62-950: Toyota Center is an indoor arena located in Houston . It is named after the Japanese automobile manufacturer Toyota . The arena is home to the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA), and it was once the home of the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League (AHL), and the Houston Comets of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Rockets owner Leslie Alexander first began to request
124-617: A Jewish family. He grew up in Teaneck, New Jersey , and his father ran a Jewish delicatessen in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. Stern grew up a New York Knicks fan, considered Carl Braun his hero, and attended games at Madison Square Garden with his father. He played basketball briefly in adulthood before sustaining a serious right knee injury during a New York Lawyers League game. After graduating from Teaneck High School in 1959, Stern went to Rutgers University , where he
186-492: A Rockets game in the new arena were raised by as much as 50% compared to prices in the team's old home, while upper-deck seat prices were lowered. It has 103 luxury suites and 2,900 club seats (Sections 105–109, Frost Bank West Club; Sections 118–122, Frost Bank East Club). The Rockets East & West Clubs feature upscale concessions, extra wide seats, full private bar featuring premium wine and beverage selections and concierge service. The adjacent 2,500-space Toyota Tundra garage
248-420: A huge dining room, private bar, two twin 1,500 bottle wine towers and views of the arena floor. Levy Restaurants manages concession services at the arena, and offers fast food on the main concourses, while also catering a VIP restaurant for Suite and Club Seat holders. Alexander personally chose colors for the restaurant to help customers feel "warm and comfortable", and Rockets president George Postolos said that
310-523: A larger, 4 panel scoreboard, similar to the one installed at AT&T Stadium , measuring 58 feet (18 m) by 25 feet (7.6 m) on the sidelines, and 25 feet (7.6 m) by 25 feet (7.6 m) on the ends, making it the largest such video board in an indoor arena. This larger scoreboard was installed by Panasonic and made its debut during the Houston Rockets 2012–13 season opener. The arena has two additional displays located at each end of
372-512: A little more coaching, a little bit more life experience overall, that's good." He was criticized for his reference to the 18-year-old adults, most of whom were African American, as "these kids", when other professional sports and occupations allowed 18-year-olds. For the 2006–07 season the NBA introduced a new "microfiber" basketball for use in NBA games, replacing the previous style ball used since 1970. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban agreed with
434-731: A live attendance record of 14,209 and a near $ 1.4 million gate at the Toyota Center, thus making Bellator 149 the largest attended show in Bellator MMA history. The arena has hosted a number of WWE events including No Mercy 2005 , Vengeance: Night of Champions , the 2009 WWE Hall of Fame ceremony , two editions of TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs ( 2010 and 2013 ), Night of Champions 2015 , NXT TakeOver: WarGames 2017 , Survivor Series 2017 , Elimination Chamber 2019 , as well as various episodes of Raw and SmackDown . WWE also held their first live show in front of fans, for
496-528: A multitude of spectators. The word derives from Latin harena , a particularly fine-grained sand that covered the floor of ancient arenas such as the Colosseum in Rome , Italy, to absorb blood. The term arena is sometimes used as a synonym for a very large venue such as Pasadena's Rose Bowl , but such a facility is typically called a stadium . The use of one term over the other has mostly to do with
558-513: A new arena in 1995 and attempted to release the Rockets from their lease at The Summit , which ran until 2003. However, he was denied by arena owner Chuck Watson , then-owner of the Aeros, who also wanted control of a new arena. The two sides agreed to equal control over an arena in a deal signed in 1997, but the proposal was rejected by city voters in a 1999 referendum. It was not until the city and
620-561: A new arena was "essential to keep pro sports in Houston". After Watson rejected a contract buyout proposal of $ 30 million, the Rockets filed a legal challenge against their lease, stating the "need to be able to buy out" of the lease. However, the city of Houston filed a counterclaim to force the Rockets to stay at the Summit, saying that if the Rockets did not honor their contract, then they might "have no incentive to honor any new agreement with
