Let me start by saying that I'm a Houston native and had been to the summit/compaq center hundreds of times at least. Here are my comments about the new arena pros and cons. First off parking. I parked a couple blocks to the north of the TC, paid 5 bucks and walked. 5 bucks isn't bad but it wasn't free like it was before. If I make my 20 games this year thats another $100 out of my pocket. Entry. Entry into the TC was smooth and easy. No stairs to climb. No pat down or metal wand action. Very nice. First impression. The lower level was clean and neat. Nice floors and very finished looking. The escalator to the second level was nice. The upper level on the other hand looked half finished compared to the lower level. The plain concrete floor looked cheap and very plain. Because of the layout getting from the upper to the lower level is not as easy as it was before which makes going to the other parts of the arena a big pain. Concessions. I was a huge fan of the concessions at Compaq. Name brand food that was very very good. The concessions at TC were very very poor. First off Pepsi instead of coke? Give me a break. How can you mix a drink with pepsi? Oh never mind you can't even buy a mixed drink on the upper level of TC. I guess they think only the big spenders want mixed drinks. I had a chicken basket that tasted like cardboard. At compaq I paid Pappas 7 bucks for real chicken and real fries. TC was 7 for cardboard in a chicken strip shape and fries. On my next trip to TC I'll check the concessions on the lower level and see if they saved the good food for the big spenders or I won't be eating at TC any more. Seats and sights. I liked walking down to the seats, that is a nice touch when you have your hands full of foods and your kids with you. The seats were nice and comfy. The seats were noticeably higher from the court but the view was good none the less. It bothers me that the upper level was near full while the suites were half empty and the lower level was only 75% full. Score boards, etc. I like the center score board. Nice replays on almost every play. I miss the hustle board though. The ads on the center board need to go and be replace with stats. Ring around the arena had ads galore and it would be nice to have stats in the center so you can keep track of what is happening. All in all I'd have to say I like the new arena, but not nearly as much as I liked compaq. Some things are better but my overall experience was much worse. I realize concessions and suite revenue was one of the big reasons the rockets wanted a new arena but if they don't improve the concessions they won't get much money from me at the games I attend. But all that aside the ROCKETS WON and thats all that matters.
I can't wait to come in for Thanksgiving and catch a game...note to self see if they are at home during t-giving...
There are mixed drinks up stairs, they are in the Space City Dogs location for now ( buy the escalator ). For those that smoke the upstairs smoking section is coming soon. Plus I have found the food to be really good. Hell I've had to eat it so much of it.
I've been to 2 games now. The only thing I like about the TC better than the CC is the scoreboards, and that the TC is closer to my house. I don't care for the food at all, I really mis the Landry's crawfish tails, Yum! It also just kind of bothers me that the real fans are filling the seats upstairs while the segregated club seats and suites are sparsely filled. The CC had more of a community feel to it.
Thanks for the info on the mixed drinks, I'll check it out next time. The food I bought, compared to what I bought at compaq was night and day. The chicken at Pappas (compaq) was real chicken while the stuff they were selling as chicken at TC was a complete joke and a waste of $7.
What about departing the upper section after the game? What is with metering the people down? We had to wait about 5 minutes so there wouldn't be a huge "rush" of people backing up at the front door downstairs. Then when they finally released us there was nobody down there. It is a sports venue. Clue Phone: Every single game this will happen. How could it be so poorly designed that the TC can't handle people leaving the game? What if there is a fire? You gonna tell people to wait upstairs so the 'big spenders' get out first?
I'e been to 2 games (One the very first preseason game). Our seats are in the east club section, so maybe a different perspective. Here are my thoughts: (1) the scoreboard actions alone make the TC way better than CC ever was. It is just so much more info. I still get confused everytime I look up to the right or left expecting to see a number to identify with a player and instead actually see that players name. Not that big of a deal, but still a big change. They still need to do some work on this. Steve was shooting free throws on Saturday and his points and assists total came up. I thought this was great. Then it was Yao's turn and his points and assists totals came up. Also better than before, but Yao is our center, points and rebounds would be preferrable, or why not just show a complete stat line when they are shooting free throws. I also like the team stat summaries at the end of quarters. And the ring around the arena, while often filled with ads, is pretty cool. I like the "psychadelic" looking displays that ask for noise or defense are neat. (2) The food isn't great, but it isn's bad. I went to Red & White, the restaurant, on Saturday. Expensive, yes. They had a buffet option, which sounded good, but it was $32 bucks. I can't eat the much food. The Club Cobb salad was delicious, very big, and $13 dollars, so that was good. And they have this $15 dollar dessert that sounds ridiculously priced, but it is the biggest piece of cake/ice cream/dessert you will ever see in your entire life. Haven't had too much of the "regular" food, but did have some dessert in the East Club lounge that was also very tasty but highly priced. So far, the food has tasted just fine, but the prices are kind of ridiculous. (3) The sight lines, etc. where we sit are great/amazing. Can't comment on the upper levels. (4) Our season ticket package also comes with the parking garage pass, so I guess I'm "special", but if you have that, parking is fairly easy. My only complaint here is that there are probably too many people working. There is literally someone waving a flag every five feet. And they aren't paying any attention at all. One guy was just twirling his flag. No big deal, but if it is in any way affecting the bottom line, you may want to think about cutting down on the number of emplyees there. (5) The club lounges have as much liquor as you could ever want. The majority of the lounge is a big bar. Haven't ordered anythign yet though for fear I'll pay $12 bucks for a gin and tonic or something like that. (6) Saturday's game was pretty well attended. But to complain about it being empty in the lower sections is kind of useless. All sections had been empty at CC for the better part of the last three years. I know, I was at most games. The game against the magic looked like it had a fair amount of people in all sections, if you ask me. (7) Complaints: Still think the Big Band drummers are r****ded. Have yet to see Turbo, who was always entertaining. The PA announcer really is not good. He's trying, but it isn't working. Soudn in general isn't that great. A song will start and just be way to loud for the first two seconds, or the power dancers song doesn't start at all, etc. Probably still working out small details, but I can't wait to see how it sounds when the place is packed and the team is doing well - will probably see for the first time against the Lakers or Spurs or Mavs. Hope the acoustics make it sound really loud. That's my review.
