What Smoothie King Center does

Smoothie King Center is a multi-purpose indoor arena located at 1501 Dave Dixon Drive in New Orleans, Louisiana, owned by the Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District (LSED), a state agency, and operated under an exclusive management contract by Legends Global. Originally opened in 1999 as the New Orleans Arena and renamed in 2014 after Smoothie King acquired naming rights, the venue has served as the home arena of the NBA's New Orleans Pelicans since the 2002-03 season (originally as the Hornets, rebranded in 2013). The facility accommodates flexible seating configurations for 4 to over 18,000 guests, with 56 suites plus the HUB Club premium space, and includes six private event spaces totaling roughly 44,000+ square feet: Main Arena Floor (21,250 sq ft), North Club (6,478 sq ft), Courtside Club (4,743 sq ft), HUB Club (5,868 sq ft), The Warehouse (1,050 sq ft), and Chairman's Club (4,300 sq ft). On-site parking spans seven garages and two surface lots with capacity for approximately 7,000 vehicles.

Name

Smoothie King Center

Legal name

Smoothie King Center

Website

https://smoothiekingcenter.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Smoothie King Center is a New Orleans multi-purpose arena, owned by Louisiana's LSED and managed by Legends Global, serving as home of the NBA Pelicans and hosting concerts, WWE, rodeos, and private events for up to 18,000+ guests.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports & Entertainment Venue

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (71131), Amusement Parks and Arcades (7131)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Arenas & Indoor Sports Centers (MPAKAEAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Concession & Stadium / Arena Catering (THAFAIAG), Convention & Exhibition Centers (Public Convention Centers, Civic Centers) (THAHAAAA)

Keywords

• Multi-purpose arena venue
• Live entertainment events
• Premium seating rentals
• Private event hosting
• Arena concession services

Headquarters

HQ city

New Orleans

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Ticket Sales and Commissions: Revenue from ticket sales for concerts, sporting events, and other entertainment through Ticketmaster and AXS platforms. Arena takes commission on ticket sales.
2. Premium Seating and Suite Rentals: Revenue from rental of 56 suites and premium seating options including Loge Boxes, HUB Club, The Warehouse, and Chairman's Club for events. Suites feature 12-18 fixed leather viewing seats with attendant service and private entrance.
3. Food and Beverage Concessions: Legends Global operates all food and beverage concessions exclusively. Revenue share or concession fees from diverse concession offerings including Cajun/Creole, Mexican, BBQ, pizza, burgers, seafood, and specialty items across multiple stands.
4. Parking Services: Revenue from parking operations across 7 parking garages and 2 surface lots accommodating approximately 7,000 vehicles. Parking is cashless, accepting credit/debit only. JustPark integration for advance parking passes.
5. Catering Services: Legends Global provides exclusive in-house catering for private events with customizable New Orleans-inspired menus. Revenue from event catering services for corporate events, fundraisers, and private gatherings.
6. Private Event Venue Rental: Rental of flexible event spaces including Main Arena Floor (21,250 sq ft), North Club (6,478 sq ft), Courtside Club (4,743 sq ft), HUB Club (5,868 sq ft), The Warehouse (1,050 sq ft), and Chairman's Club (4,300 sq ft) for concerts, conventions, and special events.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Smoothie King Center is a multi-purpose indoor arena in New Orleans that hosts NBA games, concerts, WWE events, rodeo, and private events. It generates revenue through ticket sales (Ticketmaster/AXS), 56 suite rentals and premium seating, Legends-operated food and beverage concessions and catering, private event space rentals across six distinct venues, and parking operations across seven garages and two surface lots. The facility is owned by a state agency and managed by Legends Global under contract.

Product overview

Smoothie King Center is a multi-purpose arena in New Orleans serving as the home venue for the NBA's New Orleans Pelicans and hosting diverse live events including concerts, rodeos, and WWE events. The venue operates as a platform with interconnected service modules: core event hosting (Pelicans games, concerts, rodeos, WWE events) paired with premium seating products (suites, loge boxes, HUB Club) and comprehensive event services (Legends catering, concessions, 360° virtual tours). Accessibility and inclusion are supported through ADA-compliant services and KultureCity sensory programs. Ticketing is delivered via third-party platforms (Ticketmaster, AXS) while parking and premium bookings use JustPark and PA Exchange integrations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• New Orleans Pelicans NBA Games Home arena for the NBA's New Orleans Pelicans basketball team, hosting regular season games, playoff games, and special NBA events. Operating as anchor tenant since the 2002-03 season.
• Concert and Live Entertainment Events Concert venue hosting major touring acts across genres including rock, R&B, country, hip-hop, and Christian music, with flexible seating configurations for up to 17,700 guests.
• WWE Events Hosts WWE wrestling events including Money In The Bank pay-per-view spectaculars featuring WWE Superstars competing for championship contract opportunities.
• New Orleans SERA Invitational Rodeo Annual rodeo event organized by the Southeastern Rodeo Association featuring professional rodeo competitions inside the arena.
• Private Event Venue Rentals Rental of multiple flexible event spaces including Main Arena Floor (21,250 sq ft, 640 banquet capacity), North Club (6,478 sq ft, 135 banquet), Courtside Club (4,743 sq ft, 100 banquet), HUB Club (5,868 sq ft, 96 banquet with 150 fixed bowl seats), The Warehouse (1,050 sq ft, 50 banquet), and Chairman's Club (4,300 sq ft, 85 banquet) for concerts, conventions, corporate functions, and special events.
• Premium Seating (Suites and Loge Boxes) Premium private seating comprising 56 suites (12-18 fixed leather viewing seats each with attendant service, private entrance, and catering options) plus Loge Boxes (4-5 comfortable chairs with countertop space, private entrance, and access to premium club lounges). Available as single-event rentals via PA Exchange or as multi-year suite ownership contracts.
• Legends Catering Exclusive in-house catering by Legends Global offering New Orleans-inspired dishes and fully customized culinary experiences for private events, corporate functions, fundraisers, and personal gatherings, led by Executive Chef Michael Cansler.
• Concession Stands Cashless food and beverage concessions offering diverse New Orleans-inspired cuisine including BBQ, Cajun/Creole, Mexican, pizza, seafood, chicken, daiquiris, and more. Credit/debit cards only.
• Advance Parking Pre-purchasable event parking through JustPark EventPass platform across seven parking garages and two surface lots accommodating approximately 7,000 vehicles. Cashless, accepts credit/debit only.
• Pelicans Team Store Official team store of the New Orleans Pelicans selling Nike gear, official merchandise, and apparel, located at the Dave Dixon Drive entrance of the arena.

