The History | The Early Years   General Information | Mission Statement

 
LUXURY SUITES / PERSONAL SEAT LICENSES
There are 52 suites that encircle the arena at club level. Suites range from $45,000-$65,000 annually and are leased for 5, 7 or 9 years. The only individual owner of a suite is New York Yankees owner, George Steinbrenner whose wife attended OSU. 4,562 seats set aside for Personal Seat Licenses. The revenue from these leases goes into the operating budget and is used to pay bond debt. For details on purchasing or renting a luxury suite or seat license contact Justin Doyle at 688-5860 or doyle.106@osu.edu  For more information about suites, click here. 
 
BACKSTAGE
The self-contained visitor/star complex features a separate laundry, food service area, and media work rooms. Star Dressing Rooms ... furnished like suites in a 5-star hotel can be adapted using one of three sets of furniture tailored to fit the artists' request. Each contains a private shower and restroom. Elton John dedicated one room strictly for a person to do ironing, the Stones used a pair of locker rooms to set up an arcade complete with pool table and video/pinball games) and our largest dressing room is home to a special sink installed specifically to accommodate our first concert performer - Neil Diamond.
 
The private Athletic team complex boasts a full service training and rehabilitation room, weight room, and laundry. In addition, the teams have their own dedicated work out areas. Basketball shares a 15,000 square foot practice gymnasium with 2 full courts and 8 baskets for private workouts and allowing the team to practice the same day as a concert is loading into the arena bowl. The Ice Hockey team is the only collegiate team to boast its own special accommodations for a state of the art accelerator, a high tech treadmill for skaters.
 
TERRAZZO
A unique feature of the Center is the terrazzo (a composite of marble or stone chips set in mortar and polished) floor anchored by six "Larger than Life" floorscapes that earned artist Alexis Smith the "Job of the Century" Award from the National Terrazzo and Mosaic Association. Images were selected from photographs in the University archives. 8,350 gallons of epoxy were used to secure over 5 miles of 1/16" zinc wire strips painstakingly bent by hand and placed over the drawn lines. Color numbers were marked in each section (paint-by-number style). 115 tons of aggregates (stones, mother of pearl, glass, etc…) were prepared in shades mixed according to the exact specifications of the artist. The floor around the Hockey player contains a high percentage of Mother-of-Pearl chips that cause it to sparkle like ice. The floors were ground down three to five times to bring out the color. A diamond polish was added and the floors were sealed and polished. Each rotunda took approximately 6 weeks to complete.
 
The John Havelicek floorscape, located in the SW entry just outside the Center's auxiliary gymnasium features the only pieces of non-scarlet and gray (blue) terrazzo to represent the opponent's jersey. The basketball in John Havlicek's hand is approximately 13 feet in diameter. Havlicek was a starter from 1960-1962. He accumulated a record of 78-6, played in 3 consecutive Final Fours, the 1960 National Championship team and was a 1962 All-American. After his career with The Ohio State University, he played for The Boston Celtics and eventually entered the NBA Hall of Fame.
 
The 1916 Women's Basketball Club floorscape, located in the SE rotunda spotlights the uniform styles of the early 1900's. Women's basketball became a varsity sport in 1965. The Averill Roberts (1990-93) terrazzo pays tribute to a player that helped take the team to the 1993 Final Four.
 
The hockey terrazzo located in the NW rotunda is the only floorscape that faces out towards the exterior doors rather than into the arena. The stick and puck extend down the escalator hallway. The player's face is Benji Wolke (1998), the stick depicted belongs to Perry Pooley (1984 All-American and 1984 Academic All-American) and the body is a composite of several players from the 1980-1982 teams. Men's Ice Hockey became a varsity sport in 1963-1964; advanced to Frozen Four in 1998.
 
The inclusion of basketball and hockey in the Schottenstein Center terrazzo floorscapes seems logical, but why baseball? Baseball was the FIRST varsity sport at The Ohio State University - the image depicted in the NE rotunda of the 1890 Baseball team actually features Buckeye Basketball Coach Fred Taylor, who played first base for the buckeyes and became Ohio State's 1st All-American Baseball player in 1950.
 
