Holy Hoop Land
Written: Jan 27 '00
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Pros: The best arena ever built
Cons: Too much to see
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| kpsports's Full Review: Conseco Fieldhouse |
I am a sportswriter, and I have been to literally hundreds of arenas from coast-to-coast. From Major League ballparks to small elementary gymnasiums, I have been there.
My favorite, being from Indiana, is basketball gymnasiums. Indiana is the mecca for gyms, from Assembly Hall in Bloomington to the world's largest high school gym in New Castle (seating over 8,500), I love Indiana.
The addition of the new home of the Pacers, Conseco Fieldhouse, only reinforces the fact that Indiana is Hoops Heaven.
From the minute you walk in the grand hallway that resembles an old train station, all eyes are fixed on this building. Who cares who is playing that night.
As you walk up the grand staircase to the main foyer, you immediatly are overlooking the main court, staring straight at the scoreboard, complete with Jumbotrons on all four sides.
The main foyer is divided into three sections, each sponsored by an Indianapolis business: the Motor Speedway, the Indianapolis Star (no, I do not write for them), and Clarion Health Services.
Each section ends with a foodcourt, and high above are decorations for each sponsor. The Star shows its newspaper headlines from years past, chronicaling the history of Indiana basketball. The Speedway has an Indy car hanging above with the Pacer mascot driving. Clarion, well, it is boring, so eat in another foyer.
As you walk along, you will notice a virtual museum in the halls. Jerseys from past team associated with the state can be found, so who needs to go to a museum.
This state-of-the-art facility was built to remind us of gyms of the past, and it sure delivers. I could spend hours talking on this subject, but won't.
Watching the event is about as good as it gets. There are no bad sightlines, and the scoreboard is easy to read and see. Stats for the game are kept on another scoreboard, which is fun to watch. The upper level seating sits above the lower level, so although it is high, you are a lot closer to the action. I went to the top row, and it is a pretty good seat.
Ample parking is available in the downtown Indy area for a decent price. I parked two blocks away for only $5.
All-in-all, this is THE BEST arena I have been in. Check it out if you are in town.
P.S. I have heard that it is hard to hear a concert in the upper levels, but I have not been to a concert to confirm this.
Recommended:
Yes
Parking Availability: No Problemo
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Epinions.com ID:
kpsports
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Reviews written: 12
Trusted by: 4 members
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