Nationwide Arena
Nationwide Arena - Travel Guide & Stadium Information
- Ice Hockey stadium in Columbus, United States with 18,500 capacity - complete travel and matchday guide
- Professional playing surface with modern facilities
- Transport: Nearest train station, tube line, and bus routes with walking times
- Parking: Official stadium parking £10 to £20, street parking options nearby
- Away fans: Dedicated section, entrance gates, and capacity allocation information
Key Facts
Nationwide Arena Essential Details
Nationwide Arena Basic Details
Stadium Capacity
18,500 spectators
Year Opened
2000
Address & Location
200 West Nationwide Boulevard, Columbus, OH 43215
Columbus, United States
Technical Specifications
Pitch Type
No Pitch
Stadium Type
Single-Sport Venue
Primary Sport
Ice Hockey
Venue Classification
Arena
Location & Maps
About Nationwide Arena
About Nationwide Arena
Nationwide Arena is the home of the Columbus Blue Jackets (NHL), located at 200 West Nationwide Boulevard in the Arena District of downtown Columbus, Ohio. Opened in September 2000 at a cost of $175 million, the 684,000 sq ft arena was built primarily with private financing from Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company -- which owns its headquarters directly across the street -- after Columbus voters rejected a public funding referendum in 1998. The arena was built on and around the former site of the Ohio State Penitentiary, one of America's most notorious prisons (1834-1984), transforming former prison grounds into one of the country's most successful sports entertainment districts. Nationwide Arena holds a significant place in NHL history: when it opened in 2000 with the Columbus Blue Jackets as an expansion franchise, it included OhioHealth IceHaus -- the first on-site practice facility ever attached to an NHL arena. This innovation, now emulated by only three other NHL venues (Prudential Center, KeyBank Center, Little Caesars Arena), set a new standard for player development infrastructure. The IceHaus also serves as a public community rink. The arena anchors the Arena District -- a mixed-use neighbourhood developed specifically around the venue by Nationwide Realty Investors, featuring restaurants, bars, offices, and residential buildings. Huntington Park (Columbus Clippers Triple-A baseball), KEMBA Live! concert venue, and Lower.com Field (Columbus Crew MLS) complete the entertainment complex. The Arena District is widely cited as one of America's most successful sports-anchored urban development projects, demonstrating how an NHL arena can catalyse neighbourhood transformation. The Blue Jackets' home games at Nationwide Arena are defined by their goal celebration: a civil war cannon blast and foghorn that rank among the NHL's most dramatic traditions. The cannon reflects Ohio's significant role in the Civil War and has startled first-time visitors at every Blue Jackets goal since 2000-01. In 2025-26, the arena entered a major renovation phase. The Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority (which purchased the arena from Nationwide Insurance in 2012 for $42.5 million) announced a $400 million comprehensive renovation programme in June 2025. The project -- advancing through a funding proposal combining state grants, public bonds, city and county contributions, and private Blue Jackets ownership funding -- will address aging infrastructure and transform the fan experience with a new scoreboard, sound system, restrooms, concessions, new arena entrance, and parking garage. A $60 million roof replacement was completed in 2025 as the first phase. The renovation will ensure Nationwide Arena remains competitive through 2030 and beyond.
Getting to Nationwide Arena
Getting to the Stadium
COTA Bus & CMAX BRT -- Downtown Columbus
Central Ohio Transit Authority (COTA) bus routes serve downtown Columbus near Nationwide Arena. The CMAX Bus Rapid Transit line on Cleveland Avenue connects Columbus's north side to the downtown area. From the Greater Columbus Convention Center area and Short North, Arena District stops are a short distance. Columbus does not have a light rail system -- COTA buses are the primary public transit option. From downtown hotels, walking or rideshare are often more direct than bus for arena events.
COTA Bus & Arena District Walkability
COTA bus routes connect Greater Columbus to the downtown Arena District area. The arena is on the corner of Nationwide Boulevard and Front Street -- centrally located in the Arena District with strong walkability to surrounding hotels, restaurants, and bars. Lyft operates throughout Columbus with designated pickup zones near the arena. Columbus is a driving city -- most fans arrive by car or rideshare from across the metro area.
Driving & Parking at Nationwide Arena
Nationwide Arena is at Nationwide Boulevard and Front Street in the Arena District of downtown Columbus -- accessible via I-670 (exits for downtown Columbus), I-71, and I-70. Multiple parking garages and surface lots are available in the Arena District. The $400M renovation plan (2026) includes a new $51M arena entrance and parking garage. Parking rates for Blue Jackets games start at approximately $15--$30 depending on distance and lot type. The Arena District's grid layout makes navigation straightforward compared to many US cities.
