Highly surprised Toronto's Scotiabank Arena isn't in the top 3. It's right beside Union station which is the hub for regional rail and subway connections. A couple of small surface parking lots are nearby but it's mostly underground, quick access to the freeway, plenty of bars and restaurants and everyone knows about the famous Jurassic Park (Maple Leaf Square) area that is surrounded by condos and stores.

@gregoryjdaly9174

2 жыл бұрын

I was surprised by this as well. I live less an a kilometre away from Scotiabank arena. It is in a highly walkable area and in addition to a direct underground connection to subway and regional rail. It is also directly across the street from regional bus (GO Transit). While the street frontage is not animated with restaurants or retail, the pedestrian environment offers direct links to significant interior retail and restaurant (as well as thousands of condos and offices)

@tristanridley1601

2 жыл бұрын

I hoped it would make top ten. (Ninth maybe?) But by his exterior measures it doesn't do too well. I think maybe he could have taken "days idle" as a factor which would have helped? That area doesn't exactly have an urban fabric to beautifully fit into with the Gardiner right there, and the front face of the plaza looks like one of those useless spaces he described until you Basically he didn't judge them for efficient land use (which will obviously be good given the sheer value of land there), but for beautiful integration to surrounding areas at the pedestrian level. What Scotiabank arena does well is connect to transportation and be unobtrusive. It's almost tucked in a corner with massive pedestrian linkage to Union.

@zio1243

2 жыл бұрын

@@tristanridley1601 Yeah you have access to the commuter rail, Subway, and streetcar. Real sports bar right outside. Toronto should be at least top 3.

@gavinneedham2013

2 жыл бұрын

I think a lot of Canada’s NHL arenas are decent. Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Edmonton.

@SpektakOne

2 жыл бұрын

@@zio1243 hell, if you’re from out of town and feeling for a lakeside stroll, you could fly into Billy Bishop and walk to the arena in less than 30 mins. I’ve done that walk a few times when I’ve landed there, just missed the shuttle bus, and found the weather too lovely to just stand around waiting on the next one.

Completely agree with the Capital arena. There’s great support between the city and neighborhood that really makes it a win for everyone. They also get a TON of use out of that arena.

Golden 1 Center in Sacramento is a sleeper here. Especially when the hangar doors are open. Huge improvement over Sleep Train Arena. Where as Sleep Train was amongst the worst, Golden 1 has to be up there with the best.

@davidanderson3652

2 жыл бұрын

Sleep Train was one of the worst I have ever gone to.

@medea6300

2 жыл бұрын

@@davidanderson3652 You sir are correct. But I will give it this much, the atmosphere was unmatched. It literally got shaking. Even still, a terrible arena.

@davidanderson3652

2 жыл бұрын

@@medea6300 You are right, I didn't mean to diminish the atmosphere in the arena, just the urban design. I saw them one time even when the Kings were terrible smoke a Brooklyn team with a lot of uninspired talent, even Ben McLemore was hitting 3s that game. It reminded me a little of Continental Airlines Arena in that since it feels like a bus terminal in the concourse rather than a sports arena, people don't congregate in the hallways but remain in their seats more AND since there is not much ornate anything, the sound in said bus terminal seems to resonate more. I've heard it many times over from fans of the Mets, Indians, A's, and other teams with aging stadiums at the time, "It may be a dump, but it's OUR dump."

Wait, why isn't there any mention of Toronto's Scotiabank Arena? It is completely integrated through pedestrian tunnels with the main regional and local transit hub, Union Station, is connected the PATH network which extends over 30 square kilometres and connects to many office towers and condos, and the area outside the arena is also busy with restaurants, condos, shoppes, pedestrian ways... you are a quick walk to the CN Tower, Ripley's Aquarium, the Roger's Centre.... I was really expecting Toronto's Scotiabank Arena to come in the top 3. Maybe you can film a re-do or revised edition to this list?

@davidreichert9392

2 жыл бұрын

This surprised me too. When he read out his criteria I thought Scotiabank Centre fit the bill completely and would be high up the list.

@wclark3196

2 жыл бұрын

The Arena (aka ACC/Scotiabank) isn't really integrated into the life of the city. It's next to a very large train station, which is a transportation hub and near an expressway, so it's not hard to access, it's true. But there's not a lot of nice streetlife. Hemmed in by the railway tracks and station on one side, large, busy roads in the expressway and Lakeshore Blvd. Bay and York are both given over to traffic and unpleasant streets. The condo zone developing down there may have some promise, but what I've seen of the streetscape so far is largely not very welcoming, just a bunch of glass towers that don't create a pedestrian friendly environment. You could spend a night out on Front St West, King West, or head east to Front St East and farther to The Distillery and you'd never even see the Arena. If you're not going to an event, you just wouldn't spend any time near it.

@seanstours3913

2 жыл бұрын

Canada doesnt exist to some americans 🤣 haha

@algonquin91

2 жыл бұрын

@@seanstours3913 Unfortunately, you are absolutely correct.

@EditorVJAS

2 жыл бұрын

Based on the criteria presented I'm not surprised it wasn't on the list. All the details you mentioned are undoubtedly correct, and I'd throw being that close to the Hockey Hall of Fame should be added. From Bay street or the Park is one thing but having the Gardiner running by one side and the trains on the other it doesn't quite mesh as the other on the list do. On the Gardiner and the Vancouver Viaducts alone I was expecting Scotiabank or Rogers Arena. I would have expected Edmonton over Winnipeg thou.

I think LA’s Staples Center deserves an honorable mention. It fits the urban fabric-just the LA urban fabric is weird. I love how it has livened up what had been a miserable part of the city and now it’s always lively there with street festivals and convention center foot traffic. Integral part of an urban revival success story

@CityNerd

2 жыл бұрын

Persuasive.

@davidanderson3652

2 жыл бұрын

LA isn't as bad as I thought it would be. I saw an up and coming Grizzlies team embarass Kobe and co in 2010-2011 season, the fans were Dodger style in them flying the coop by midway through the 3rd quarter to beat traffic. We had taken the local bus a million miles from Santa Monica down Olympic the entire way and the arena didn't seem out of place once we got close. The other problem with the experience was that downtown LA is just a ghost town at night.

@Geotpf

2 жыл бұрын

It's also easy to get to by transit with the Pico stop for the A and E light rail lines a block away and bus stops for the J BRT and other busses nearby too.

