NBA Basketball Arena Review
- AT&T Center
 Just
north of E. Houston St. on AT&T Center Parkway is the fairly new
AT&T Center, which houses the NBA's San Antonio Spurs. The Spurs
have called this building their home since 2002, when the arena was
officially opened to the public. The San Antonio Silver Stars of the
WNBA and the San Antonio Rampage of the American Hockey League also
use AT&T Center as their home court/ice. The building itself is
owned by Bexar County, which is the community that the AT&T Center
is located in.
Originally, the
building was called the SBC Center, but the purchasing of AT&T
allowed SBC to change its name, which meant that the arena became
known as AT&T Center in 2006 after the merger. Over 1 million people
each year come to watch both San Antonio Spurs and Silver Stars
games. With seating for just under 18,800 people, the arena contains
7,000 parking spaces, 50 luxury suites, and 32 bathrooms so that all
guests have the opportunity to enjoy the AT&T Center experience.
The 750,000
square foot complex not only has a professional basketball training
facility right inside the arena's doors, but it also contains
quality restaurants that are available to patrons either before,
during, or after a game. With easy access from either US-35 to AT&T
Center Parkway going south or going north on Houston St., the home
of the Spurs provides fans with a means to quickly get out of the
arena area once the game has concluded. Parking for San Antonio
Spurs games is also made easy due to the AT&T Center's location The
building cost $175 million to build, and it is 50% financed by Bexar
County tax funds and 50% financed by a conglomerate representing the
San Antonio Spurs, the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, and the
Coliseum Advisory Board. The AT&T Center marks the first time in the
history of the San Antonio sports scene that an arena has not been
100% backed by public taxpayer money.
The AT&T Center
is a three-level building in that there is a lower bowl and an upper
bowl sandwiching 12 suites which run parallel to the lengthier sides
of the structure. Over 70 concession stands are located throughout
the main concourse for your eating and drinking enjoyment while
watching a San Antonio Spurs game, with everything from stadium
classics such as pizza and hot dogs to organic food and beverage
being made readily available. The setting for San Antonio Spurs
games allows for people in all sections to get a great view of the
game while enjoying the company of other fans around them. While not
as intimate as other NBA stadiums, the AT&T Center offers fans some
of the most tremendous views ever imagined for a sporting event. For
people with suite tickets, there is a pregame buffet that is
complimentary at the Terrace Club. The Terrace Club offers a great
view overlooking the playing surface and contains a fully stocked
wet bar to satisfy all of your needs. There is also the Saddles and
Spurs Club on the Charter level, which offers traditional bar food
and a full compliment of alcoholic beverages.
If you are
looking for a restaurant in the general vicinity of the AT&T Center,
look no further than a mile down the road to Lord's Kitchen. One of
the top restaurants in the San Antonio area, Lord's Kitchen is best
known for its juicy hamburgers and succulent French fry platters
that is sure to satisfy even the most hearty of appetites. One
restaurant that has great food and is just a stone's throw away from
the arena is Fay Willie's. Fay Willie's serves some of the best down
South barbecue dishes that you could ever lay your hands on, and you
will quickly see why the restaurant is so popular with the locals
from San Antonio. Other local restaurants and bars with a distinct
San Antonio flavor include Midtown, which is a casual, laid-back bar
setting where people can easily enjoy the sights and sounds of
cultural San Antonio, and Jacalitos Pub, which caters to more of a
sports bar crowd with big screen televisions, huge hamburgers, and
great drink prices.
There are also
many various points of interest for you to involve yourself in when
you are not watching some great NBA action. Most fans of the San
Antonio Spurs will enjoy the San Antonio River Walk with its garden
variety of local attractions, stores, restaurants, and nightlife all
in one general vicinity. From Ripley's to Splashtown to Old Tyme
Wooden Nickel, there are many specialty exhibits that will draw
tourists of all ages in to enjoy the wonder and excitement that San
Antonio can offer. Spurs fans are also invited to frequent the local
Coyote Ugly Saloon that is a local hotspot for tourists and
residents alike. Pat O'Brien's and Mad Dogs offer two more great
locations to sit and relax or to dance and party depending on what
your heart desires.
If you are into a
more cultural setting, the Institute of Texan Cultures and the
Briscoe Western Art Museum are both located on the San Antonio River
Walk as well. The San Antonio Zoo is right nearby, as is Willow
Springs Golf Course for the weekend warriors. Don't forget to visit
the Alamo historical site and museum along with Splashtown San
Antonio water park. If shopping is more of your thing, there are
plenty of facilities located nearby the AT&T Center to satisfy any
taste. Between the Market Square shopping district, the Rivercenter
shopping center complete with IMAX theaters, and the North Star
Mall, San Antonio Spurs fans will have plenty of opportunities to go
shopping for their favorite San Antonio items.
Staying in the
area doesn't have to be expensive if you are looking for good
lodging options. There are possibilities from the low end of the
financial spectrum, like Howard Johnson's and Comfort Inn & Suites,
to high end establishments, like the Hilton Palacio Del Rio and the
Grand Hyatt San Antonio. Staying within a couple minutes of walking
distance to the arena is also not difficult, as Staybridge Suites,
Holiday Inn Express, and Best Western Sunset Suites all provide a
close proximity between your hotel room and the AT&T Center.
The AT&T Center
is one of the newest arenas in the NBA, and it continues to show
that it is also one of the best. With onsite restaurants, a great
location in the heart of downtown San Antonio, tremendous amounts of
sights to see and places to go within the area, and a terrific San
Antonio Spurs basketball team, it is very easy to see why the San
Antonio Spurs and AT&T Center have been so successful since it
opened its doors in 2002.
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