682-602: A referendum on the issue before the end of the year. After several months negotiating with the Harris County-Houston Sports Authority, the Rockets finalized a deal to pay half of the constructions costs, and a referendum was set for November 2. The deal was approved by Brown and the Houston City Council, but Watson started an opposition group against the referendum, saying the arena was "not in Houston's interest". On November 3,
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#1732766297886744-409: A result of work stoppages. Stern was known as a relentless negotiator. During the 2011 lockout, he was accused by HBO commentator Bryant Gumbel of being "some kind of modern-day plantation overseer", a reference to the division between the NBA's primarily white owners and its predominantly black players. On December 8, 2011, Stern vetoed a three-team trade that would have sent Chris Paul to
806-748: A sold-out crowd of 17,962 during the Death Magnetic tour. The record for a basketball game is 18,583, set on March 26, 2010, when the Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Rockets 109–101. The arena was the winner of the Allen Award for Civic Enhancement by Central Houston, the "Rookie of the Year" award by the Harlem Globetrotters , and a finalist for Pollstar Magazine's "Best New Concert Venue" award. Arena An arena
868-510: A total of $ 590,000 in loans and contributions from Enron and Ken Lay , who the Rockets said was a "tireless" force in the campaign. On November 8, the arena was approved by 66% of voters. According to the agreement signed, the city of Houston bought the land for the arena and an adjoining parking garage, which was near the George R. Brown Convention Center , and paid for it by selling bonds and borrowing $ 30 million. Morris Architects, designed
930-579: A total of seven new franchises (the Hornets , Timberwolves , Heat , Magic , Grizzlies, Raptors, and Bobcats ) were admitted to the NBA, bringing the number of teams in the league to 30 by 2004. In 2000, it was revealed that the Minnesota Timberwolves had tampered with Joe Smith two years earlier by promising him a more lucrative contract in future years in exchange for signing him below market value so they could sign more players in
992-404: A year. In 1987, he started the shipping of VHS tapes from his New York office to China's state-run television station to expand the league's reach beyond North America. Stern pushed to allow NBA players to participate in international tournaments, contributing to the creation of the 1992 U.S. Olympic team , dubbed the "Dream Team", which begat the first wave of international NBA stars. One of
1054-421: Is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre , musical performances , and/or sporting events . It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators, and may be covered by a roof. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the lowest point, allowing maximum visibility. Arenas are usually designed to accommodate
1116-476: Is connected to the arena by a private skybridge that can be accessed by Suite, Court-side and Club Seat holders. Additionally, the floor level features three separate private club lounges for access from court-side seat holders and floor seat concert goers. Lexus Lounge and Golden Nugget Club are on the west side of the floor level and the Bogarts Platinum Lounge is located on the east side of
1178-514: The 1999–2000 NBA season ended, but after the Rockets began to talk to other cities about relocation, they resumed talks in February 2000. Although the Rockets continued to negotiate with Louisville, Kentucky , a funding plan for the arena in Houston was released in June. A final agreement was proposed on July 6, and both the Rockets and mayor Brown agreed to the terms. After the city council approved
1240-665: The NHL decided not to consider Houston as a location for an expansion team because of the indecision over the new arena, Lanier said that he would not have a referendum in November. The Rockets began an appeal in January 1998 against the court order to stay at the Summit, but then dropped it in May, because they felt that a new arena would be ready by the time they finished their lease. In January 1999, recently elected mayor Lee Brown guaranteed
1302-727: The Olympic Order in 2012. In 2014, Stern was inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame . In 2016, he became a member of the FIBA Hall of Fame . Stern was married to Dianne Bock Stern, and they had two sons: Eric and Andrew. They resided in Scarsdale, New York . By the later years of his commissionership, Stern was earning a $ 9 million salary. He stood at 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m). On December 12, 2019, Stern suffered