@nikolark366

Жыл бұрын

I would disagree. Every time I've been around Staples Center when there isn't a game going on, the place is dead and no one is there.

@MDagrosa

Жыл бұрын

no

Barclays is my favorite, beautiful arena in a great neighborhood with a subway station literally right in front of its entrance.

Great list, but I definitely think TD Garden surpasses all, based on your criteria. Granted, I'm a biased Bostonian, but the sheer number of retail, restaurants, and music venues right in the new complex is incredibly impressive. On top of that, public transportation couldn't be better, with green line, orange line, commuter rail, and even Amtrak sitting under the building. And the neighborhood it seamlessly blends into is not a dead financial district, but a vibrant residential and commercial neighborhood that's always busy. Anyway, just figured I'd chime in. Digging the channel.

@CityNerd

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, like I say in the video, I could definitely be talked into TD Garden as #1. I think my problem was, the entire arena is basically hidden, which almost seems like cheating! But it's a good kind of cheating. Also maybe unconsciously biased because the building TD Garden replaced was so legendary.

@shape816

2 жыл бұрын

@@CityNerd Yes, the garden was absolutely legendary, but also a dump with horrible sightlines. I think most of us are over it by now...

@CityNerd

2 жыл бұрын

@@shape816 And no air conditioning if I remember right...

@MuddyRavine

Жыл бұрын

@@CityNerd I remember watching the Oilers pound the Bruins way back, with fog on the ice and a blackout during the game.

@jasonriddell

Жыл бұрын

@@MuddyRavine thumbs up for such an awesome NHL matchup - used to live in Edmonton and take the LRT to the stadium to watch the oilers give the bruins "an oil change"

I actually love professional sports, but man it's hard to fit a 20,000 seat arena (or 60,000 seat stadium!) downtown where all the good transportation connections are and not have it be an eyesore/deadzone. Where else have you seen good examples of sports arenas/stadia that nestle into their cities well? La Bombonera? Fenway Park?

@seprishere

2 жыл бұрын

The Millennium Stadium, Cardiff?

@Jack-fw4mw

2 жыл бұрын

You probably are already aware, but Seattle Baseball and Football stadiums do a good job providing a buffer between the industrial Port of Seattle (one of the busiest ports on the West Coast) and old downtown. This puts them right near heavy rail, light rail, and plenty of bus transit. Industrial use is inherently more anti pedestrian, so the stadiums make use of that by aligning their deadzones with the beginning of the industrial zoning for the city.

@sblack53

2 жыл бұрын

Scotiabank Arena. It’s flanked by Union Station on one end and The Gardiner Expressway and waterfront on the other. The area referred to as Jurassic Park is lined with restaurants, shops, residential, and hotels. The concourse also has shops and covered connections to Union Station. On the other hand, there’s Rogers Centre. The dome and CN Tower next door are iconic as part of the Toronto Skyline. It’s about a 5-10 minute walk west of Union Station and Scotiabank Arena on Bremner Blvd or through the Skywalk complex attached to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Rogers Centre also has a hotel built in.

@gatorpatric0

2 жыл бұрын

I think you missed State Farm Arena in Atlanta. Built above a train station, reasonably integrated into down town, has a connected hotel and smallish mall (CNN Center). The large surface parking lot next to it (called The Gulch) has been sold and is beginning development to bring in into the downtown city grid. You could do a decent video just on The Gulch.

@tomaszwojtasik5483

2 жыл бұрын

Wrigley Field! it has a plaza but it has active uses (movie screenings, ice rink, Christmas market) all year

Very cool. I'd like to see a similar ranking of football and baseball stadiums. I imagine the size and configuration make them even more challenging to integrate organically into the cityscape.

@CityNerd

2 жыл бұрын

Stay tuned! One interesting aspect, particularly with baseball, is that historically the ballparks were always woven into the urban form. Wrigley and Fenway are still good examples...and of course there are some newer parks that succeed in emulating that to different degrees.

After watching one of your newer videos and going back to this one, your quality has definitely stepped up already. A lot less obvious and jarring cuts and edits. The info is all super interesting too. I hope you keep up the channel. Subbed.

I have to disagree with you on "useless" plazas. A lot of teams use these plazas for fan fests and viewing parties. They make a great place to hang out before games. A lot of arenas put statues of famous players in them as well and make a great place for pictures and stuff.

@fallenshallrise

2 жыл бұрын

I kind of agree but why do they build 4 of them. At our local arena 1 plaza that's near the train gets a bit of use during games / concerts, Monster Energy van with some music playing or whatever. The other side has a wide open plaza that is empty 100% of the time.

Ottawa is so bad. I was in town for a concert and other stuff. The arena is so far outside of the city it’s nearly impossible to get there without having your own vehicle.

@abchaplin

2 жыл бұрын

@CityNerd, you were right to dishonourably-mention Ottawa. The shame due Ottawa's Palladium/ Corel Centre/ Scotiabank Place/ Canadian Tire Centre should be shared among its boosters who fooled the NHL, the NHL owners who were not duly diligent when researching the Ottawa bid, and the then-Regional Municipality of Ottawa Carleton that made no sensible arrangement for mass transit other than special buses on game days. There is no arrangement for "active" transport, i.e. no place to secure a bicycle. The acres of asphalt of the parking lots require anyone who does not have a parking pass to make up to a 10-minute hike to the entrance. Weekday games have to start at 1930 hours, as those who would attend are competing for road space with the evening rush hour. Departing the arena is agonizing as, even after trudging back to your vehicle, you find yourself fighting to get out of the parking lot and onto Highway 417 in Ottawa's notorious winter weather. (If ever you are planning to visit and read "wintry mix" in the weather forecast, stay away!)

@lovehandr

2 жыл бұрын

@@abchaplin It is OK to complain about the arena, but don't suggest that Ottawa did not deserve a team because of the location. When the CTC was built, suburban locations were still the most popular and beyond the location, the arena was state of the art at the time.

@JamesPhieffer

2 жыл бұрын

When the CTC was built in Ottawa, downtown redevelopment arenas and stadiums were just becoming a thing. As well, it was supposed to anchor a large mixed development in Kanata (the story for so many suburban sports venues, and has any of these plans ever been fulfilled?). Contrast the CTC with the arena and stadium in the city at Lansdowne Park. That area is the epitome of what an urban sports district could be.

I go to Capital One all the time and love it. It fits the atmosphere of DC so well, and it’s never that hard to find parking (underground garages literally everywhere).

