|
|
Date Built 1996
Ownership Niagara Frontier Hockey L.P.
Cost of Construction $127.5 million - private and public financing
Naming Rights Marine Midland Bank paid $15 million for 20-year naming rights
in 1996.
Architect Ellerbe Becket
Tenants:
Buffalo Sabres (NHL) 1996-Present
Buffalo Blizzard (NPSL)
Buffalo Bandits (MILL)
Buffalo Destroyers (AFL)
Buffalo Wings (RHI)
Population Base 1,700,000
On Site Parking 1,100
Nearest Airport 6.5 Miles
Seating: Hockey 18,595
seats on four levels
Prices $47, $38, $29, $24, $18
Luxury Suites featuring all the club seat amenities plus private restrooms
80 Suites
Club Seats with access to weather protected parking garage, concierge and
in-seat food and beverage service 5,000
The Harbour Club possesses extensive banquet facilities (including seating
for 800) while offering views of both the arena floor and the Buffalo waterfront.
Eight-sided Jumbotron scoreboard with video and instant replay capabilities
on four sides,and message capabilities on four sides.
Team Store - At 5,000 square feet, it is one of the largest in-arena merchandise
stores in the NHL.
Pavilion - The 330' long by 65' high glass-enclosed structure serves as
the major entrance/exit for the arena.
Pepsi Headlines Bar - A sports bar with displays and other features telling
the history of amatuer and professional sports in Buffalo.
Features Tops Food Court with interactive games and Buffalo Sports Hall
of Fame
Other Facts:
Marine Midland Arena, Buffalo's new $127 million entertainment facility,
was scheduled to come on line September 21, 1996 with a preseason professional
hockey game.
The arena's primary tenant, National Hockey League's Buffalo Sabres, can
draw a maximum crowd of 18,595, while concerts can accommodate 20,500. The
first concert act booked was Buffalo's own Goo Goo Dolls with Toronto's
Barenaked Ladies on September 28, 1996. The concert followed the September
27 opening gala.
The facility has two public levels, two private levels, 80 suites and 5,000
club seats. It boasts a large food court with interactive sports opportunities,
a sports bar and a private restaurant. The arena and the Sabres are owned
by Niagara Frontier Hockey L.P. Other tenants are Major Indoor Lacrosse
League's Buffalo Bandits and National Professional Soccer League's Buffalo
Blizzard.
The venue, designed by Ellerbe Becket, lies just south of its predecessor,
the old Buffalo Memorial Auditorium, currently the last stop on the city's
subway line. Officials would like to see the city construct a sheltered
stop closer the the arena. The distance between buildings might not seem
like much in August, but it will seem quite far in the midst of a Buffalo
winter, said Carolyn Hoyt, the arena's project director. Another change
officials anticipate is the development of the waterfront in the area.
The arena's main entrance is a grand foyer. A glass-enclosed pavilion, it
is 330 feet by 60 feet and reaches 60 feet high. The floor sports a wavelike
pattern and overhead is a sculpture of sail cloths.
On the pavilion level, which will be used as function space, are 12 ticket
windows on the east side and an 8,000 square foot team store on the west.
Patrons will find Marine Midland Bank services and automatic teller machines
as well. Officials wanted such a large store so that as many people as possible
could fit inside during peak times, Hoyt said. Fantastix is the arena's
in-house ticketing company.
There are five locker rooms on the event level. Besides the basics, the
Sabres's locker room has a player's lounge, weight room and medical and
dental areas. Many rooms, including the press room, on that level can be
cordoned off into two separate areas by dividing walls. There is a five-bay
loading dock and two truck-access ports.
The 100 level, an escalator ride up from the pavilion, offers concession
stands, a public sports bar called Pepsi Headlines, and Harbour Club, the
private banquet facility for premium seat holders. The sports bar, which
overlooks the pavilion, can hold up to 300 people. The Harbour Club's main
floor seats 600, while its second level can hold a few hundred more. The
club's second level looks onto the arena floor. Sportservice handles the
arena's food service.
A new 1,100 space parking garage - specifically for premium seat holders
- was built adjacent to the arena. The two are connected by a causeway that
exits onto the club level. Club-seat holders benefit from in-seat food service
but have a concession stand at their disposal as well. The level also consists
of a family room for players' families, a party suite that holds up to 100,
and a directors room for Sabres team owners.
The 80 suites separate club seats from the 300 level. They contain 12 seats,
a stand-up bar with stools, two television monitors (one with a VCR). Suites,
the interiors of which were designed by Gensler Associates, were leased
for $55,000 -$100,000 for three, five and seven years. Executive offices
are also on the suite level.
Above the suites is the 300 level, with three food court areas and an ATM.
Above that is the press level, which also houses a series of broadcast and
radio rooms.
Directions to Marine Midland Arena:
From the North including Canada:
Take 190 South. You may exit at either of two exits:
-Exit 6 (Elm Street): As you exit 190, bear left to the ramp and turn
right onto Seneca Street (Dunn Tire Park will be on your left). Take Seneca
Street to the first light and turn right onto Michigan.
Take Michigan over the bridge. You will see the Marine Midland Arena to
your right. Parking is available in lots off both Scott and Perry Streets.
-Exit 5 (Louisiana Street): At the bottom of the exit, turn left and
proceed to the second light. Turn right onto South Park. The Marine Midland
Arena is straight ahead on the right. Parking is available
off South Park just past Michigan. Or you may turn right onto Michigan and
find parking off Perry and Scott Streets.
From the South, East and West (via Thruway) including Rochester:
Take Interstate 90 (Thruway) to Exit 53, which is 190 North. You may exit at either of two exits:
-Exit 5 (Hamburg Street): At the exit turn right onto Hamburg Street. Proceed to the second traffic light. Turn right onto South Park. The Marine Midland Arena is straight ahead on the right. Parking is available off South Park just past Michigan. Or you may turn right onto Michigan and find parking off Perry and Scott Streets.
-Exit 6 (Elm Street): As you exit 190, bear right to the ramp and turn right onto Seneca Street. Turn right onto Michigan Street at the first light. Take Michigan over the bridge. You will see the Marine Midland Arena to your right. Parking is available in lots off both Scott and Perry Streets.
From the East including Pennsylvania:
From Interstate 90 (Thruway), take Route 33 to downtown Buffalo. Exit onto Oak Street and proceed to Swan Street. Turn right on Swan and left onto Washington. The Marine Midland Arena is straight ahead past Dunn Tire Park (on the left). There are parking lots off of Exchange, Perry and Scott Streets.
Alternatively, instead of turning onto Swan Street, continue on Oak all the way to 190 South and exit immediately at Exit #5 (Louisiana Street). At the bottom of the exit, turn left and proceed to the second light. Turn right onto South Park. The Marine Midland Arena is straight ahead on the right. Parking is available off South Park just past Michigan. Or you may turn right onto Michigan and find parking off Perry and Scott Streets.
From the South (Lakeshore):
Take Route 5 over the Skyway. Exit onto Route 190 South. Take either Exit 6 (Elm Street) or Exit 5 (Louisiana Street). At the bottom of the exit, turn left and proceed to the second light. Turn right onto South Park. The Marine Midland Arena is straight ahead on the right. Parking is available off South Park just past Michigan. Or you may turn right onto Michigan and find parking off Perry and Scott Streets.
Alternatively, exit onto Pearl Street and follow Pearl Street past Memorial Auditorium. There are parking lots off Seneca, Exchange and behind Memorial Auditorium in the Naval Park.
Back to home page