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#17327662978861364-423: The 2005–06 season, the NBA announced a new dress code , which banned players from wearing headphones, chains, shorts, sleeveless shirts, indoor sunglasses, T-shirts, jerseys and headgear such as baseball caps during NBA-related public appearances. Allen Iverson criticized the policy: "They're targeting guys who dress like me, guys who dress hip-hop ... I think they went way overboard." A decade later, Stern's edict
1426-406: The 750,000-square-foot (70,000 m) building, and Hunt Construction was contracted to build the arena. A building formerly owned by Houston Lighting and Power Company was demolished to make way for the arena, and two streets were closed for the duration of the construction. A groundbreaking ceremony was held on July 31, 2001, and construction continued for 26 months. At the request of Alexander,
1488-484: The Commissioner of the NBA, succeeding O'Brien during the league's recovery from its darkest period. Instead of marketing the league's teams, he changed the focus to its star players, such as Magic Johnson and Larry Bird , and Michael Jordan and Charles Barkley from the 1984 NBA draft , which was held soon after Stern took office. Jordan's arrival, in particular, ushered in a new era of commercial bounty for
1550-470: The Dream Team members was Johnson. A year earlier, he announced that he was HIV-positive and retiring from basketball in a press conference with Stern sitting by his side. At the time, the public was afraid of HIV and the disease was demonized. Some people feared it could be transmitted by sweat or a handshake. Despite backlash, Stern allowed Johnson to play in the 1992 NBA All-Star Game and later for
1612-544: The Dream Team. Having read medical literature and consulted experts, Stern helped inform league owners, players, sponsors and the public about the virus. The NBA put infection-control procedures in place; previously, players were allowed to play while bleeding. In 1995, the NBA expanded into Canada, introducing the Toronto Raptors and the Vancouver Grizzlies to the league. During Stern's tenure,
1674-493: The Houston Rockets, proposed legislation that would dedicate state tax revenue to build new arenas. Although the bill failed in the Texas House of Representatives , Rockets owner Leslie Alexander announced he would continue to study the possibility of constructing a new arena in downtown Houston, saying the 20-year-old Summit arena was too outdated to be profitable. Although the Summit's management said they could renovate
1736-472: The Kellogg's Tour of Gymnastics Champions. Gabriel Iglesias ' Netflix special "One Show Fits All" was filmed in the Toyota Center in 2019. The arena will be the site of the 2028 Republican National Convention . In its first year, the total attendance for events at the arena exceeded 1.5 million. The current attendance for a concert held at the arena was set on November 20, 2008, when Metallica played to
1798-454: The Lakers, Lamar Odom to the league-owned Hornets, and Pau Gasol to the Rockets for what a spokesman would only say were "basketball reasons". Early reactions from around the league, fanbase, and media were all largely negative, with players taking to Twitter to express their concerns, and several noted sports journalists criticizing the decision. The deal was maligned especially because of
1860-418: The NBA in 1966 as an outside counsel, then joined the NBA in 1978 as general counsel and became the league's executive vice president in 1980. He became commissioner in 1984, succeeding Larry O'Brien . After 30 years, Stern retired in 2014 as the longest-tenured commissioner in the history of major North American sports leagues (though his record has since been broken ). He was succeeded by Adam Silver . He
1922-558: The NBA opened 12 offices in cities outside the United States, and broadcast to over 200 territories in over 40 languages. Stern also helped found the Women's National Basketball Association and the NBA G League , the NBA's development league. Under Stern, the NBA launched their digital presence with NBA.com, NBA TV , and NBA League Pass . He also established the NBA's social responsibility program, NBA Cares . Stern started with
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1984-579: The NBA's executive vice president for business and legal affairs, which made Stern de facto in charge of marketing, television, and public relations for the league. During this time, Stern largely drove two landmark agreements with the NBA Players' Association : drug testing and team salary cap. An August 1980 report by the Los Angeles Times had estimated that 40 to 75 percent of NBA players used cocaine. The drug testing policy dealt with