Walking in the Arena District & Short North
Nationwide Arena anchors the Arena District -- one of America's most celebrated sports-adjacent entertainment districts, developed by Nationwide Realty Investors with restaurants, bars, offices, and residential buildings. KEMBA Live! concert venue and Huntington Park (Columbus Clippers Triple-A baseball) are both within the Arena District. The Short North arts district is a 15-minute walk north. The Ohio Statehouse is half a mile south. The arena's main entrance faces Nationwide Boulevard, with the OhioHealth IceHaus practice rink attached on the southwest side.
Stadium Tours
Nationwide Arena Behind-the-Scenes Tour
Tour Description
Explore the home of the Columbus Blue Jackets with a guided behind-the-scenes tour of Nationwide Arena. Visit the Blue Jackets locker room, walk through the players' tunnel to ice level, and explore the OhioHealth IceHaus -- the first on-site practice rink ever attached to an NHL arena, making Nationwide Arena a pioneer in player development infrastructure. Learn about the arena's extraordinary origin story -- built on the former site of the Ohio State Penitentiary (one of America's most notorious prisons), opened in 2000 with the Blue Jackets as an NHL expansion team, and the $400M renovation plan advancing in 2026 that will transform the building's fan experience.
Pricing & Duration
Adult tickets cost £20, children's tickets are £12, and concession tickets are available for £16. The complete stadium tour experience lasts 75 minutes, providing comprehensive access to the stadium's most exclusive areas.
Tour Highlights
The Nationwide Arena Behind-the-Scenes Tour includes blue jackets locker room, players' tunnel, ice level, ohiohealth icehaus practice rink (first in nhl history), ohio penitentiary site history, renovation plans, giving visitors a behind-the-scenes look at one of the world's most famous stadiums. Available on select non-event days. Contact Nationwide Arena guest services or visit nationwidearena.com for scheduling. Book via nationwidearena.com or call 614-246-3350.
Hotels Near Nationwide Arena
Where to Stay
Hilton Columbus Downtown
Accommodation Type & Location
Luxury accommodation - walking distance
Pricing
Rates from £160 to £360 per night
Description
Premium Hilton directly connected to the Greater Columbus Convention Center, 0.5km from Nationwide Arena and walkable via the Arena District. A flagship property for convention visitors and Blue Jackets fans alike, with excellent facilities and direct access to downtown Columbus.
Drury Inn & Suites Columbus Convention Center
Accommodation Type & Location
Mid-range accommodation - walking distance
Pricing
Rates from £110 to £210 per night
Description
Reliable Drury property adjacent to the Convention Center and 0.6km from the arena. The Drury's renowned free hot breakfast and evening drinks and snacks programme offers outstanding value. A long-standing favourite for Blue Jackets visitors.
AC Hotel Columbus Downtown
Accommodation Type & Location
Budget accommodation - walking distance
Pricing
Rates from £95 to £180 per night
Description
Modern Marriott AC Hotel steps from the Arena District and Nationwide Arena, 0.4km walk to the arena. Sleek European-style design, rooftop bar with Columbus skyline views, and a great location for Blue Jackets game visits.
The Junto Hotel
Accommodation Type & Location
Boutique accommodation - short walk
Pricing
Rates from £150 to £320 per night
Description
Columbus's most celebrated boutique hotel in the vibrant Short North neighbourhood, 1km from Nationwide Arena. Named after Benjamin Franklin's intellectual club, the Junto celebrates Columbus's growing cultural identity with locally commissioned art, the acclaimed Watershed Kitchen & Bar, and a rooftop with Short North views.
Dining at Nationwide Arena
Restaurants
Pubs & Bars
Nationwide Arena Accessibility
Accessibility
Wheelchair & Accessible Seating
Nationwide Arena has wheelchair and companion seating on all levels. Elevators serve all concourses throughout the 684,000 sq ft building. The $400M renovation (advancing 2026) includes $31M for elevator and escalator upgrades -- addressing aging infrastructure. Contact Nationwide Arena guest services for accessible seating requests. Elevator upgrades planned as part of 2026 renovation -- check nationwidearena.com for current status.
COTA Bus & Accessible Rideshare
COTA ADA-accessible buses serve the Arena District area. Lyft Accessibility mode available for fans requiring accessible vehicles. The Arena District campus is flat and step-free for approaching the arena on foot from surrounding streets and parking. COTA operates ADA-accessible vehicles on all fixed-route services. Contact COTA for accessibility services at 614-228-1776. Lyft Accessibility for accessible rideshare.
Arena District Garages & Surface Lots
Designated accessible parking in Arena District parking garages and surface lots within close walking distance of Nationwide Arena. The $400M renovation includes a new $51M garage with accessible spaces. Accessible spaces in all Arena District garages. New parking garage planned as part of the 2026 renovation. Pre-book event parking at nationwidearena.com where available.
