ground. Inside, state-of-the-art acoustics and leading-edge seismic engineering contribute to the Arena's reputation as one of the finest single-concourse facilities in the United States.

In 1988, San Jose voters laid the foundation for the new Arena, electing to build a downtown multi-purpose sports and entertainment facility that would create jobs, attract the regional community to a revitalized city center and provide a venue for major league sports, family attractions and various community events.

From the beginning, the City of San Jose has involved neighborhood groups, downtown merchants, and civic and business leaders in the study of parking, traffic, and a host of other vital issues. Everybody had a say in their Arena project.

The completion and success of HP Pavillion is an important milestone in San Jose's emergence as a destination city, and its convenient downtown location allows guests to take full advantage of an urban setting -- complete with fine dining, bustling cafes and clubs, and a host of transportation alternatives.

The world's greatest names in sports and entertainment have already found the way to San Jose with many more on the horizon. Performers and entertainers as varied as Placido Domingo, Andre Agassi, James Taylor, Van Halen, Kenny G, Barbra Streisand, Neil Diamond, Elton John, Luciano Pavarotti, Big Bird, Elton John and Jimmy Connors have thrilled Arena audiences of all ages.

Welcome to the exciting, new world created by spectacular HP Pavillion.