Smoothie King Center
Smoothie King Center, known as “The Blender”, is a basketball arena in New Orleans, Louisiana, home of the New Orleans Pelicans (NBA, Western Conference). It opened in 1999, making it 27 years old in 2026 and seats 16,867 for basketball.
Arena facts
- Location
- New Orleans, Louisiana
- Home of
- New Orleans Pelicans
- Conference
- NBA · Western Conference · Southwest Division
- Opened
- 1999
- Capacity
- 16,867
- Nickname
- The Blender
- Former names
- New Orleans Arena (1999–2014)
- Also home to
- New Orleans VooDoo (Arena Football, former)
New Orleans Brass (ECHL, 1999–2002, former) - Size rank in NBA
- 29th of 30
Famous games at Smoothie King Center
- Oct. 30, 2002: The Hornets played their first game in the building, then New Orleans Arena, against the Utah Jazz after relocating from Charlotte.
- March 8, 2006: The Hornets made their first post-Katrina return home before a sellout of 17,744, losing 113-107 to Kobe Bryant's Lakers.
- Feb. 17, 2008: New Orleans hosted its first All-Star Game, an East win 134-128 with LeBron James named MVP.
- Feb. 16, 2014: The East won the All-Star Game 163-155 as Kyrie Irving took MVP and Carmelo Anthony set a record with eight three-pointers.
- Feb. 19, 2017: Hometown star Anthony Davis scored an All-Star record 52 points as the West beat the East 192-182.
Game night
Getting there. Near New Orleans Union Passenger Terminal, served by the 46 Poydras Street bus.
Seating & views at Smoothie King Center
At 16,867 for Pelicans games, this is one of the smaller NBA buildings, which keeps upper seats fairly close. The bowl has a 100 level, a club and suite mezzanine with the North and South Club lounges, and a 300 level upper deck. There are 56 suites and about 2,800 club seats. The 2013 renovation added 100-level loge boxes in sections 105 to 108, and the ground-level Courtside Club sits on the east side.
Parking & tailgating at Smoothie King Center
The arena shares about 7,000 spaces with the Caesars Superdome next door. For Pelicans games, Tacoma Garage 2, Camry Garage 5 and Lots 3 and 3A are pass-only, with mobile passes shown in the Pelicans or SeatGeek app; Tundra Garage 1, Rav4 Garage 6 and Champions Garage take card payment at the gate. Rideshare drop-off and pickup is a geo-fenced zone on Poydras Street, reached through Champions Square. Free bike parking is in Lot 3.
Plan your trip to Smoothie King Center
Arenas near Smoothie King Center10
- 1D-IDevlin Fieldhouse — Tulane Green Wave same city
- 2D-ILakefront Arena — New Orleans Privateers same city
- 3G LeaguePontchartrain Center — Laketown Squadron 12 mi
- 4D-IUniversity Center — Southeastern Louisiana Lions 45 mi
- 5D-IStopher Gymnasium — Nicholls Colonels 46 mi
- 6D-IPete Maravich Assembly Center — LSU Tigers 72 mi
- 7D-IF. G. Clark Activity Center — Southern Jaguars 72 mi
- 8D-IReed Green Coliseum — Southern Miss Golden Eagles 100 mi
- 9D-ICajundome — Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns 119 mi
- 10D-IMitchell Center — South Alabama Jaguars 127 mi
Questions about Smoothie King Center
Where do the New Orleans Pelicans play home games?
The New Orleans Pelicans play at Smoothie King Center in New Orleans, Louisiana.
How many people does Smoothie King Center hold?
Smoothie King Center seats 16,867 for basketball.
When did Smoothie King Center open?
Smoothie King Center opened in 1999.
What is Smoothie King Center’s nickname?
Smoothie King Center is known as “The Blender.”
What other arenas are near Smoothie King Center?
Devlin Fieldhouse is also in New Orleans. 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.