Assistive Listening Devices
Assistive listening devices available for Blue Jackets games and events. New $2M sound system and $2.5M Wi-Fi system are planned as part of the $400M renovation. Request assistive listening devices at guest services desks. New sound system planned in renovation will significantly improve in-arena audio quality.
Accessible Restrooms -- Being Expanded in Renovation
Accessible restrooms on all concourse levels. The $400M renovation specifically allocates $323M to elevators, fire suppression, restrooms, and concessions -- significant restroom upgrades are planned. Accessible restrooms on every concourse level. Major restroom renovation planned as part of the $400M project.
OhioHealth IceHaus -- First in NHL History
Nationwide Arena includes OhioHealth IceHaus -- a full-size practice rink attached to the main arena. Built as the first on-site NHL practice facility in history (2000), the IceHaus also serves as a community rink for public skating and youth hockey. This accessibility of the rink to the public is a unique feature of Nationwide Arena. OhioHealth IceHaus is open for public skating sessions -- check nationwidearena.com for current schedules. Youth hockey leagues and learn-to-skate programmes also available.
Nationwide Arena Ticket Information
Ticket Prices
General Admission Tickets
Seating Area & Price Range
Upper Bowl (300 Level) tickets range from $25 USD to $110 USD for the season and flex plans via blue jackets ticket office..
Description
Upper bowl seating for Columbus Blue Jackets home games. Columbus has a growing and passionate hockey market -- the Blue Jackets' famous entrance cannon and foghorn goal celebration make game nights at Nationwide Arena among the most theatrical in the NHL. Affordable relative to other Metro Division venues.
What's Included
These upper bowl seating in the arena district's anchor venue. nationwide arena's upper bowl offers good sightlines in a building with three concourses and an intimate atmosphere. blue jackets fans are passionate -- the franchise's sweeping entrance cannon and foghorn goal celebration are among the nhl's most dramatic. tickets include assigned seat, concourse access, standard concessions, making them an excellent choice for visitors seeking luxury hospitality experience.
Club Seating Tickets
Seating Area & Price Range
Club Level & Premium Areas tickets range from $75 USD to $260 USD for the season club packages available..
Description
Club Level seating with premium amenities. The renovation programme will enhance all club-level spaces -- fans attending in 2026-27 and beyond will see significantly upgraded premium areas.
What's Included
These club level seating with access to premium concourse areas at nationwide arena. the $400m renovation will significantly upgrade premium spaces and concessions. current club seating provides enhanced sightlines from mid-bowl with access to dedicated premium concourse bars and food. tickets include assigned club seat, premium concourse access, enhanced f&b, making them an excellent choice for visitors seeking luxury hospitality experience.
Suite / Hospitality Tickets
Seating Area & Price Range
Suites & Premium Spaces tickets range from $3000 USD to $10000 USD for the season suite leases and single-event rentals..
Description
Private suite rental for Columbus Blue Jackets games. Suite market is strong in Columbus's growing corporate community -- the city is home to multiple Fortune 500 companies including Nationwide Mutual Insurance, the arena's namesake and neighbour across the street.
What's Included
These nationwide arena suites provide private hospitality for blue jackets games and arena events. the $400m renovation will add and upgrade premium suite spaces throughout the building. tickets include private suite, catering, vip parking, dedicated attendant, making them an excellent choice for visitors seeking luxury hospitality experience.
Nationwide Arena FAQs
Filter by Category
What was on the site of Nationwide Arena before it was built?Featured
Nationwide Arena was built on and around the former site of the Ohio State Penitentiary -- one of America's most notorious prisons, which operated from 1834 to 1984. The arena itself sits over the prison's former parking lot, while the current arena parking lot and adjacent apartments are built where the prison stood. The penitentiary's history is part of what makes Nationwide Arena's origin story one of the most distinctive in the NHL -- a former house of incarceration transformed into a world-class sports and entertainment venue.
Was Nationwide Arena the first NHL arena with a practice rink?Featured
Yes -- Nationwide Arena's OhioHealth IceHaus was the first on-site practice facility ever built attached to an NHL arena when it opened with the arena in 2000. As of 2019, only three other NHL arenas have followed: KeyBank Center in Buffalo, Prudential Center in Newark, and Little Caesars Arena in Detroit. The IceHaus also serves as a community rink open to the public for skating and youth hockey.