There aren’t any flyovers in Washington, DC because the city and many of its surrounding suburbs are designated as no-fly zones. In order to fly a drone in the no-fly zone, you’re going to need special government approval from the TSA.

Do MLS stadiums next! They seem to be really well situated within cities existing fabrics due to their size. Even Houston's is right downtown and super interesting.

@CityNerd

2 жыл бұрын

Yep, that's on the list.

I just came back from a Kings game at the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento (which opened in 2016). They lost, of course, but the arena is GREAT. I think it fits brilliantly into Sacramento's urban fabric.

@BrienBellJTS

Жыл бұрын

Adding The Beam this year has to vault Golden 1 Center up in these rankings. Having a place of Religious Worship has to add value, right?

Captial One Arena was the brainchild of late Wizards owner Abe Pollin who wanted to move the team from the suburban Capitol Centre (yes, with that spelling) located where the current Largo Town Center is (ironically now with a Metro station; when it existed, Metro didn't go there). He wanted the team to be in DC proper, and he wanted to revitalise the Gallery Place neighbourhood which was really not great. The city were thrilled with this, and it was to his credit that he picked the right architects and planners to make sure it fit with the National Portrait Gallery/Museum of American Art next door and to be completely Metro accessible (another reason they picked that spot, the cross of two Metro tunnels/three Metro lines). It completely energised the area, and it was probably the blueprint for **good** modern urban arenas that followed elsewhere. I just miss that the naming rights were sold to a non-telecom (for years it was called the Phone Box because of the previous sponsors MCI, and later Verizon.)

@CityNerd

2 жыл бұрын

Good background! Thanks.

@RMTStudios

2 жыл бұрын

I remember when it first opened up (MCI Center). That neighborhood was sketchy as hell! There was only one sports bar, called The Rock, and it was a dive. DC really was impacted by the MLK riots, and this area was depressed until the MCI Center was built. It's now one of the premier areas of the city. Thank you Abe!

@glenmccabe3364

Жыл бұрын

The DC arena sounds great, I hope to take in a game there someday. The only downer for me is that (according to a friend who has lived in DC for years) they demolished DC Chinatown to build it. Not sure if that's true, but worth bearing in mind if it is. Love the channel and keep the cool urbanist vids coming!

Regarding Philly: The current arena is built in the same general area as the previous one (like one parking lot over). One of the reasons this sight is used is that SEPTA has the ability to store extra trains down there to quickly move crowds out after games/events. Former MLB player and Penn Alum, Doug Glanville actually did his senior thesis (systems engineering) on the best location for the new baseball park (what became Citizens) and looked at a few different locations (one in Center City and I think 30th street as well) and it was this train storage aspect that led him to argue on behalf of the South Philly location.

@CityNerd

2 жыл бұрын

I love a comment like this. I knew Doug Glanville was super smart but had no idea about this thesis paper -- will have to Google right this second. Awesome.

@sebastianjoseph2828

Жыл бұрын

I like the location because of the mass transit capability, but I think it's a major oversight that there hasn't been a boom in construction on all of the parking lots around the stadium. You could even keep the same amount of parking if garages were built (not a good thing but it's possible) just build apartments and retail around the stadium. Leave a couple lots as-is for tailgates, and boom you've made a killing on real estate development AND transformed the area.

@APettyJ

Жыл бұрын

Glanville actually recommended the 30th St site over S Philly, because it is much more integrated with Philly's transportation network at 30th Street Station. The ability to store extra trains in S Philly is why he ranked it ahead of the mayor at the time's, John Street, choice at Broad and Spring Garden. 30th Street was Glanville's choice, though.

@APettyJ

Жыл бұрын

​@@sebastianjoseph2828 there is a deed restriction in place requiring any displaced parking to be replaced elsewhere on the complex. In theory I guess garages could alleviate this, but this has limited development down there.

Chicago not being a dishonorable mention hurts my Chicagoan heart. I think everyone wishes they would do something in the area surrounding United Center. As soon as a game is over for the Bulls or Blackhawks we BOLT out of there. There's nothing to do in the immediate vicinity except wonder what was there before the expanse of parking lots.

@jtdavis62

2 жыл бұрын

The proximity to the CTA Blue Line probably kept it in the almost dishonorable section.

@frojo9

2 жыл бұрын

@@jtdavis62 Knowing his affinity for trains you're probably correct.

@CityNerd

2 жыл бұрын

I'm not even a Chicago guy, but United Center is/was the home of the greatest sports dynasty that has existed in my lifetime. (Sorry, but the Patriots are cheaters.) I think that's why I couldn't bring myself to give it a dishonorable. It does make my eyes hurt, though.

@frojo9

2 жыл бұрын

@@CityNerd Thanks for the explanation *and* thanks for the videos dude! I love them and the writing is great. I'm a transportation and traffic engineer so it goes without saying I'm obsessed with this stuff too haha. Cheers.

@chrisseidl8294

Жыл бұрын

United Center parking lots - this goes back to the predecessor Chicago Stadium and 1968, when about half those lots had houses in them. There were significant riots in that area after MLK's assassination and a lot of buildings were set fire. The city decided to buy up those areas, tear everything down a create parking lots.

When they built the F.U. Center in Philadelphia (it is the best nickname for that building in this town) both the Sixers and Flyers were both owned by Comcast. They have since sold the Sixers. I always said that the team needs to get out from under the thumb of the Comcast and build their own arena, and over the tracks at 30th Street was my choice. But I think Drexel has something up their sleeve redeveloping over there. That being said, yes the Philadelphia sports complex is surrounded by parking, and two interstates intersect right there, including a bridge to Jersey, but don’t discount the Broad Street subway terminating at the sports complex. And there is the stalled faux destination retail being built there.

@CityNerd

2 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the great comment -- I'm totally counting on the viewers for awesome insider tidbits like "F.U. Center"! Love it. If you haven't checked it out, I did give a shoutout to the Broad Street line in my (more recent) NFL Stadiums video. I do like that the Philly stadium area has good transit service and is somewhat near the city center...but there's a lot to dislike about the design of the area. Great city, though.

@chrispontani6059

2 жыл бұрын

@@CityNerd since I subscribed, I’ve been going through the back catalog. Look forward to watching it.