I have bene twice and its not too bad. First game I went to, they ran out of nacho cheese so I couldn't get nachos... Their excuse was that it was real busy... No sh*t...it's opening night. Besides that I really like my seats (sec 104) besides the guy's behind me who yell the dumbest things that make no sense. Leg room is great and the cup holders are a bonus. The announcer is terrible and the drummer boys are back... those are both negatives for sure. But all-all I am there to see the Rockets and they look great so I am happy. I also find it ironic how most of the suites are empty during the games.
The food is GOOD! so far I have had the burger and the chicken basket and they both will make you full. On a side note the ice cream line is always busy! The escalator to the top floor will eat your clothes so be careful By the way the Rockets owe me a new T-shirt because it ate mine saturday, the side of the escalator going up grabbed my shirt and literally pulled me down until it ripped off on the side. TC said they will send me a new shirt but would have been better to just give me a shirt right there from the store (Take notes) My view from my seat is nice, The drummers suck as usual and no sign of Turbo has the kids wondering. If you have upper prom seats, good luck getting a free t-shirt because they do not reach up that high or clutch might be just a weak nut. Also what I did notice too at the magic game QUITE a few suites were stone cold empty, I also heard the parking garage was not full at all.
Sky and tonics were $5.50 in the club lounge, and they free poured. Not too bad. Lounge bar was sweet. Club seats also fantastic. Anyone else notice the strobe lights that randomly go off from time to time....incredibly irritating. Next time I go on my dime, so I will try out the upper deck.
First of all, Turbo retired. Second the stobes that you see are for still photography. All indoor sporting events have them because the photographers can't have flashbulbs on the floor. It would not be good if a guy missed a shot because somebody took his picture. They were in the CC you just didn't notice.
Uhhh there was no problem at all. We walked down the stairs and easily exited. There are plenty of exits. We just got in our car and left. It took less than 10 minutes after the game ended to leave...people should start chanting HOUSTON ROCKETS...
I didn't find parking a problem at all. Got there 5-10 min before game time and parked on the street for free about 2 blocks from the entrance. AT
Are you calling me a liar? FACT: The staff was holding people from going down the escalators. So I guess there was another way out but I got sandwiched so I couldn't turn around. I was just stuck there waiting for several minutes as the escalator attendant held people off. To make it worse, they tried to seperate my wife and I...yea right. That was r****ded.
Went Saturday too. Our seats were in the club level and we had a blast. No complaints here. I had a few of the $6 big beers that kept me happy and I was pleased with my $8 fish taco's that were really really good (you get 3 big taco's). Staff was friendly and everyone was pretty upbeat - which probably comes with a new arena. No complaints here except for the parking..... Who cares though..... exercise is good for you sometimes
I made a special trip saterday to see the Rockets. I sat in sec 110 row 22 seat 11 and 12. Exellent veiw. The arena is great and parking was not as bad as I expected. After veiwing the arena I have a hard time imagining that there is a bad seat in the whole place. The vast majority of the seats look like they are in the lower bowl and the upper bowl seats don't look to be as high as I had expected they would be but I never went up to the upper bowl so I really don't know. In the AAC here in Dallas the seats seem to go straight up which makes the seats in the upper bowl here seem extreamly high off of the court, it did not appear that way from the lower bowl in the TC. Entrance and exit from the arena was quick and painless. Ther game was great but I could not understand why the arena was not packed. I know it was announced a sell out but the arena was definitely not full. The other thing that was disturbing was all of the people pouring out of the arena with half of a quarter left to go? Where in the hell did they have to be so bad that they could not finish the game? Oh well their loss. Over all it was an the Rocket experience was great. Absolutely no complaints from me.
Nuts. I was hoping to catch a game during Thanksgiving weekend when we're in town and, wouldn't you know it... they're on the road. I checked on the schedule from the link on the ClutchFans.net Front Page. Very nice, Clutch! Beautiful layout for the schedule and everything else in that section. Truly, you guys did an outstanding job. Thanks.
Crash your right. I have sat in the upper level seats at the AAC and they are in the clouds. Plus they are more than the upper level seats here. As far as being a sellout, it was. People who have season tickets don't always use their tickets. However, since we scan the tickets now, we now know who is using their tickets and who's not.