What is the $400 million renovation plan for Nationwide Arena?Featured
The Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority (which owns Nationwide Arena) announced plans for a $400 million renovation in June 2025 to modernise the 25-year-old building. The plan includes $60M already spent on a new roof (2025), $31M for elevator/escalator upgrades, $323M for fire suppression, restrooms, and concessions, $12.5M for a new scoreboard and LED signs, $2M for a new sound system, $2.5M for WiFi, and $51M for a new arena entrance and parking garage. Funding is sought from state grants ($100M), bonds ($110M+), city and county ($50M), and private Blue Jackets ownership ($100M--$140M).
How do I get to Nationwide Arena?
By car: via I-670 (downtown Columbus exit), I-71, or I-70. By bus: COTA routes serve the Arena District -- check cota.com for schedules. By rideshare: Lyft operates throughout Columbus. The Arena District is walkable from downtown Columbus hotels. The arena is at the corner of Nationwide Boulevard and Front Street, half a mile north of the Ohio Statehouse.
What is the Blue Jackets' famous goal celebration?
The Columbus Blue Jackets fire a civil war cannon and sound a foghorn every time the Blue Jackets score a goal at Nationwide Arena -- one of the NHL's most dramatic and distinctive goal celebrations. The cannon was introduced when the team entered the NHL in 2000-01 and reflects Columbus's Civil War history (Ohio was a major Union state). The combination of the cannon blast and foghorn is legendary among visiting fans -- often startling first-timers who don't know it's coming.
What is the Arena District surrounding Nationwide Arena?
The Arena District is a mixed-use entertainment neighbourhood developed by Nationwide Realty Investors specifically around the arena. It features restaurants, bars, offices, and residential buildings, plus Huntington Park (Columbus Clippers Triple-A baseball), KEMBA Live! concert venue, and Lower.com Field (Columbus Crew MLS). It is one of America's most successful sports-anchored urban development projects -- a model for how arenas can catalyse neighbourhood revitalisation.
Are accessible facilities available at Nationwide Arena?
Yes. Nationwide Arena has wheelchair and companion seating throughout, elevators on all levels (being upgraded in the $400M renovation), accessible restrooms on every concourse (also being expanded), and OhioHealth IceHaus public skating with accessible access. COTA accessible buses and Lyft Accessibility rideshare serve the arena. Contact guest services at 614-246-3350 for specific accessibility arrangements.
What food is available at Nationwide Arena?
Nationwide Arena concessions feature Ohio-influenced food including locally sourced options and Columbus-area craft beers. A new food hall at 375 N. Front St. is planned as part of the $400M renovation. Pre-game, the Arena District's restaurants and bars are all within a short walk, and the Short North arts district (15 minutes north) has some of the best dining in the Midwest.
Is there parking at Nationwide Arena?
Multiple parking garages and surface lots in the Arena District start at approximately $15--$30 for Blue Jackets games. A new $51M parking garage is planned as part of the $400M renovation. Accessible parking in all Arena District garages. Pre-book at nationwidearena.com where available.
Where can I buy Columbus Blue Jackets tickets?
Tickets via Ticketmaster (official marketplace) and nhl.com/bluejackets. Box Office at 200 W. Nationwide Blvd (614-246-3350). Doors open 1 hour before events.
Latest News
Nationwide Arena Celebrates 25th Anniversary -- Blue Jackets Mark Quarter Century in Columbus
Published
1 September 2025
Article Summary
Nationwide Arena and the Columbus Blue Jackets celebrated 25 years in Columbus in 2025, marking a quarter century since the arena opened with Tim McGraw and Faith Hill's "Soul 2 Soul" concert on September 9--10, 2000, followed by the Blue Jackets' first exhibition game against the Detroit Red Wings on September 20, 2000. The anniversary highlighted the arena's role in transforming downtown Columbus through the Arena District development -- one of America's most successful sports-anchored urban regeneration projects.
$400 Million Nationwide Arena Renovation Plan Advances with State Funding Request
FeaturedPublished
1 June 2025
Article Summary
The Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority announced plans for a comprehensive $400 million renovation of Nationwide Arena in June 2025, advancing in December 2025 with a detailed funding proposal. The project includes a $100M state grant request, $110M+ in public bonds, $50M from the City of Columbus and Franklin County, and $100M--$140M from Blue Jackets ownership. Key upgrades: new scoreboard and LED signs ($12.5M), sound system ($2M), WiFi ($2.5M), restrooms and concessions ($323M combined with other infrastructure), and a new arena entrance and parking garage ($51M). The arena's new roof was completed in 2025 ($60M).
New Roof Completed at Nationwide Arena -- $60M Infrastructure Investment
Published
1 June 2025
Article Summary
The Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority completed a $60 million roof replacement at Nationwide Arena in 2025, addressing a critical infrastructure need at the 25-year-old facility. The new roof was the first major infrastructure investment ahead of the larger $400M renovation programme and ensures the arena's structural integrity for decades. The roof project was described as "unglamorous but essential" by arena officials.
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