Ball Arena – Home of the Denver Nuggets | Arena Guide

Ball Arena stands at 5,280 feet above sea level — exactly one mile high — in the heart of downtown Denver, serving as the home of the 2023 NBA Champion Denver Nuggets, three-time Stanley Cup Champion Colorado Avalanche, and two-time NLL Champion Colorado Mammoth. Originally opened as the Pepsi Center on October 1, 1999, the arena was renamed Ball Arena in 2021 following a naming rights agreement with Ball Corporation, the Fort Collins–based manufacturer and the first company to put a man-made object on the Moon. Located at 1000 Chopper Circle along the South Platte River on the edge of downtown Denver, Ball Arena sits adjacent to the Elitch Gardens Theme Park and the Confluence Park greenways, creating a distinctive recreational setting unlike any other NBA venue. The RTD Light Rail's Ball Arena/Elitch Gardens Station is steps from the main entrance, making public transit access excellent. With a seating capacity of 19,099, Ball Arena has hosted the Stanley Cup Finals, NBA Finals, and the 2023 NBA Championship celebration when the Nuggets defeated the Miami Heat 4–1 to claim the first championship in franchise history. The arena operates 90-minute KSE (Kroenke Sports and Entertainment) venue tours that explore exclusive spaces including premium suites, the Michelob Ultra Mountain House, backstage hallways, and production booths — with free parking in the Camry North Lot for all tour attendees. The arena's Toyota-sponsored lots (Camry, RAV4, Tundra, and others) form a distinctive naming convention for the surrounding parking infrastructure. Ball Arena has also hosted NBA All-Star Weekend, the Women's Final Four, and the NCAA Frozen Four.

Ball Arena opened as Pepsi Center on October 1, 1999, the result of a long-anticipated effort to give Denver a modern, multi-purpose indoor arena to replace the aging McNichols Arena. The arena was built by KSE (Kroenke Sports and Entertainment) and immediately became the home of the Denver Nuggets (NBA), Colorado Avalanche (NHL), and Colorado Mammoth (NLL lacrosse). The Colorado Avalanche won the Stanley Cup in 2001 — just two years after the arena opened — raising the championship banner in Denver's first major professional sports championship in the modern era. The arena was renamed Ball Arena in January 2021 following a naming rights deal with Ball Corporation. The defining moment in the arena's history came on June 12, 2023, when the Denver Nuggets won their first-ever NBA Championship, defeating the Miami Heat 4–1. Nikola Jokic's transcendent three-season peak as two-time MVP and Finals MVP had delivered Denver its second major championship in 22 years. The arena has also hosted NBA All-Star Weekend, the Women's Final Four, NCAA Frozen Four, and major concerts. A $125 million renovation in 2017 at Pepsi Center upgraded the fan experience significantly before the arena took its current name.

Ball Arena on Nuggets game nights generates one of the NBA's most passionate home atmospheres — Denver's devoted basketball fanbase, finally rewarded with a championship in 2023, attends games with genuine investment and championship pride. Nikola Jokic's unique combination of brilliance and self-effacement has cultivated one of the NBA's most knowledgeable fanbases. Pre-game, the Lower Highlands (LoHi) neighbourhood is the premium gathering point — bars like Williams & Graham and restaurants like Root Down draw fans from across the city. The Michelob Ultra Mountain House inside the arena opens early and provides an excellent in-arena pre-game option. The RTD Light Rail connection makes arriving and leaving stress-free. For peak atmosphere: playoff games and marquee matchups against the Golden State Warriors, Los Angeles Lakers, or Oklahoma City Thunder — championship banners and championship expectations fill the Mile High arena with genuine intensity.

Ball Arena offers excellent 90-minute KSE Venue Tours Monday–Friday (excluding weekends, holidays, and playoff periods). Walk-in tours at 10:30 AM on non-game days; on game days, tours 1:00–2:00 PM only. Free parking in Camry North Lot. Enter via Grand Atrium Door 1. Pre-purchase or buy on-site at the Tour Kiosk. Contact KSEVenueTours@TeamKSE.com or 303-405-8556. All guests 18+ must show valid ID.