@gerryphilly53

2 жыл бұрын

I think that one difficulty that you alluded to is the reason that Philadelphia decided to create a sports complex that serves all four professional sports teams - the fact that outside of the respective sport’s season the stadium or arena is vacant (the 1960’s and 70’s experiment with multipurpose stadiums was a dismal failure because the needs of baseball and football are incompatible). Clustering the three sports venues means that the area receives year-round use, eliminating duplicative seasonally-used parking areas. The complex also recently added a new casino-hotel. For mass transit, the nearby terminus of the Broad Street Subway provides frequent dedicated service for events (SEPTA runs special express trains before and after games and the station has capacity to have four trains ready for loading). The line also allows for convenient connection to the commuter rail network (a concourse connects commuter rail’s Suburban Station and the the combined Market-Frankford Line and Light Rail lines’ 15th Street station with the Broad Street’s City Hall Station.) There is also a direct connection at the BSL’s Walnut-Locust station to the PATCO line that serves New Jersey suburbs.(For Jersey residents who decide not to drive despite the adjacent presence of the Walt Whitman Bridge to the stadium complex.)

@davidmeyer2729

2 жыл бұрын

@@CityNerd The stadium complex in South Philly got it's start as the home to the Sesquicentennial Exposition which lead to JFK Stadium being built. Over the years the infrastructure to handle large crowds has been developed for the area, so it's a real hard sell to build arenas and stadiums else where in the city. The Phillies tried to leave South Philly but couldn't make it happen. Citizens Bank Park was designed to fit onto a city block which doesn't make sense for where it sits. More recently Temple has been having issues with getting a 30k stadium built on campus in North Philly down Board St.

Minneapolis deserves a honorable mention as well, pretty easy connections to the light rail from US Bank stadium, Target Field, and Target center! Also if you're riding out the Green line from Minneapolis to St. Paul, Xcel energy center isn't too far a walk from the station.

I'd also penalize MSG for replacing the legendary/old Penn Station, but then again hindsight is 20/20, and NYC eventually got a replacement.

@ben-jammin121

2 жыл бұрын

Really interesting video by IT'S HISTORY goes into detail about Penn Station's fate. Basically it was in a pretty sad state of disrepair right before they tore it down due to low utilization that came with the Highway Act and rise of the car. kzread.info/dash/bejne/n3Z50teTltC3gag.html

@HallsofAsgard96

2 жыл бұрын

Will watch! I remember watching some doc that mentioned those things. One thing I remember was someone saying that Penn Station died so that Grand Central cld live and I found that really interesting

@Fidel_cashflo

2 жыл бұрын

MSG is iconic now in its own right and probably won't ever be moved

@rossplotkin3506

2 жыл бұрын

MSG feels like a concrete hell-hole outside.

I continue to subscribe and watch this channel out of love for dishonorable mentions and respect for your wonderful deadpan sarcasm. Rock on. (Seriously 😃)

We’ve got you fooled here in Columbus, Ohio! To the best of my knowledge there is nothing historic about any of those cool looking buildings surrounding Nationwide Arena. That entire area was originally the State Penitentiary, and to the best of my knowledge none of the structures were salvaged when the area was redeveloped specifically with the arena (and later, the nearby baseball stadium and most recently the soccer stadium) in mind.

@AnalogueKid2112

2 жыл бұрын

The building that houses Buca Di Beppo is historic, but yeah everything on Nationwide Blvd is no older than 1999

Agree that from an urbanist perspective, DC's Capital One Arena hits all the buttons for great design and integration with the metro station and enjoying daily and evening streetlife even when there is no game going on. However, all that came at a tremendous cost. In order to build the arena, they had to raze half of the prior existing Chinatown, and refurbish the adjacent properties, displacing hundreds of residents and dozens of businesses. The original plan from the 1980s involved the construction of a Far East Trade center with retail, office, hotel and residences, with the aim to retain, even enhance the character of the neighborhood. A sports arena does none of that. Some mitigation was attempted by requiring adjacent businesses and even the Capital Arena itself to display signs in both English and Chinese. The effect looks completely fake. Hanging a Chinese sign in front of the Arena or the Starbucks and CVS across the street does not retain the character of the neighbourhood at all. As constructive as an urbanist might conceive the land use, there is a distinctive destructive history behind it.

I loved seeing this video. Thanks, City Nerd. It made me think that it would be cool to see a video just on traffic flow around the Chase Center before and especially after a game. The whole city of SF gets clogged and I think a practical look at the numbers could encourage people to use transit and walk (not sure if you can bike?). You would probably have to address people's concerns about safety which I think is a big motivator for driving even though people get stuck in the garages for hours. Thanks for your cool content.

Wow you've come a long way my dude. Congrats! And LCA in Detroit will get better when the infill development is complete. Should feel a lot more seamless. Not sure if there's plans for the cass side though

I'd also say that the Golden1 in Sacramento deserves a spot. Near Amtrak (capitol corridor), surrounded by a retail mall and downtown, near the historic "Old Sacramento", and near a light rail. I will say it's a bit out of place in terms of size but it definitely fits into the local environment and you wouldn't know it was a stadium if you didn't look closely. I have taken only transit to games in Sac and in LA and I'd even say that Staples Center is not a terrible choice. Maybe an honorable mention. LA is seedy and terrible for transit but Staples Center is very transit accessible and honestly transit is the best way to go there, hands down. Since it's downtown, there are lots of great restaurants, ice skating at LA Live, and good retail in the area. Go Clips!

Apparently having spaces for pedestrians is evil, how dare anywhere have a pedestrian plaza!

@Brashnir

2 жыл бұрын

I don't think he is saying that pedestrian plazas are bad. In fact, I'm going to guess that he likes them when they're placed in spots where they will get a lot of use. However, just sticking them into an arena's land footprint is not that sort of place in most cases. (Though I will say that the one by the Barclays Center is probably an exception.)

@wheyward1

2 жыл бұрын

Pedestrian plazas also make sense around sports stadia because pre and post game there are hoards of people that need somewhere to go. I'd rather be standing in a pedestrian plaza than in a hoard of people pushed out onto neighbouring streets with traffic

@jasonriddell

Жыл бұрын

@@wheyward1 agreed but some are more of a "parking lot" for people in the corner of the building a LESS a place you want to be

Seattle has a nice new completed arena that blends in quite well and the views of the surroundings from tbe inside are really cool with massive windows

I’m visiting family in Columbus, Ohio right now and was curious how close we were to the Blue Jackets arena. It was honestly shocking to see that I am in fact 100m from it where I stand right now and not realise it’s a sports arena. I’d say that’s a win! So much so I had to pull up this video of watched months before!

