Intrust Bank Arena
Address500 East Waterman Street
LocationWichita, Kansas, U.S.
Coordinates37°40′59″N 97°19′53″W
Broke groundDecember 4, 2007
OpenedJanuary 2, 2010
OwnerSedgwick County
OperatorSMG (2010–2019)
[1]
SurfaceMulti-surface
Construction cost$205.5 million
($ in dollars)
ArchitectArena Design Consortium (HOK Sport, WDM Architects, Gossen Livingston Architects, McCluggage Van Sickle & Perry)[2]
Structural engineerWalter P Moore[3]
Services engineerM-E Engineers, Inc.[4]
Project managerDIO Facilities Project Services[5]
General contractorHunt/Dondlinger[2]
CapacityConcerts:
15,750 (center stage)
10,100 (end stage)
Basketball: 15,004
Ice Hockey: 13,450
Record attendance16,172 (August 27, 2023; Concert by Zach Bryan)
Dimensions32,000 square feet (3,000 m2)
TenantsWichita Thunder (ECHL) (2010–present)
Wichita Force (CIF) (2015–2019)
Websiteintrustbankarena.com

Intrust Bank Arena is a 15,004-seat multi-purpose arena in Wichita, Kansas, United States. It is located on the northeast corner of Emporia and Waterman streets in downtown Wichita. It is owned by the government of Sedgwick County. The arena features 22 suites, 2 party suites, and over 300 premium seats. The arena is the second largest indoor arena in the state of Kansas, behind Allen Fieldhouse at KU, which seats 15,300. Locally, it has more seating than Charles Koch Arena at WSU, which seats 10,506.

It is home to Wichita Thunder (ice hockey team) and previously to Wichita Force (indoor football team). The Wichita State Shockers men's basketball team uses the arena as an alternate site for games that attract more fans than can be accommodated at its on-campus Charles Koch Arena.

Intrust Bank Arena hosted first and second-round games for the NCAA Division I women's basketball tournament in 2011 and the NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament in 2018, Sweet 16 and Elite 8 games in the 2022 women's tournament, and 1st and 2nd-round games of the men's tournament in 2025. The arena was scheduled to host the 2021 tournament, until the NCAA announced all games would be held at the state of Indiana due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On March 19, 2019, Intrust Bank Arena hosted the first ever UFC event held in Kansas.[6]

History

The facility was known as Sedgwick County Arena during early planning stages, and was meant to replace the Kansas Coliseum located north of Wichita (it opened in 1977 and closed in 2010).

On November 9, 2004, Sedgwick County voters approved the downtown arena at a projected construction cost of $183,625,241[7] by a 52–48% vote. On April 4, 2005, Governor Kathleen Sebelius signed the Intrust Bank Arena tax bill authorizing Sedgwick County to collect a 1% sales tax beginning July 1, 2005 for 30 months. On January 10, 2008, Sedgwick County announced it had reached a 25-year, $8.75 million naming rights deal with Wichita-based Intrust Bank, the largest bank headquartered in Kansas. This complements a 20-year, $3 million deal with Cessna Aircraft Company to name an adjacent outdoor plaza, and a concourse area deal with Spirit AeroSystems.

It was announced on March 9, 2010, that the Intrust Bank Arena was voted the 'Best Arena' and 'Best Locker Rooms' and also voted third in the 'Best Press Box' category in the Central Hockey League's annual 'Best of the Best' poll.[8] The Intrust Bank Arena cracked Pollstar's Top 50 Arena Venues for ticket sales during the first quarter of 2010. Intrust Bank Arena ranked 22nd in the United States and 45th worldwide.[9] In 2010, net profit was $2,010,736[10] with depreciation of $4.4 million.[11] In 2011, net profit was $389,659.[12] In 2012, net profit was $703,000.[13] Metallica set the all-time attendance record for a single-concert when it hosted 15,690 fans at the sold-out show on March 4, 2019.[14]

The arena is owned by the government of Sedgwick County.

Events

College basketball

NBA preseason

NHL preseason

Bull riding

  • May 7 & 8, 2010 – PBR Built Ford Tough Series: Wichita Invitational
  • September 23–24, 2011 – PBR Built Ford Tough Series: DEWALT Guaranteed Tough Invitational
  • April 23, 2022 - PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour
  • April 22, 2023 - PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour

Combat sports

See also

References

  1. ^ "Intrust Bank Arena"
  2. ^ Manahan, Theresa (April 19, 2009). "Minor League Arenas". SportsBusiness Journal. Retrieved October 25, 2011.
  3. ^ Intrust Bank Arena – Emporis.com
  4. ^ "Sedgwick County Arena". Reed Construction Data. Archived from the original on February 3, 2014. Retrieved November 10, 2011.
  5. ^ "Facts & Details". Sedgwick County. October 2009. Archived from the original on June 15, 2010. Retrieved November 20, 2011.
  6. ^ "The UFC is coming to Wichita. Here are some details for the March event". The Wichita Eagle. 8 January 2019.
  7. ^ Weeks, Bob (May 23, 2007). "Testimony Supporting an Arena Re-Vote". Voice For Liberty in Wichita. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  8. ^ "Arena, Fans Top 2010 Best of the Best Poll". Wichita Thunder. Archived from the original on June 15, 2011. Retrieved March 12, 2010.
  9. ^ "Intrust Bank Arena ranks in top 50 world ticket sales". Intrust Bank Arena. Retrieved April 16, 2010.
  10. ^ Behlmann, Emily (February 9, 2011). "'Wonderful Outcome' as Intrust Bank Arena Nets $2M in 2010". Wichita Business Journal. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  11. ^ "2010 Sedgwick County Comprehensive Annual Report". Sedgwick County Department of Finance. December 31, 2010. Archived October 17, 2011 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  12. ^ Gruver, Deb (March 26, 2012). "Intrust Bank Arena nets $390,000 in second year". The Wichita Eagle. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  13. ^ Behlmann, Emily (February 15, 2013). "Sedgwick County Expects $253K Payment from Intrust Bank Arena for 2012". Wichita Business Journal. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  14. ^ Adams, Taylor. "Metallica sets attendance record at INTRUST Bank Arena". www.kake.com. Retrieved 2019-07-17.
  15. ^ "Tulsa Golden Hurricane vs. Wichita State Shockers – Recap". ESPN. December 21, 2010. Archived from the original on February 28, 2011. Retrieved December 21, 2010.
  16. ^ Wichita arena, women's NCAA tournament receive high marks; The Wichita Eagle; March 21, 2011.
  17. ^ "West Virginia Mountaineers vs. Kansas State Wildcats – Recap". ESPN. December 8, 2011. Archived from the original on January 6, 2012. Retrieved December 8, 2011.
  18. ^ Wichita waits to hear on next round of NCAA basketball tournament sites; The Wichita Eagle; April 17, 2017.
  19. ^ Arena, INTRUST Bank. "Search". INTRUST Bank Arena. Retrieved 2026-01-24.
  20. ^ "March Madness Final Four: Future dates & sites"