HALL OF FAME
Sponsored by Kroger, this interactive site highlights the best in Ohio State University Athletics. The 1,370 square foot Hall of Fame contains pictures of all inductees to the Hall of Fame as well as a video presentation on the history of Ohio State Athletics. Fans can see Archie Griffin's Heisman Trophy (the only player to win two), Jess Owens' 1935 Big Ten Championship bronzed shoe (where he set 3 world records and tied a forth in a span of 70 minutes), the bronzed 1960 National Championship basketball and the 1997 Rose Bowl trophy. The Hall of Fame also features interactive kiosks containing information about teams and players. But if you stop there you'll miss the historical time line wrapping the Terrace Level concourse walls - displaying decade by decade the rich tradition and history of Ohio State Athletics. Guests can frequently be seen discovering favorite athletes or sports moments depicted on artistic pictorials ringing the entry-level concourse.
 
FRED TAYLOR ROOM
Located just inside the NE Rotunda the Fred Taylor Room was the result of a generous donation from many of the players who played under Fred at Ohio State. As basketball Coach from 1959-1976, Fred Taylor earned a record 297 wins and 7 Big Ten Championships. Five teams earned NCAA berths and four teams advanced to the Final Four (1960 - National Champions, '61, '62 and '68). A Buckeye tree on the wall bears the names of all the men who played for him.
 
TOURS/ MEETING SPACE
Tours and meeting space available by calling (614) 688-3939.
 
ADA
The Center is fully accessible featuring wheelchair and companion seating at all levels, convenient disabled parking, public, private TDD's / TTY's, ATM's, and an Assistive Listening System (ALS). The Center is equipped with accessible public restrooms, water fountains, concession stands, and ramp handrails. Interpreters are available upon request.
 
MERCHANDISE STORE
The "Official Team Shop," is located at Section 131 on the entry-level concourse. The Team Shop features the latest in Buckeye apparel, gift ideas and accessories. Merchandise is also available online at www.hangonsloopy.com.
 
TICKETS
For the latest event information, log on to www.schottensteincenter.com or call 1-800-ARENA-01. Tickets for athletic events and entertainment are available at The Ticket Office, located just inside the southeast rotunda - open 8am-5pm. M-F and 9- noon Saturdays, or by calling 1-800-GO-BUCKS. For entertainment events, tickets are also available via Ticketmaster. Charge at (614) 431-3600 or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets for OSU basketball and hockey can be purchased online at www.hangonsloopy.com.
 
DIRECTIONS / PARKING
Value City Arena is accessible directly off Route 315. Exit at Ackerman and proceed east to designated lots or continue to Olentangy River Road (turn right). The Center features 4,000 on-site parking spaces, with an additional 5,000 available within a 5-7 minute walk. Free shuttles run from the Center's Buckeye Lots for larger events.
 
RULES AND REGULATIONS
A full, untorn ticket must be presented to enter the arena. Guests may not leave and then re-enter. Smoking is prohibited. Audio recording devices and video cameras are not permitted. Still cameras are not permitted, unless otherwise indicated. Public intoxication, using obscene or abusive language, and throwing objects may lead to ejection from the facility.
 
STAFF
The Center employs thirty-five (35) full-time professional staff: experts in Event Management, Marketing, Operations and Ticketing.
 
CAPACITIES
All basic configurations are available: end stage, in the round, etc. The venue seats 17,500 for hockey, 19,500 for basketball and up to 21,000 for concerts. A "theatre" configuration is available featuring added décor, drapery and lighting effects creating an intimate, upscale experience for crowds of 3000-6000.
 
MARKET/DEMOGRAPHICS
Columbus, Ohio is the 15 largest city in the U.S. with a metropolitan population of 1.4 million. The Schottenstein Center is located in the heart of the country's largest student campus within a two-hour drive of 11.1 million potential ticket buyers.
 
FOOD AND BEVERAGE
Sodexho is the exclusive full service caterer/concessionaire for the venue. Sodexho offers an executive chef on site and provides service to all concession stands and Center's 52 luxury suites.