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core, major, minor and secondary.

• Legends GlobalcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLegends Global is the exclusive management company for Smoothie King Center and the exclusive provider of food and beverage concessions and catering services. They handle all venue operations including event management, concessions, premium experiences, and catering for private events. Legends also conducts job fairs for food and beverage staffing.
• Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District (LSED)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLSED is a state agency/political subdivision that owns and oversees the Smoothie King Center along with the Superdome, New Orleans Saints Training Facility, TPC Louisiana, Shrine on Airline, and John A. Alario Sr. Event Center. The board plans, finances, constructs, develops, maintains and operates these facilities.
• Caesars SuperdomemajorOthersAffiliated venue within the same complex managed under the ASM Global/Legends partnership. Located adjacent to Smoothie King Center in the New Orleans sports and entertainment district. Shared parking infrastructure and sometimes combined ticketing operations.
• Champions SquareminorOthersAffiliated outdoor entertainment space adjacent to the arena complex, part of the same venue ecosystem under ASM Global management.
• Shrine on AirlineminorOthersAffiliated venue under LSED ownership, another entertainment venue in the New Orleans market.
• TicketmastercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPrimary ticketing platform for Smoothie King Center events. Provides mobile ticketing infrastructure, event listings, and ticket sales. The venue's tickets are mobile-only through Ticketmaster accounts.
• AXS.comsecondaryChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSecondary ticketing platform for select events at Smoothie King Center. Provides mobile ticketing through AXS app for certain concerts.
• JustParkminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorParking pass distribution partner providing advance parking sales through their EventPass platform for Smoothie King Center events.
• New Orleans PelicanscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrimary anchor tenant and NBA franchise that calls Smoothie King Center home. The team has played at the venue since 2002-03 season (originally as Hornets, rebranded to Pelicans in 2013). The partnership includes team store operations, group sales collaboration, and premium seating coordination.
• Hyatt Regency New OrleansminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartner hotel adjacent to the arena complex, offering recommendations for visitors attending events at Smoothie King Center. Part of 'Around New Orleans' guide for event attendees.
• Southeastern Rodeo Association (SERA)minorOthersOrganizing body for the New Orleans SERA Invitational Rodeo event hosted at Smoothie King Center.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• State Farm Arena: Atlanta arena home to the Atlanta Hawks, hosting NBA games, concerts, and college basketball. Directly comparable NBA anchor venue with multi-purpose event programming.
• United Center: Chicago arena jointly owned by the Bulls and Blackhawks, hosting NBA, NHL, and major concerts. Direct peer in dual-tenant sports and concert event programming at a ~20,000-seat scale.
• American Airlines Center: Dallas multi-purpose arena home to the Mavericks and Stars, hosting concerts and family shows. Direct peer in NBA/NHL anchor tenancy and metropolitan-market private event hosting.
• Madison Square Garden Entertainment: Owns and operates Madison Square Garden, the iconic multi-purpose arena in NYC hosting NBA (Knicks), NHL (Rangers), concerts, and family events. Direct peer in arena-scale event hosting, premium seating, and venue-driven hospitality revenue.
• Kaseya Center: Miami arena home to the Miami Heat, hosting concerts, family shows, and boxing. Comparable NBA anchor model with similar suite/premium product and tourist-driven attendance.
• Toyota Center (Houston): Houston arena home to the Houston Rockets, hosting NBA games and major concerts. Directly comparable NBA anchor venue of similar capacity serving a southern US market.
• TD Garden (Delaware North): Boston multi-purpose arena operated by Delaware North, home to the Celtics and Bruins. Direct peer in NBA/NHL anchor tenancy, premium seating, and multi-event programming.
• Crypto.com Arena (AEG): Los Angeles multi-purpose arena operated by AEG, home to the Lakers, Clippers, Kings, and Sparks. Direct peer across NBA anchor tenancy, concert booking, and 17,000+ capacity premium product.
• Barclays Center (BSE Global): Brooklyn arena home to the Brooklyn Nets and New York Islanders, operated by BSE Global. Direct peer in NBA anchor tenancy, concert touring, and urban-district entertainment positioning.

Regional players

• Caesars Superdome: Adjacent larger-capacity venue owned by the same Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District and operated by ASM Global. Regional peer in mega-event hosting (NFL, Final Four, Super Bowl) that competes for some concerts and conventions within the same New Orleans complex.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/smoothie-king-center

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Smoothie King Center