Things to do / Travel Guide
Address:2 North Central, Suite 1930
Phoenix, Arizona
Our Sports Superfan Says:
Although the US Airways Center is the older of the Phoenix area's two major indoor arenas, it still has just as much, if not more, clout than its suburban neighbor, the Jobing.com Arena in Glendale. Home to the Phoenix Suns of the NBA, as well as to the Phoenix Mercury of the WNBA, the Phoenix RoadRunners of the minor league ECHL, and the Arizona Rattlers of the AFL, the US Airways Center is a busy sports arena which hosts many other one-time events as well.
The Suns are the most prominent team to call the arena home, having played there since it opened in 1992 as the America West Arena. In 1993 the team made the NBA Finals, losing to Michael Jordan's Chicago Bulls in a dramatic six-game series. The Suns also hosted the 1995 NBA All-Star Game, and are scheduled to host the 2009 game at the US Airways Center. The National Hockey League's Phoenix Coyotes also called the arena home for 7 years after their move from Canada in 1996, until they finally moved to Glendale in 2003. The Coyotes never had much playoff success at the US Airways Center. They did make the playoffs in their first six seasons here, but never won a single series. Eventually, the fact that the arena was not really built to support hockey was the impetus leading to their departure.
Even if it wasn't built with hockey in mind, as a basketball arena the US Airways Center is top notch. In addition to the Suns, it has also hosted the NCAA Tournament's Sweet 16 and Elite 8 in 1999, 2004, and 2008. Interestingly enough, on the first two occasions, the University of Connecticut conquered the arena, 2,600 miles from their home campus, en route to the school's two only national championships. The US Airways Center has also hosted the Phoenix Mercury since their inception in 1998. The arena has served the team well and they've already had two appearances in the WNBA Finals, including a championship in 2007.
In addition to all the sports action here, the arena also hosts assorted concerts, shows, and special events. The Valley Metro service offers many busses to the arena, on routes 0, 1, 10, 15, 8, 12, 3, 7, and SR-51 Rapid.