@PCSPounder

Жыл бұрын

In 2015, Timbers Army took up two of the bars around there the night before MLS Cup. Thing is, it’s an arena district, not really a neighborhood, so it feels like they cheated to be on this. However, there are plenty of amenities, I think a neighborhood to one side, and now that the new Crew stadium is the other side of that district, soccer fans don’t have to drive out to the fairgrounds for a game.

Wow, very well researched. Love the Washington and Winnipeg arenas. I'm curious what caused Vancouver (my hometown) to fall off your list? My guess would be lack of retail at street leve?

@TomPVideo

2 жыл бұрын

Costco is all the street level retail needed in our stadium district! But I would expect our two stadiums to top this list after the viaduct removal and development of the large surface lot Cirque tents usually go up in.

Spectrum Center in Charlotte is amazing. Literally at the bus terminal and at the light rail stop. Little parking comparatively.

New Subscriber and I love the channel! I wanted to point out something you kinda talked your way around but never pointed out directly - The real power combo for stadiums is not simply being near transit, but being at (or directly on top of) a transit terminal. As compared with regular transit stops, terminals provide a number of distinct advantages: 1- The "fanning out" of train tracks near terminals often already causes wacky land use near terminals. Park ave in Manhattan is one big exception, but otherwise it's pretty hard to hide a big plot of land which is often somewhat larger than a stadium would be. 2- Stadiums bring late night crowds, which can be a really good temporal-use compliment to the kinds of commercial development typically near inner-city train terminals. i.e. city centers tend to "die down" at night, and stadium-goers are therefore not really bothering anyone. This is part of what bothers me by TD Garden and others building housing on top of their stadium - I'd like to see a commercial use instead, but maybe that's just me. 3- The peak crowds coming in to a stadium typically do not come close to overwhelming an inner-city rail terminal, but do overwhelm a "normal sized" transit station. In addition, service patterns around games often time their trains to the end of the game, meaning that trains need a place to sit while a game pushes in to overtime etc. This is significantly easier at a train terminal which has more platform space than a typical station. I think about this a lot in the New York context, where there is constant discussion of decking over rail yards to build more housing. I don't think housing and rail yards is a particularly good combo as trains are loud and industrial. Instead, I'd like to see the limited rail yard space go to unique and less-picky land uses like Stadiums which are otherwise challenging to site in a highly developed environment.

@CityNerd

2 жыл бұрын

Great comment -- I did talk around it, but siting an arena right on top of (or quasi-on top of) a terminal makes a lot of sense. It just has to be done thoughtfully so you don't wend up with MSG/Penn Station!

One thing you left out about the American Airlines Center is that there's a light rail (DART's Orange and Green lines) and commuter/regional rail (Trinity Railway Express to Fort Worth) about a block away from the arena. That definitely helps with the traffic flow during event nights but it probably doesn't help the surrounding neighborhood as most event guests end up getting on the trains right after an event.

@CityNerd

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, I didn't spend too much time diving into transit connectivity the way I do in the more recent NFL stadiums video, but good point.

@PCSPounder

Жыл бұрын

@@CityNerd Not to mention that the West End neighborhood got realigned to provide a pathway to the arena. So the amenities are focused in that corridor rather than all around the arena. But generally, you can do much worse than the West End in Dallas.

Great list. Well thought out. If and when we here in Cleveland build the NuCLEous project along with the Rocket Mortgage Field House’s renovation and Dan Gilbert’s Bedrock Corporation redesign of Tower City where transportation leads to the arena…we hope to make this list.

I think that State Farm Arena in Atlanta deserves an honorable mention. While on the edge of downtown, it is attached to the CNN Center, which has a lot of retail space, and the Omni Hotel, and is across the street from the city's main convention center. It has a subway station immediately adjacent, and is close to other city attractions like the College Football Hall of Fame and the Georgia Aquarium. The parking is fairly well hidden.

Really impressed to see the inclusion of Nationwide Arena. I walk around that area frequently, and you would hardly know an arena is there based on its integration.

Maybe an honourable mention for a minor league arena - Budweiser Gardens in London, Ontario. It was made to adapt to a Victorian streetscape in the downtown & is well integrated into the city centre.

@CityNerd

2 жыл бұрын

I have a limited research time budget for these videos so I limited it to NBA/NHL, but that is a really cool example. London has such an interesting aesthetic -- kinda like Victoria BC.

I would have given Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis an honorable mention, but they've just spent an obscene amount of money making a giant open air plaza next to the arena. It makes it feel a lot more separated from the building next to it. That said, it's still in the heart of the fairly walkable downtown.

I am a little surprised that Target Center in Minneapolis didn't make the bottom end of the list. There is some limited use outside of games (a LifeTime Fitness center and team store) but it fits right in to the downtown grid, albeit it doesn't look like its neighbors. Also, it is fantastic for transit (not sure that was really a part of your analysis). Anyway, fun video, I am enjoying your channel!

@douglasmoen2658

Жыл бұрын

Target Center is so well integrated into the neighborhood that you almost forget it's there. Then again, it is not the prettiest of arenas from the outside. Yet, it does have great access to transit with both Green and Blue Lines and the NorthStar Commuter Rail just a couple minutes walk.

Have a look at the stadium in Amsterdam. It's quite far out from the center so it's not an urban stadium, but it's next to a major rail station and a metro stop. The parking is also hidden by a colorful facade that looks like housing. It's quite an empty area, but it fits nicely into the high rise business district it's in.

@CityNerd

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, I might make a video about European stadiums -- I reference a few in my NFL stadiums video. Didn't get out to the Amsterdam Arena (is that still the name?) in my one visit to the city, but checking out an Ajax match is on the bucket list.

@NathanRixThroughGlass

2 жыл бұрын

@@CityNerd it's called the Johan Cruijff Arena in the somewhat infamous zuidoost region. Also I wanted to mention, I just stumbled across your channel and already watched every video. I recently started a master's in planning in Amsterdam and it's the exact kind of content I just can't get enough of. Keep up the great work!