2046-510: The NBA. With him came his flair and talent for the game, and that brought in shoe contracts from Nike which helped to give the league even more national attention. Stern guided the league through dwindling viewership en route to global growth. In his first year as commissioner, Stern offered Adrian Paenza, a South American basketball and soccer analyst, and the Argentina Channel 9 the rights to air weekly NBA highlights for $ 2,000
2108-412: The Rockets looked "for a relationship with the people that attend events in our venue". Originally, a 40 feet (12 m) by 32 feet (9.8 m) centerhung video system from Daktronics , which has four main replay screens and eight other full-color displays, hung from the ceiling of the arena, and had the highest-resolution display of any North American sports facility. In 2012, the Toyota Center installed
2170-528: The Rockets signed an amended agreement in 2001, excluding the Aeros, that the proposal was accepted. Construction began in July 2001, and the new arena was officially opened in October 2003. The total costs were $ 235 million, with the city of Houston paying the majority, and the Rockets paying for enhancements. Toyota paid US$ 100 million for the naming rights . In May 1995, several Texas sports teams, including
2232-407: The arena was built 32 feet (9.8 m) below street level, so fans would not have to walk up stairs to reach their seats. To sink the arena, $ 12 million was spent to excavate 31,500 cubic yards (24,100 m) of dirt over four months, which was the largest excavation in Houston history. Concrete was poured for the foundation throughout the summer of 2002, and structural work began in October. The roof
2294-494: The arena, the performance was recorded and released as Empires . In 2007, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2020, 2021, and 2022 it played host to a UFC event . On August 21, 2010, it played host to Strikeforce: Houston . On February 19, 2016, it played host to Bellator MMA event Bellator 149: Shamrock vs. Gracie III . The event featured a double main event featuring heavyweights Kimbo Slice vs. Dada 5000 , and light heavyweights Ken Shamrock vs. Royce Gracie . Bellator 149 had
2356-406: The building for a small part of the cost of a new arena, the Rockets began talks with the city of Houston on a possible location for an arena, They also negotiated with Houston Aeros and Summit owner, Chuck Watson, to release them from their contract with the Summit, which ran until 2003. As the negotiations continued into 1996, a panel appointed by Houston mayor Bob Lanier reported that building
2418-506: The city of Houston to play in a new downtown sports arena". The validity of the lease was eventually upheld, and in April 1997, Lanier announced that the Rockets and Watson would have to agree to share control of the new arena equally, or lose access to it altogether. After both parties agreed to the terms, a bill that authorized increased taxes to pay for a new arena was signed into law in July, by then- Governor George W. Bush . However, after
2480-410: The company was placed on the roof of the building, as well in other prominent places inside the arena, and the company was given "a dominant presence" in commercials shown during broadcasts of games played in the arena. Toyota USA has satellite offices in Houston. The seating capacity for basketball games has been as follows: The arena's first event was a Fleetwood Mac concert on October 6, 2003, and
2542-400: The conflict of interest posed by the league's ownership of one of its teams. On October 25, 2012, Stern announced that he would step down as NBA commissioner on February 1, 2014, after 30 years in the role, longer than each of his three predecessors. He was succeeded by his deputy Adam Silver , but remained affiliated with the league with the title of commissioner emeritus. Stern received
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2604-549: The court, and a "state-of-the-art" audio system. Another amenity new to the Toyota Center in the 2012–2013 season is Wi-Fi. Designed by SignalShare and implemented by OfficeConnect.net, the Wi-Fi network is deployed throughout the arena and allows high-speed internet access during events. Its implementation was timed to be ready for the NBA All-Star Game. In July 2003, the arena was named the Toyota Center. The logo of
2666-421: The deal, the proposal was placed on the November referendum ballot. Leading up to the vote, the Rockets stressed that there would be "no new taxes of any kind", although opponents said the new arena would raise energy consumption, and also contended that the public would pay for too much of the costs of the arena. Contributions for the campaign for the arena included donations of US$ 400,000 from Reliant Energy , and
