Stadium Journey just completed their annual round up of all 30 NBA arenas with Philips Arena coming in at No. 22. Their reviews take into account concessions, atmosphere, access, facilities, neighborhood and value as well as the overall fan experience.
Rising out of the ashes of the old Omni came Philips Arena. Given the moniker "The Highlight Factory," Philips Arena was driven by the vision of former Hawks owner Ted Turner as part of his push for an NHL expansion team. The Atlanta Thrashers are gone, and the Hawks have gone through some significant turmoil, but the Highlight Factory remains a central figure in downtown Atlanta.
In the article, Philips Arena received high marks for its concessions. for its neighborhood and for its atmosphere. It received average scores for its fans and for the return on investment of a price of a ticket. The franchise made some great improvements last summer in the two giant video boards at one end of the arena as well as another restaurant.
The AT&T Center in San Antonio took home top honors with Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento coming in last. Interestingly Philips Arena is rated ahead of the United Center in Chicago, the TD Garden in Boston and Oracle Arena in Oakland.