 | |
 Exterior of venue (c.2008) | |
  Blue Arena Location within Colorado Show map of Colorado Blue Arena Location within the United States Show map of the United States | |
| Former names | Budweiser Events Center (2003–2023) |
|---|---|
| Address | 5290 Arena Circle |
| Location | Loveland, Colorado, U.S. |
| Owner | Larimer County |
| Operator | OVG360 |
| Capacity | 7,500 Sports capacity[1]
|
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | August 26, 2002 (2002-08-26)[2] |
| Opened | September 20, 2003 (2003-09-20) |
| Construction cost | $28 million ($48.9 million in 2024 dollars[3]) |
| Architect |
|
| Structural engineer | KL&A, Inc.[4] |
| Services engineer |
|
| General contractor | Neenan Construction[1] |
| Main contractors | Delta Construction[1] |
| Tenants | |
| Colorado Eagles (CHL/ECHL/AHL) (2003–present) Colorado Chill (NWBL) (2004–2006) Colorado Lightning (PASL) (2008–2009) Colorado Ice/Crush (IFL) (2009–2017) Denver Dream/Denver Rush (LFL/X League) (2017–2019, 2022–present) Colorado Spartans (NAL) (2024–present) | |
| Website | |
| Venue Website | |
TheBlue Arena is a multi-purposearena inLoveland, Colorado,[5] 55 mi (89 km) northeast ofDenver. It has 24 luxury suites, 777 club seats and[1] 6,800 general admission seats. The arena is located on The Ranch Events Complex (formerly the Larimer County Fairgrounds and Events Complex) and is owned byLarimer County, Colorado. The facility and ticket sales are managed by OVG360[5] (a division of Oak View Group). It is home to theAHLColorado Eaglesice hockey team and is the former home of theColorado Lightningindoor soccer team, theColorado Chillwomen's basketball team, and theDenver Dreamwomen's football team. It was also home to theColorado Ice/Crushindoor football team from 2007 until 2017 and will serve as home of theColorado Spartans starting in 2024.
Construction was completed and doors opened for the first event on September 20, 2003, with a sold-out exhibition hockey game between theColorado Avalanche and theFlorida Panthers.
The Colorado Eagles established a new record for minor league professional hockey[6] with their 145th consecutive regular-season sellout, set on January 12, 2008, in a victory vs. rivalRocky Mountain Rage. Including playoff games, the Eagles had sold out 181 consecutive games total – every single game during their first 4½ years of operation.[citation needed]
Blue Arena was previously named the Budweiser Events Center, but changed after Budweiser's contract expired in October, 2023 after which Blue Federal Credit Union was awarded the contract.[7]
 | This sectiondoes notcite anysources. Please helpimprove this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged andremoved.(September 2023) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
The Colorado Eagles hosted the 2009Central Hockey League All-Star Game and the 2013ECHL All-Star Game at the Blue Arena.
The Events Center has played host to: musiciansWidespread Panic,David Bowie,Rod Stewart,Yes, andZZ Top; comediansBill Cosby,Ron White,Carlos Mencia,Gabriel Iglesias &Larry the Cable Guy; as well asCirque Du Soleil,Ringling Bros. Barnum & Bailey Circus,Disney on Ice,The Wiggles,Sesame Street Live, andThe Harlem Globetrotters.
The Events Center will serve as a host for the 2026 NCAA Hockey Frozen Four Regional[8] round and previously hosted the 2022 Frozen Four Regional.
 Music venues of Colorado | |
|---|---|
| Outdoor | |
| Theaters and clubs | |
| Arenas | |
| Historic venues | |
Authority control databases: Geographic |
|---|
40°26′38″N104°59′22″W / 40.44389°N 104.98944°W /40.44389; -104.98944