2728-504: The decision and implementation, and that it would have been better to get the players' input in advance. On December 11, 2006, the NBA announced that it would in fact switch back to the leather ball starting on January 1, 2007. In 2007, Stern injected himself in the controversy surrounding the purchase and subsequent relocation of the Seattle SuperSonics by Oklahoman Clay Bennett and his ownership group. His support for
2790-464: The facility is called Cameron Indoor Stadium . Domed stadiums, which, like arenas, are enclosed but have the larger playing surfaces and seating capacities found in stadiums, are generally not referred to as arenas in North America. There is also the sport of indoor American football (one variant of which is explicitly known as arena football), a variant of the outdoor game that is designed for
2852-1212: The first Rockets game at the Toyota Center was against the Denver Nuggets on October 30. Many concerts have also taken place in the Toyota Center, like Beyoncé , Prince , Tool , Duran Duran on their Astronaut tour , Janet Jackson , Madonna , Tina Turner , Red Hot Chili Peppers , Gloria Estefan , Shakira , Selena Gomez , Demi Lovato , Rihanna , Miley Cyrus , Bruno Mars , Christina Aguilera , P!nk , Andrea Bocelli , Muse , High School Musical The Concert , Aerosmith , Guns N' Roses , Coldplay , RBD , Laura Pausini , Alanis Morissette , Matchbox Twenty , Fiona Apple , Nickelback , Depeche Mode , Bon Jovi , Enrique Iglesias , Katy Perry , Drake , Travis Scott , Cher , Britney Spears , Kanye West and Jay-Z , Justin Bieber , Taylor Swift , The Rolling Stones , One Direction , Ariana Grande , Olivia Rodrigo , Carrie Underwood , Rammstein , Adele , Lana Del Rey , Blackpink , G-Dragon , Panic! At The Disco , Harry Styles , Garth Brooks with Trisha Yearwood , and many more. On July 23, 2016, Hillsong UNITED performed in
2914-578: The first time since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic , with the July 16, 2021 episode of SmackDown at the Toyota Center. The arena hosted the 9th Annual Latin Grammy Awards on November 13, 2008. Passion Conferences has been held in the Toyota Center since 2014. The conference draws around 20,000 people with multiple other gatherings held in Atlanta. On September 30, 2016, the arena hosted
2976-501: The floor level. All feature upscale amenities including multiple flat screen televisions, private bar, restrooms, and plush seating. The Lexus Lounge has its own pool tables and all three court-side lounges feature numerous private court-side suites. Toyota Center also features the Sterling Vineyards Red & White Wine Bistro, located on the lower suites level on the south side of the arena. The restaurant features
3038-521: The landmark lawsuit brought against the NBA by star player Oscar Robertson . Stern helped the league negotiate a settlement that allowed the NBA/ABA merger to proceed in return for the NBA abolishing the "option" clause in its uniform player contract and allowing players to become free agents for the first time. In 1978, Stern left Proskauer Rose to become the NBA's general counsel under Commissioner Larry O'Brien . By 1980, O'Brien promoted Stern to be
3100-409: The need for a new ball, claiming the old style ball was inconsistent. Many of the league's most prominent players openly expressed their dislike for the new ball, such as Shaquille O'Neal who said, "Feels like one of those cheap balls that you buy at the toy store." A study, financed by Cuban, claimed that the new ball "bounces 5 to 8% lower than typical leather balls when dropped from 4 feet...[and]
3162-505: The new ball bounces 30% more erratically." However, Stern initially refused to go back to the original ball despite many complaints by players about the new ball. Two months into the season, the National Basketball Players Association filed a grievance related to the quality of the ball and the cuts it had caused on players' fingers. Stern acknowledged that the NBA "could have done a better job" with
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#17327662978863224-460: The perception that the NBA had a drug problem, which it admitted, and it was cleaning it up. The NBA was the first of the major sports leagues in North America to implement a drug testing policy. The salary cap created a revenue-sharing system where owner and player were effectively partners, with players receiving 53 percent of all revenues. Both of these agreements solidified Stern's standing inside NBA circles. On February 1, 1984, Stern became
