Sacramento Kings announce Arco Arena demolition. Fans have a chance to say goodbye
The roar of the crowd is gone, but the memories will last a lifetime for generations of Kings fans who remember what it was like to attend a game at Arco Arena.
The Kings want to bring fans back to their former home one last time before the building is demolished. The team announced Wednesday it will hold a farewell event at the arena March 19. The event is free and open to the public.
“As we close the final chapter of the arena in Natomas, we welcome fans to pay one last visit to the old barn,” Kings owner Vivek Ranadive said in a news release. “That arena was widely known as the loudest place to play in the NBA, and the memories created there will last forever because one thing that remains consistent is the passion and devotion of our fans.”
Starting Monday, fans can reserve up to four general admission tickets at Kings.com/ARCOFarewell. Season ticket members can get in at noon; general admission is from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
The event will feature a DJ, food trucks and arena access for picture-taking. Fans will also pick up complimentary memorabilia, including T-shirts, promotional items and more.
The Kings played their last game at the arena on April 9, 2016, after 28 seasons in that location. The 17,000-seat arena was constructed at a cost of $40 million. The building was known as Arco Arena from 1988-2011, Power Balance Pavilion in 2011-12 and Sleep Train Arena from 2012-16. The Kings vacated the site after opening the $558 million Golden 1 Center in downtown Sacramento.
Arco Arena was home to eight winning seasons and nine playoff appearances. The team took pride in sellout streaks of 497 and 354 games with rabid fans clanging cowbells. The famous roar of the Arco crowd was so intense that Kings fans entered the Guinness Book of World Records in 2013 after breaking the record for loudest noise at an indoor arena with a decibel level of 119.5.
Arco Arena was the home to the Kings but also welcomed concerts and events as well as the Sacramento Monarchs, a WNBA team still close to the hearts of many basketball fans.
The Kings announced last year a plan to redevelop the area. The plan includes a new teaching hospital and medical school for California Northstate University. The Sacramento City Council approved the plan in February.
This story was originally published March 2, 2022 at 2:28 PM.