I think an underrated arena is Amalie Arena in downtown Tampa. It fits right in to the downtown, there are parks and museums around, and parking is limited to a garage

How do both both NYC arenas get penalized for parking when half the city residents dont have cars and each one has like 12 different trains next to them...and are in areas with a lot of options( food/shopping/retail) on all sides

Just found this channel and I love it. I’m pleased that you included the Bell Centre. Okay, I’m a Montrealer and a Habs fan but it warrants being on your list as it is right downtown with a connection to both a Metro (subway) station, and the suburban rail system, and city buses pass nearby so it’s very easy to get to by public transit. It’s part of the fabric of downtown rather than being miles from the city core.

@henryderymacneil1707

2 жыл бұрын

just came back from habs game by transit, its very well done, especially for north american standards. Its great to have such an integral part of Montreal culture downtown

@CityNerd

2 жыл бұрын

Great to hear!

No BC Place and Roger's Arena in Vancouver? It's downtown and has Skytrain access

Charlotte's on it's 3rd arena. The oldest one still stands, but a bit to small for a NBA crowd, but it has it uses. The second one was in the perfect location for car traffic on a dedicated parkway that connected two major interstates, but outside the city center by a few miles. The newest is perfect for public transportation. On the outskirts of uptown right next to the the bus transit center and the meeting point of the not only the two light rail lines, but the trams as well.

Love the methodology here. From the beginning, I thought of nationwide arena in Columbus. I also feel like rocket mortgage field house at least deserves an honorable mention. It's a block away from a lot of good downtown attractions including a completely pedestrianized street, a block from a train station, and it's right downtown. Unfortunately there is still a lot of surface parking and a very busy and wide road on one side. I know this doesn't consider baseball, but I've been to quite a few baseball stadiums I've really enjoyed and would love to see a video on those.

@CityNerd

2 жыл бұрын

Will do a MLB video in the not to distant future. Rocket, it probably came down to lack of active uses, but I do like that location.

I used to love going to Wizards games in DC, you could eat in Chinatown and then walk to the game.

Motown Records had an office building at one time where Little Caesar's Arena is now located. It was vacant and it was knocked down to provide parking for Super Bowl XL at nearby Ford Field in 2006.

How much did that map of NYC subway cost? And what are all the text boxes on it talking about? I see it is from before 2001 (63rd St line is not connected to Queens Blvd line), do you plan to get a similar sized updated version? Of course, fun video, as always! Just watched your most recent video as well! Your content fits my interests so perfectly!!!

@CityNerd

2 жыл бұрын

The subway map is outdated, but was free (got it from a friend with connections). Framing it was the expensive part! Glad I'm finding an audience for my nerdy city nonsense. Thanks!

As a Baltimore guy I always hate on DC (usually in jest) but the Cap One is a great arena. Feels very organic despite how huge it is

Nice to see Detroit getting some love for once. LCA is in an area that, yes, wasn't exactly pleasant. The Palace of Auburn Hills, which was a wonderful venue, was out in God's country, which was one sure drawback. It probably would've been on your dishonorable mentions.

@martytu20

2 жыл бұрын

Went down to Detroit to watch the Lions game a few years ago, and I have to admit, they’ve done an incredible job at one part of downtown (just don’t take the wrong turn at Albuquerque).

@shahed-1367

2 жыл бұрын

My problem with LCA is that it killed the Joe Louis arena. Basically both the Pistons and Wings both moved into an arena wherein they had zero history. And at the worst possible time: when all Detroit sports teams were really facking bad.

Based on the criteria you pointed out, I'm actually surprised that Prudential Center in Newark, NJ isn't on the list. It would be towards the bottom for now, but I think it fits. There are restaurants and apartments that have popped up on the north side of the arena since it's been built, a hotel and storefronts on the west side, and new park on the east side that will have a bridge connecting it with Newark Penn under construction soon. Newark Penn is only a 2 block wall, but the bridge connecting the station to Mulberry Commons, and using that park as a promenade for train passengers is going to be a game changer.

I like Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. You can get there any time you want because there's plenty to do beforehand within a mile radius.

@CityNerd

2 жыл бұрын

Good point -- it is a great location.

Once upon a time, the Hartford Whalers played inside a mall... sorta. They played at the Hartford Civic Center, which was directly adjacent to the civic center mall, so the "joke" is that the whalers played NHL hockey in a mall.

@jasonriddell

Жыл бұрын

Edmonton Oilers practice rink is/was centre court west Edmonton mall

Don't know why you say "awkward, pointless pedestrian plazas" . . . on game days and event days having a small plaza near the largest entrance is a good thing and ideal. It lets people gather together before the game or meet up before heading into the event if they are coming from different areas or straight from work, etc. I think every good arena should have one small plaza near the main entrance for this. I understand your point that you want the building to be integrated into the city on the street level, but one plaza is good for the actual use of the building. It seems like you do not often attend events at arenas so would not know the beneficial use of this and practicality from the actual attending an event standpoint.

I like that you talked about Orlando initially. The Amway Center is actually an improvement over the old arena that was in a location that was really a dead zone but has since been redeveloped as a downtown campus and student housing for UCF. The empty lot to the north was another parking garage that did have some shops at the street level. It, along with the old police headquarters, was torn down and was slated to be developed into a hotel, convention center, shopping, and entertainment venues related to the Orlando Magic team but it's on hold indefinitely. The I-4 Ultimate project next door is supposed to be complete next year and there's going to be a park under the highway that should better connect it to downtown (Church Street) and the Sunrail station there. There's also a soccer stadium a short walk away to the west and the Citrus Bowl with a lame new name that's more of a drive away. There's quite a bit of infill and redevelopment left to do to activate the "sports corridor" the City of Orlando is trying to achieve here, but it's getting there slowly but surely.

@CityNerd

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah I kinda wanted to mention the Exploria -- but I'm definitely going to do an MLS stadiums video at some point.

I'm kind of surprised you count having an exterior plaza as a downside. Especially in a city where open space is a rarity (and expense), a stadium choosing to add a park or plaza would be a huge boon to me. It's a free public space that's accessible all the time. At the very least it's a social space for fans to gather before/after games and concerts but add some vegetation or benches and everyone can enjoy it.

Wow that Dallas arena is gorgeous, Brooklyn one too with the plaza. Was a little surprised Raptors/Maple Leafs wasn't on here cause it is next to train/subway/bus station, but yea it is ugly immediately adjacent to the arena.

TD Garden used to be surrounded by wasted space up until only a couple of years ago when the extension that included a hotel, residential tower and office tower was built.

