Toyota Center

Toyota Center
Toyota Center in 2011
Toyota Center is located in Houston Downtown
Toyota Center
Toyota Center
Location in Houston
Toyota Center is located in Texas
Toyota Center
Toyota Center
Location in Texas
Toyota Center is located in the United States
Toyota Center
Toyota Center
Location in the United States
Address1510 Polk Street
LocationHouston, Texas, U.S.
Coordinates29°45′3″N 95°21′44″W / 29.75083°N 95.36222°W / 29.75083; -95.36222
Public transit Bell
OwnerHarris County Houston Sports Authority
OperatorClutch City Sports and Entertainment
CapacityBasketball: 18,104
Hockey: 17,800
Concerts: 19,300
Construction
Broke groundJuly 31, 2001
OpenedOctober 6, 2003; 21 years ago (October 6, 2003)
Construction costUS$235 million
($389 million in 2023 dollars[1])
ArchitectPopulous (then HOK Sport)[2]
Morris Architects
John Chase Architects
Structural engineerWalter P Moore[3]
Services engineerBovay Engineers, Inc.[4]
General contractorHunt Construction Group[5]
Tenants
Houston Rockets (NBA) (2003–present)
Houston Aeros (AHL) (2003–2013)
Houston Comets (WNBA) (2004–2007)
Website
toyotacenter.com

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 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 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.

  1. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  2. ^ Toyota Center architect: Populous
  3. ^ Emporis.com – Toyota Center[usurped]
  4. ^ "Houston Toyota Center". Bovay Engineers, Inc. Archived from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved February 28, 2015.
  5. ^ "Rockets Launch a New Era At Toyota Center". Archived from the original on April 12, 2016. Retrieved September 14, 2011.