PHX Arena

Talking Stick Resort Arena (formerly America West Arena and US Airways Center) is a sports and entertainment arena in downtown Phoenix, Arizona. It opened on June 6, 1992 at a construction cost of $89 million. It is home to the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) and the Arena Football League's Arizona Rattlers. The ECHL's Phoenix RoadRunners played at the arena from their inaugural 2005-06 season until they ceased operations at the conclusion of the 2008-09 season. Located near Chase Field (the Arizona Diamondbacks' home ballpark), the arena is one million square feet in size on an 11-acre site. These two major league sports venues make up for half of those used by Phoenix area professional teams, the other two being University of Phoenix Stadium and Gila River Arena (formerly Jobing.com Arena) in the neighboring Phoenix suburb of Glendale. Renovations were completed in March 2003, where it features a 16,000-square foot air-conditioned glass-enclosed atrium built on the northwest side of the arena. It is to keep patrons cool while waiting in line for tickets or spending time inside the building before events. The total cost was estimated around $67 million. The upgrading of US Airways Center was done as part of the Phoenix Suns' plan to keep it economically competitive after Jobing.com Arena opened. Former Suns owner Jerry Colangelo originally thought of the renovations after visiting Staples Center in Los Angeles and envisioned a similar entertainment district in Phoenix. The arena also features the Verve Lounge, a high-class exclusive bar lounge.