Toyota Center

Toyota Center is a multi-use arena located in Houston, Texas that serves as the home for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). The arena was also the home of the Houston Aeros of the American Hockey League (AHL) from 2003 until 2013. The Houston Comets of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) played in the arena from 2004 until 2007.

The Rockets were told that their former home arena The Summit was too outdated to be a suitable NBA arena.^[1] NBA commissioner David Stern would say that "if there's not a new building...I think it's certain that the team will be relocated."^[2] The Rockets ownership would then look to build a new arena.^[3]

They first started to build the stadium on July 31, 2001. The arena opened on October 6, 2003 and the first event was a concert by Fleetwood Mac.^[4] The Rockets had their first game in the arena on October 30, 2003. In their first game, they defeated the Denver Nuggets 102–85.^[5]

When the arena first started being built in July 2003, Toyota decided to purchase the naming rights for the arena and named it to the Toyota Center. Toyota bought the rights in a 20-year; $100 million deal and have their logo on the roof of the building.^[6]

WWE has hosted many shows and pay-per-views at the arena including the No Mercy in 2005, Vengeance: Night of Champions, the 2010 and 2013 events for TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs, Night of Champions in 2015, NXT TakeOver: WarGames in 2017, Survivor Series in 2017, and Elimination Chamber in 2019.

1. ↑ "Summit Sweetens the Pot". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved December 7, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
2. ↑ "Stern Ultimatum Hits Close to Home". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on October 12, 2012. Retrieved December 7, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
3. ↑ "Rockets, Lanier Hold Arena Talks". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved December 7, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
4. ↑ "Toyota Center turns 15: A look back at Houston's landmarks under construction". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
5. ↑ "'Melo scores 14 in the second half of loss". ESPN. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
6. ↑ "Arena's sticker price for Toyota: $100 million". Houston Chronicle. Archived from the original on July 8, 2011. Retrieved December 7, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)