Bridgestone arena needs to be mentioned too. Right on Broadway where the tourists are, fits into the city, and you park at Nissan for a 5-10 minute walk across the river to get to the arena.

@BnaBreaker

Жыл бұрын

Right? For as much crap as he gives Nashville (much of it warranted, mind you) it seems like he could at least give the city a little nod when it does do something right. Ah well.

I love Verizon Center/ Capitol One!!! Great fan experience!

Can you do baseball stadiums too? Love the video

@CityNerd

2 жыл бұрын

It's definitely on the list.

Nice list. Perhaps you could do a list of the worst arenas, and maybe by sport rather than combined. I'm also particularly interested in cities you think are heading in the right direction, maybe started wrong but are getting better. On that note, I'd like to introduce you to Oklahoma City's Paycom Arena. It started off bad mainly due to OKC being new to major league sports. But look at it today and there's a nice new urban park (two actually, the Myriad Botanical Gardens and the brand new Scissortail Park), light rail streetcar, highrise and midrise buildings (and being built), the OKC convention center and the former OKC convention center with underground parking (now a temporary movie studio until the plan to restore the downtown grid), and what is now a parking crater that is set for future highrises between the two parks. It's got great potential and is far better than what it started with (which was just the arena, myriad gardens park, and the old cc surrounded by blight/ghetto and a former elevated cross-continent freeway). OKC wont top any lists today (wont be at the bottom either though) but it does have potential and I think they might make your list of Improving City's/arena districts.

I was hoping u wld mention Barclay. Keep in mind at peak there r 10 subway trains that stop there as well as the LIRR.

I would give an honorable mention to the T-Mobile Center, formerly the Sprint Center, in downtown Kansas City, Missouri. Not because it has great transit connections or anything - it doesn't even have an NHL or NBA team (yet!) - it has spurred a lot of growth downtown, along with the accompanying Power & Light District that Cordish built along side it. It's actually brought a lot of concerts and other events to Kansas City that would otherwise have passed us by, because it doesn't have a sports tenant that takes up a lot of the calendar. I dunno, I think it at least deserves a "Most Improved" award, considering the MLB, NFL, and MLS stadiums are all out in the suburbs, so they bucked that trend.

@CityNerd

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah, I like T-Mobile Center, and honestly it feels weird not have an NBA franchise in KC (instead of, uh, Sacramento) with the size of the market, the fact that St. Louis doesn't have a team either, and how significant neighboring Kansas is in college hoops. Good suggestion, and thanks for the comment.

I think United Center in Chicago needs a dishonorable mention. Also, what are your thoughts on Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee? They're trying to do a lot to encourage an active area around the stadium

@CityNerd

2 жыл бұрын

I mean the Deer District thing is cool...I'm just concerned its a dead zone if there's no Bucks game.

@wii8

2 жыл бұрын

@@CityNerd as a resident, it isn't a dead zone at all, the restaurants and pro shop are open year round and get significant activity, there's alwasys food trucks there, there's farmers markets, christmas festivals, and other events there year round.

@danielmccully706

Жыл бұрын

@@CityNerd They also host a D1 basketball school there. I've only been there for Marquette BB games and it's pretty full without feeling overfilled.

Number 3 - Canada Life Centre (formerly BellMTS Place and MTS Centre) is not a repurposed minor league arena, it was purpose built with the view to getting the NHL back into the city. (Even if it did take longer than we hoped) It was built to suit the smaller market. Prior to the construction the site was an iconic flagship of a now defunct retail empire, once Canada's largest, that dated back to 1905 (the store not the company - the company dated back to 1869) It is well served by transit - the city's main avenue to the north, a dedicated transit corridor to the south, and has more than 13,000 parking spaces within a ten-minute walk, mostly in non-surface parking facilities.

Curious honorable mentions: KeyArena/Climate Pledge Arena! Outstanding spot, beautifully sewn into the surrounding area and actually useful plazas. Also a curious option: Baltimore Arena (Shame it's not being used right now though, ripe for a G-League or NHL team tbh)

@rossedwardmiller

2 жыл бұрын

Royal Farms Arena isn’t big enough for NHL or NBA but the fact that we don’t get a minor league / farm team for either league is annoying. For sure.

I live in Columbus and let me tell you it's a lot easier to integrate the arena and the urban fabric if you're making both of them at the same time. There's some buildings in the area that are actually old but the bulk of the area was built in 2000.

I recently moved to Columbus and I'm glad it's made it into a top-10 list!

The parking around the stadiums in Philadelphia are great for tailgating. There's a subway station walking distance away. I do think those lots could be easily repurposed as mixed use development. There is a plan for development over the rail yard near 30th Street station, like Philly's version of Hudson yards, but I have not seen anything official yet.

@jamarerashaanmcdonald187

2 жыл бұрын

He doesn’t get Philly it easy accessible for most of the city , and suburbs.You can get there from both the expressways , or bridge from NJ , Subway. If the put it in somewhere like Downtown it would be a disaster, parking would be bad

as a "peg city" person here -go jets go the Canada life arena has access to a sky bridge network that goes to the various towers in the area and a mall so 100% walking access to local amenities without going outside and the owners group has built "true north square" a pedestrian plaza boxed in with street level retail AND jumbotrons playing the game in the arena for "whiteout parties" and the plaza has a mix of commercial and residential towers and a high end hotel

Yay, my city won Bronze :-) The Canada Life centre in Winnipeg is located right on Portage Ave on the former site of the Eaton's Dept Store. As for parking, there is a large underground parkade that everyone uses below the Millennium Library that is located kittie-korner across from the arena on Graham Ave; that's where I usually park. For transit there are numerous buses that run along both Portage Ave and Graham Ave.

It is July 2022 when I am watching this, I have lived in Boston for 8 years now, but haven't been to TD Garden/North Station since before the pandemic. I thought there was no way the Garden would be on the list, but the last time I was there it was an eyesore with the early construction. Check out the street view history, the change is shocking. I need to go out there.

I think the paycom center in OKC is an honorable mention, at least for the aesthetic of the arena. Its got a brick exterior, which is in keeping with the local aesthetic of Bricktown, which is only a few blocks away. If a huge performer is playing there the traffic gets a little unbearable, but for most game days the traffic increases but it doesn't feel like a massive chore to get around. There are a couple streetcars that go through the area, and when theres no events going on it's not a chore to get around, just kinda fits in with the grid of downtown.

