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Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse Opens: 5 Things To Know
The Cleveland basketball and concert arena has more going for it than just a new hame. Here are five reasons we can't wait to get inside.
by Kevin Carpenter | Sep. 25, 2019 | 12:00 PM
Sydney Kay
The two-year $185 million transformation of Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse comes with only one complication: What are we going to call it?
After years of “The Q” rolling off our tongues as smoothly as a Kevin Love outlet pass, we need a new arena nickname pronto. But whether it’s the Rock, the House or whatever, this upgrade is so much more than just a new name. Sweeping changes, including a jaw-dropping glass facade and atrium, inject the building with a new lease on life.
Gone are the cramped concourses and limited dining options. The FieldHouse now boasts more than 150,000 square feet of public space for ticketed guests, flipping the script from years past.
Cleveland Cavaliers and Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse CEO Len Komoroski shares a few other highlights of the renovation ahead of its Sept. 30 reopening, featuring The Black Keys in concert.
Iconic Exterior
While the arena has seen some memorable events (hey there, four straight NBA Finals), it wasn’t exactly an architectural stunner. Now the FieldHouse is an all-glowed-up exclamation point, more like a basketball palace — with 1,475 pieces of glass enclosing the north atrium and a brushed aluminum LED curtain wall capable of 1,500 color combinations on the exterior. “Our curtain wall and LED system allows us to change the personality of the FieldHouse,” Komoroski says.
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Step inside the FieldHouse’s northwest entrance and behold the Power Portal. This 1,000-square-foot LED tunnel broadcasts Cavs highlights, custom imagery for concerts and more to amp guests up as they enter the arena. “Walking through the Power Portal surrounded by video and sound is truly spectacular,” says Komoroski. “It’s the only one of its kind, that we’re aware of, in any arena in the world.”
Welcome to the Neighborhood(s)
We’ve all been there: balancing nachos on top of a trash can at halftime with nowhere to sit but our seat on the other side of the arena. Those days are over. The FieldHouse offers eight different “neighborhoods” anchored around dining experiences, including the new South Neighborhood and its Saucy Brew Works beer garden. “This is a space where people can enjoy the ambiance,” says Komoroski. “It also looks over Progressive Field.”
Loudville Reborn
Life hasn’t always been easy for the diehards in the tight confines of Loudville. Now this upper deck hangout rocks more space and features the Budweiser Brew House and Overlook Bar. At Overlook, scope picturesque views of both the glassy north atrium and downtown Cleveland. “We’re going to see people from street level making their way up just to check Loudville out,” Komoroski says, “which never would’ve happened before.”
Seeing Stars
All of the improvements made it possible for the Cavs to snag the 2022 NBA All-Star Game and all of its $100 million-plus economic impact hype (plus that pretty cool Slam Dunk Contest). Not bad for a venue that’s one of the oldest in pro basketball. “Without this transformation, NBA All-Star Weekend wouldn’t be here,” says Komoroski. “Our building couldn’t compete for an event like that.”
After years of “The Q” rolling off our tongues as smoothly as a Kevin Love outlet pass, we need a new arena nickname pronto. But whether it’s the Rock, the House or whatever, this upgrade is so much more than just a new name. Sweeping changes, including a jaw-dropping glass facade and atrium, inject the building with a new lease on life.
Gone are the cramped concourses and limited dining options. The FieldHouse now boasts more than 150,000 square feet of public space for ticketed guests, flipping the script from years past.
Cleveland Cavaliers and Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse CEO Len Komoroski shares a few other highlights of the renovation ahead of its Sept. 30 reopening, featuring The Black Keys in concert.
Iconic Exterior
While the arena has seen some memorable events (hey there, four straight NBA Finals), it wasn’t exactly an architectural stunner. Now the FieldHouse is an all-glowed-up exclamation point, more like a basketball palace — with 1,475 pieces of glass enclosing the north atrium and a brushed aluminum LED curtain wall capable of 1,500 color combinations on the exterior. “Our curtain wall and LED system allows us to change the personality of the FieldHouse,” Komoroski says.
Powered-Up Entry
Step inside the FieldHouse’s northwest entrance and behold the Power Portal. This 1,000-square-foot LED tunnel broadcasts Cavs highlights, custom imagery for concerts and more to amp guests up as they enter the arena. “Walking through the Power Portal surrounded by video and sound is truly spectacular,” says Komoroski. “It’s the only one of its kind, that we’re aware of, in any arena in the world.”
Welcome to the Neighborhood(s)
We’ve all been there: balancing nachos on top of a trash can at halftime with nowhere to sit but our seat on the other side of the arena. Those days are over. The FieldHouse offers eight different “neighborhoods” anchored around dining experiences, including the new South Neighborhood and its Saucy Brew Works beer garden. “This is a space where people can enjoy the ambiance,” says Komoroski. “It also looks over Progressive Field.”
Loudville Reborn
Life hasn’t always been easy for the diehards in the tight confines of Loudville. Now this upper deck hangout rocks more space and features the Budweiser Brew House and Overlook Bar. At Overlook, scope picturesque views of both the glassy north atrium and downtown Cleveland. “We’re going to see people from street level making their way up just to check Loudville out,” Komoroski says, “which never would’ve happened before.”
Seeing Stars
All of the improvements made it possible for the Cavs to snag the 2022 NBA All-Star Game and all of its $100 million-plus economic impact hype (plus that pretty cool Slam Dunk Contest). Not bad for a venue that’s one of the oldest in pro basketball. “Without this transformation, NBA All-Star Weekend wouldn’t be here,” says Komoroski. “Our building couldn’t compete for an event like that.”
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