3286-416: The results of the referendum were announced, and the arena proposal was rejected by 54% of voters. Alexander said "we never thought we would lose" and that they were "devastated by the loss". After the vote, NBA commissioner David Stern said "if there's not a new building...I think it's certain that the team will be relocated." The Houston Sports Authority had not planned to meet with the Rockets until after
3348-475: The short-term. The NBA voided the last year of Smith's contract, fined the franchise $ 3.5 million and took away the Timberwolves' next three 1st-round NBA draft picks. Although many believed that tampering is a common practice, Stern abided by arbitrator Kenneth Dam's ruling that the Timberwolves had signed the secret agreement, and denied that the league was making an example of the Timberwolves. Before
3410-405: The surprising move from the nation's 14th-largest market to the 45th was questioned by many both in the public and media. Stern's tenure saw the relocation of six NBA franchises. In the summer of 2011, the NBA lockout cost the league regular-season games for the second time in league history; the first occurred during the 1998–99 lockout . Those were the only times the league has lost games as
3472-538: The type of event. Football (be it association , rugby , gridiron , Australian rules , or Gaelic ) is typically played in a stadium, while basketball , volleyball , handball , and ice hockey are typically played in an arena, although many of the larger arenas hold more spectators than do the stadiums of smaller colleges or high schools. There are exceptions. The home of the Duke University men's and women's basketball teams would qualify as an arena, but
3534-593: The usual smaller playing surface of most arenas; variants of other traditionally outdoor sports, including box lacrosse as well as futsal and indoor soccer , also exist. The term "arena" is also used loosely to refer to any event or type of event which either literally or metaphorically takes place in such a location, often with the specific intent of comparing an idea to a sporting event. Such examples of these would be terms such as "the arena of war", "the arena of love" or "the political arena". David Stern David Joel Stern (September 22, 1942 – January 1, 2020)
3596-507: Was a member of the Sigma Alpha Mu fraternity and graduated in 1963 with a B.A. in history. He then attended Columbia Law School , receiving a J.D. in 1966. After graduating from law school, Stern joined the law firm of Proskauer, Rose, Goetz & Mendelsohn (now Proskauer Rose ), which has long represented the NBA. He was the lead attorney representing the firm in the case of Robertson v. National Basketball Association ,
3658-477: Was an American lawyer and business executive who was the commissioner of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1984 to 2014. Stern oversaw NBA basketball's growth into one of the world's most popular sports during the 1990s and 2000s. He is credited with developing and broadening the NBA's audience, especially internationally by setting up training camps, playing exhibition games, and recruiting more international players. In addition, with Stern's guidance
3720-403: Was credited with spawning a style trend among NBA stars toward high fashion. Stern advocated a minimum age limit for NBA players. Starting with the 2006 NBA draft , players could no longer be selected straight out of high school and needed to be at least 19 years old, creating the one-and-done rule . In 2001, Stern had stated, "If these kids have the ability to get a little more maturity,
3782-755: Was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and FIBA Hall of Fame . Stern was on the Rutgers University Board of Overseers, a Director of Jazz at Lincoln Center and chair of JALC's Marketing Committee, and was a Chair Emeritus of the Board of Trustees of Columbia University . He was also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations . David Stern was born in Manhattan , New York City, one of three children of Anna (née Bronstein, 1918–1990) and William Stern (1918–1980),
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#17327662978863844-526: Was set on in December, as work continued inside, with a peak workforce of 650. In September 2003, a ribbon-cutting ceremony was held to mark the official opening of the arena. The total cost of construction was $ 235 million, with the city paying $ 182 million, and the Rockets adding $ 43 million for additions and enhancements. The arena can seat 18,104 for a basketball game, 17,800 for ice hockey games , and 19,300 for concerts. The prices for courtside seats to
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