Hilton Coliseum
Hilton Coliseum is a basketball arena in Ames, Iowa, home of the Iowa State Cyclones (Big 12, NCAA Division I). It opened in 1971, making it 55 years old in 2026 and seats 14,267 for basketball. It ranks 6th of 16 in the Big 12 by capacity.
The closest NBA arena is Target Center in Minneapolis, about 204 miles away.
Arena facts
- Location
- Ames, Iowa
- Home of
- Iowa State Cyclones
- School
- Iowa State University
- Conference
- Big 12
- Opened
- 1971
- Capacity
- 14,267
- Also home to
- Iowa State Cyclones women's basketball
Iowa State Cyclones wrestling
Iowa State Cyclones gymnastics
Iowa State Cyclones volleyball - Size rank in D-I
- 36th of 360
Famous games at Hilton Coliseum
- Dec. 2, 1971: Iowa State christened the new building with a 71-54 win over Arizona.
- Dec. 18, 1971: A crowd of about 15,000 watched Iowa State edge Iowa 97-94 in the first Cy-Hawk game at Hilton.
- Feb. 14, 1989: Iowa State upset No. 3 Missouri 82-75, and the Des Moines Register's Buck Turnbull coined the phrase "Hilton Magic."
- March 25, 2004: Iowa State's women beat Saint Joseph's 66-58 in the WNIT before 14,092 fans, the program's first sellout.
- Jan. 17, 2015: On ESPN College GameDay, No. 11 Iowa State beat No. 9 Kansas 86-81.
Game night
Tradition. "Hilton Magic" describes the crowd's knack for fueling upsets, with fans seated just feet from the court; blackout lighting since 2016–17 enables light shows for introductions.
Seating & views at Hilton Coliseum
Hilton Coliseum seats 14,267 for basketball, all in theater-style cushioned seats, in a concrete bowl built to trap crowd noise. Fans sit just a few feet from the court, and the student section, Cyclone Alley, stands for the whole game. Visitors often say there are no bad seats. Upgrades include blackout lighting since 2016-17 for intro light shows and a 2024 center-hung 360-degree video board with corner ribbon boards.
Parking & tailgating at Hilton Coliseum
Hilton is part of the Iowa State Center, near Jack Trice Stadium and easy to reach from I-35. Cyclone Club donors park in lots B1, C1-C5 and D3-D5. Public parking near the arena has been tighter since the CYTown project took over lots A4 and A5, so Iowa State suggests Lot 85E, Lot G6, the S2-S8 lots, free weekend campus lots, or the Memorial Union ramp.
Plan your trip to Hilton Coliseum
Arenas near Hilton Coliseum10
- 1D-IKnapp Center — Drake Bulldogs 27 mi
- 2G LeagueCasey's Center — Iowa Wolves 31 mi
- 3D-IMcLeod Center — Northern Iowa Panthers 71 mi
- 4D-ICarver–Hawkeye Arena — Iowa Hawkeyes 109 mi
- 5D-ICHI Health Center Omaha — Creighton Bluejays 135 mi
- 6D-IBaxter Arena — Omaha Mavericks 135 mi
- 7D-ISanford Coyote Sports Center — South Dakota Coyotes 177 mi
- 8D-IPinnacle Bank Arena — Nebraska Cornhuskers 180 mi
- 9D-IWestern Hall — Western Illinois Leathernecks 187 mi
- 10G LeagueSanford Pentagon — Sioux Falls Skyforce 191 mi
Questions about Hilton Coliseum
Where do the Iowa State Cyclones play home games?
The Iowa State Cyclones play at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa.
How many people does Hilton Coliseum hold?
Hilton Coliseum seats 14,267 for basketball.
When did Hilton Coliseum open?
Hilton Coliseum opened in 1971.
What other arenas are near Hilton Coliseum?
Knapp Center in Des Moines is about 27 miles away. See the full list of nearby arenas on this page.
Facts are for the 2026–27 season. Distances are straight-line miles between city centers. Capacity figures vary by source. See something wrong? Let us know. Is this your arena? Get the “Listed on Hoops Arenas” badge for your website.