Venue Detail
Phoenix Suns
RSV Pro Facilities Report
March, 2015
Phoenix Suns
201 E Jefferson Phoenix, AZ 85004 Phone: 602-379-7900 Fax: 602-379-7922 URL: www.phoenixsuns.com Owner: Robert Sarver League: National Basketball Association, Western Conference, Pacific
Venue
Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E Jefferson, Phoenix, AZ 85004 Owner: City of Phoenix Managed by: Team Built: 1992 Capacity: 19,023 Permanent concession stands: 31 Concessionaire: The Levy Restaurants Suite caterer: The Levy Restaurants Soft drink: Coca Cola Beer: Multiple
Naming rights
Sold to: Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community
Ticket prices
Season tickets range from $420 to $7,350 Single tickets range from $14.00 to $1,956.00
Attendance
2012 average attendance: 15,597 2013 average attendance: 15,436
Suites
Quantity: 88 Term: 3 to 10 years Price: $110,000 to $175,000 Seats: 12 to 20 Includes: Tickets, 3 parking passes. Suites lease separately for Suns and Coyotes. Prices include all events but hockey. Food was added to the party suite package with no additional charge.
Club seats
Quantity: 1,350 Term: 1 to 1 years Price: $3,740 to $3,740 Includes: Tickets, wait staff, access to the Copper Club restaurant.
Financing
The city invested $35 million in the arena with another $55 million coming from the Suns to pay for the $90 million building. The Suns signed a 30-year lease and pay $500,000 a year for its lease along with 40 percent of the earnings from luxury suites and advertising.
The NBA Suns and WNBA Mercury share the arena. The venue was formerly known as America West Arena, but the name changed to U.S. Airways Arena with the merger of the airlines. In 2014, it was changed to Talking Stick Resort Arena. Both the term and financials were not disclosed.
Both suite and club seat patrons have access to the Copper Club bar and restaurant.
A newly-renovated center greeted Phoenix fans in 2004. The upgraded venue is intended to compete against a new arena for the Coyotes in Glendale. The $17 million project was the last phase in a three-year, $67 million face lift.
The work included a new scoreboard and wrap-around LED signage. A new club and additional court side seats were also built.
The project was funded with $22 million from the city and a $5 million loan to the Suns. The team is paying for the balance. A ticket surcharge will be used to finance the debt.
Additional revenue will come from 16 new loge boxes selling for $25,000 to $32,000 per season. The new loges doubled the inventory.
Additional seats have been added to the second and third rows of court side seats. The front row sells for $550 a game with second and third row seats going for $400 and $250, respectively. All available court side seats have been sold.
There are two stacked levels of suites located mid-level and affording 12 to 14 seats, private rest rooms, concierge services, in-suite catering and other amenities. Copper Club membership alone is $1,250 a year and allows up to four people.
Sixteen loge boxes were added to the arena for 2003. The Suns created four- and six-seat boxes near the Platinum Club on the north end and lease them for $22,500 to $30,000 per year. The reconfiguration added 16 total seats to the facility.
Among the improvements is a 15,000-square-foot glass pavilion, new food outlets and restaurants and an outside television studio. Five escalators, a Paseo walkway and other bells and whistles will also greet guests.
Work began in 2001 with additional rest rooms and other amenities. The venue's Platinum Club also opened at that time. The design was intended to put many of the new upgrades on public display so even those outside the building would see the excitement.
The work was 80 percent funded by the Suns. Phoenix funded the balance.
The new money would come from the Phoenix Sports Facilities fund, which would be asked for $12 million. The fund gets its money from hotel and car rental taxes. The rest would be a low-interest loan to the team.
City officials unanimously approved the deal saying keeping the arena exciting is important to rebuilding the city's downtown.
The city shares in arena profits as a 10 percent owner of the firm that manages the building. The management organization made $3.5 million in 2002. The city got nearly $1 million, including rent paid by the Suns. (Basketball, Facilities, NBA, Professional Sports, Venue)