I knew before I even started watching that Nationwide was going to be on the list. You'd be hard-pressed to find an arena that melds so seamlessly with the surrounding cityscape. If you didn't know any better, you'd think the arena came first and the surroundings were built afterwards.

I live in Vancouver and we have an arena and stadium right next to each other, built in two different eras but both have that dead-zone problem. The walkways and stairs were a great place to walk during the rona since you'd never see another living sole for the equivalent of 6 city blocks or so.

@TheNewGreenIsBlue

Жыл бұрын

exactly this. the upper areas of BC Place integrate somewhat, but the lower roads are just dark and monolithic.

I am an electrician and my focus is lighting. My company has a few accounts (properties) that we manage and maintain around Chase Center and I think they did a good job with the surrounding. Parking is a hassle though but it is SF after all

Capital Center is an awesome location. One thing you didn't mention is that it's right in one of the country's great Chinatowns, and very close to one of the best museums in the city, the National Portrait Gallery. It's really a super-vibrant part of the city and I never miss a chance to hang out here whenever I'm in town with some time to kill.

The street in Dallas called Houston Street is pronounced like the city in Texas, not like the street in NYC.

i think charlotte hornets could’ve been an honorable mention

@CityNerd

2 жыл бұрын

Yeah I pretty much agree. Love that the transit center is right across the street!

@CreightonRabs

2 жыл бұрын

@@CityNerd From some parts of the arena, you can literally see the light rail line passing by. Pretty amazing, actually.

@andrewdiamond2697

2 жыл бұрын

I was about to say the same thing.

Dallas’ arena is actually great for this part of the country. (HUGE contrast to how awful of a far-flung parking lot crater every other sports venue in DFW is.) My buddy just moved to an apt across the street, and I was shocked at how much there is to walk to down there. I always associated downtown Dallas with the towering bland office buildings populated from 8-5 by car-commuting suburbanites that American downtowns are notorious for, but Victory Plaza area is great! Also might be the most transit-accessible venue in the sun belt. Victory Station has TRE that goes west to Fort Worth and some of the mid cities, DART lines going throughout the core of Dallas, and you can walk to the Uptown Streetcar system. To me, you can’t get all that much better from a sun belt sports venue. (Well, if you ignore the supermassive highways running along the one side.)

You should do a ranking sports stadiums or arenas video based on your criteria.

For a Former Arenas Still Standing List, Maple Leaf Gardens would be #1 for seamless integration. And it's still a hockey arena, at least at the college level.

Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle just opened and is very nice 👌. Probably should make the list. Now we just need an nba team.

I would have liked to see Prudential Center in Newark NJ. Philadelphia has a giant sports and entertainment complex with an arena, a football stadium, a casino and a bunch of other stuff. I think it’s a little unfair to put it in the “dishonorable mentions” list.

Your top dishonorable mention is in the news this morning, well, a very much downtown stadium replacement is. The Philly 76ers announced a proposed new stadium right in center city, which, if it happens, might send them right from the top of the dishonorable mentions to somewhere in the top 10. Also, since I only started watching your videos in the past few months, I never made it to videos this old, and watching this now I can really see the improvement you've made over the past year.

Spectrum Center (Charlotte Hornets). Charlotte NC

How is SBA not on here? Smack dab in the middle of town, right next to apartments, Rogers centre, the CN Tower, shopping, etc. fantastic transit because Union Station is literally right next to it and serves as the urban hub for the city.

My favorite bar in DC is right across the street from Capitol One Arena and they got $4 happy hour drinks. It's called Rocket Bar if anyone is curious. Highly recommend

Love the Paris inserts. Is City Nerd a closet Francophile? The use of the Madrid metro logo is another nice touch to these videos.

Any reason why Scotiabank Arena in Toronto didn't make the list?

@CityNerd

2 жыл бұрын

Definitely had a few people ask about Toronto -- it just didn't seem well enough integrated to me. I had the same problem with Phoenix and Milwaukee. Yeah they were shiny and new and downtown, but not really knit into the fabric. I know there's a lot of love for Jurassic Park (and the Deer District!) -- it just didn't fit what I was looking for as far as integration.

@franciscoimperio8053

2 жыл бұрын

@@CityNerd Looks like you have many many people asking why Toronto isn't there. This is one of the busiest arenas in North America and it is quite convenient to get to events there (using transit). It is quite busy around there on event days. I have been to events at a number of the places on your list (like MSG, Nationwide, Bell Centre and Lil Ceasar's) and it seems strange that Toronto isn't there at all let alone near the top of the list.

Oh cool, acknowledgement that there are cities in Canada outside of Vancouver, Montreal, and Toronto. Though the Calgary dishonorable mention is weird to me. Especially since whatever satellite view you're using is old. Really old. The area around the Saddledome has been built up since, there's a train station directly beside it, and it's just off to the side of downtown.

I’m a tad biased, but in a couple of years once the renovation of Water Street and the surrounding area is complete, Amalie Arena in Tampa would rank high on this list as well.

@CityNerd

2 жыл бұрын

Man, I'm looking for a way to get Tampa into one of these videos. Top 10 Cubano sandwiches maybe?

It's interesting to see Dallas on this list! The AA center is great because it's easily accessible by the local transit as well as the massive parking garages nearby. Street view doesn't lie, most of Dallas is not very lively for pedestrian traffic.

Prudential Center Arena in Newark is red as the bricks that the city is nicknamed after.Its also around the corner from Newark's Penn Station.

I think Staples center in LA should have been on your list. It was a dump at first but then came the entertainment across the street with a large plaza to celebrate championships...Lakers NBA Champs 2022! It does have METRO near by, not just freeways. Also more and more condo mixed use highrises are filling in parking lots.

@CityNerd

2 жыл бұрын

I can see that. I love the continued transformation of downtown LA -- the conventional wisdom about the city's poor walkability and land use is really starting to become outdated. I would like to see LeBron get another ring...but isn't Staples running out of room for championship banners?

@lucky247365

2 жыл бұрын

@@CityNerd they should take down that fake one from 2020

I live extremely close to the Capital One Arena yet I never realized it would score so high on the list. Probably because I always enter by the National Portrait Gallery which is such a different style from the arena, and I never go to the shopping mall attached to the north side. But I think it should have scored a bit lower since the parking is one of the worst garages I've been to, it costs a ton of money, the clearance is super low, the ramp is too steep for most larger vehicles to make it out, and its just a really small garage.