This has been a venue I can remember going to even as a kid. From countless hockey games cheering on the local team at the time Portland Pirates. From coming here for my first concert ever to see Three Days Grace and Breaking Benjamin. Since then i have come here for more concerts than I can even count or remember. In some manners you can see the age of this place but it still is a solid option to attend a hockey game (Maine Mariners instead of Pirates now) or a concert/event. Due to its smaller size you can't really have a bad seat. Even what would be classified as "nose bleeds" here don't compare to major areas/stadiums. One issue I do wish were better here and just in general better for events would be the prices for food/drink. Like most places that host events they are too high. Parking is easy enough with options of street parking and parking garages nearby. Recently my wife and I attended the first televised professional wrestling event since 1997. All Elite Wrestling (AEW) put on an amazing show and strictly speaking in terms of their show it would be a five star but overall the venue could use some updating. Despite that if they are hosting an event/concert you want to see it I would reccomend going. read more

We went to the Maine Mariners hockey game. This is really fun!! There were tons of families with young children. Lots of great music and energy. After the first period, a group of Casco Bay youth hockey players came onto the ice to play a 'game'. We were gifted the tickets so I am not sure how much it would've cost. We found nearby free on street parking. read more

Cross Insurance Arena - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Portland, Maine

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I've been coming to this building for hockey games since I was literally a toddler. It's hosted several hockey teams since then and changed ownership hands. I will say that the experience is still very worth attending. The staff is very friendly and the ownership group keeps the building well staffed. The bathrooms are clean - cleaner than large stadiums! And the entertainment typically speaks for itself. read more

Cross Insurance Arena - View from section FF - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Portland, Maine

Older facility with easy access for parking. Plenty of floor area and seating for concerts here. Parking available at and next to venue. read more

Relatively updated, clean & comfy arena. Excellent location with lots of hotels, restaurants & shops all within walking distance. Great spot to make a weekend of it. read more

Cross Insurance Arena - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Portland, Maine

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It's easy to walk to when living downtown which allowed us to stop for a cocktail first along with some munchies. When I've gone to Cross, it's been a flawless and quick entry with friendly and helpful staff that are there to guide you before you have a chance to ask. Great team work. read more

Great staff! They are always so pleasant, whether it was for a concert or comedian. They keep patrons moving quickly through the lines. The location were they usually sell merchandise is always chaotic, no organization or order....so bring your patience and keep your head on a swivel. There are a lot of parking options around the location. I do not recommend parking in the attached garage, because it's chaotic when the event is over. Seats are ok, narrow and the it's impossible to let a person go by, without the row, needing to stand and or exit the row to let people in. Concession options are great, there are so many to choose from no matter where you are sitting. They do a great job of keeping the venue floors clean, not sure how they do it. read more

Really poorly organized event for the comedy show on August 9, 2025. Huge groups of people unable to get in through inefficient security process - like a funnel of humanity - which delayed their entry. Further, many seats, like ours, were unable to see the stage because they added additional chairs directly in front of our seats on the landing, plus the overzealous phone police kept standing in front of the crowd, blocking view of the screens. The show itself was great. The venue pretty badly run. read more

I have been here for a few concerts, a couple events and some hockey games. It's an updated venue with lots of seating and overall a great vibe. Everytime I have come it has been organized well and I have had a great time. The drinks are pretty expensive but typical for a large venue like this. I'm glad we have this venue in Portland to do fun things at! read more

I have been to the Cross Center Arena a few times for different events ... hockey games, basketball events, concerts and this weekend was the Portland On Tap event where they lined the floor of the arena with many different local and regional breweries. The layout was fantastic and the amenities were available even with the large crowd filling the floor. In all the times we have been here, it is nice to be able have a nicce venue in our small town Portland too give families and friends a comfortable and open space to enjoy themselves. Will definitely be common back the next time there is an event here. read more

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Paid $130 plus fees for these seats. The people ahead if us paid $30. We weren't allowed to go out there to see the bands. I called Cross Arena to ensure that we would be able to see & they guaranteed we would be able to see. As you can see, we can't see. Everyone in the premium seats was pissed. Cross Arena ripped us all off! read more

Cross Insurance Arena - Guaranteed we would be able to see the stage, $130 seats - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Portland, Maine

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We really had fun at the concert and the location in downtown Portland is very convenient. The staff were professional and helpful and the acoustics were amazing. I don't think there is a bad seat in the entire venue. This is a venue I would happily attend again for the right band/concert. Good job and thanks for a memorable night. read more

There was a huge difference between my experience at a concert last night and a few years ago, however I was seated in a different place above ground level with a perfect view of the stage. The sound was incredible. The staff on hand were plentiful, helpful and friendly. The temperature was perfect. I deducted one star because I observed the "VIP" floor seating where I had sat last time and the seating seemed just as cramped and uncomfortable as a few years ago. Unless you score a front row seat with plenty of leg room and can go to the stage if the cheap seats crowd decides to storm the stage I'd refrain from spending hundreds of dollars. read more

Ok, here is what we learned. DO NOT pay for parking by entering your license plate. Ended up costing us $24 rather than the $10 lot nearby. Lesson learned #1. Also, buy your tickets at the arena rather than online. Ticketmaster charges you $8+ per ticket service charge. If you buy at the arena you can avoid that service charge. Nice arena. Good hockey. No wait at concessions. Saco & Biddeford Bank Clubhouse in the arena is very nice. Interesting memorabilia. read more

Cross Insurance Arena - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Portland, Maine

We attended this weekends beer fest at the cross arena. The beer festival itself was great, plenty of beer and a good sized crowd. The arena itself is a bit confusing to walk around and is showing signs of age. Looks like it could use a good update but I doubt thats a priority on anyone's list. read more

The Cross Insurance Arena is one of Portland's Cornerstone Venues located snuggly perched just above the Old Port. Home the Portland Pirates, a newly adapted arena football team started a couple of months ago and we can not forget about Strive Rocks! This is also the venue for concerts and Graduations! Stop by for your next game or indoor concert! read more

I attended a Maine Mariners game at this Arena. It's a small arena, which is pretty typical of minor league hockey, but there's nothing wrong with that. I sat in the second row from the back and I was still in great view of the ice. The atmosphere was nice as well. They were featuring $3 Bud Lights, $2 Popcorns, and $1 Hot Dogs till the end of the second period. read more

The 1970s seem like such a sad and beautiful time. This place is like the inside of a giant dead animal that once housed the glory of every scene in Dazed and Confused. We saw Brand New here and it was strange, the place was filled with cigarette and pot smoke, the rafters were like short poems about awkward moments in High School during the days of disco. What happened to us? What happened to this country? Honestly I do like this place and think it should have at least 4 stars. Parking was easy and I recall things from that night that make me want to burst into tears that there could be such a strange beauty inside an old civic center in Maine. read more

Cross Insurance Arena - I used this photo for a tip so please excuse the weird format - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Portland, Maine

Line bag check was slow as molasses, we arrived 30 minutes early and almost missed the opening of a Cirque show. Slow concessions too and finally gave up on a intermission snack. Most disappointed in the "security" not stopping rude fans from cell video recordings despite many announcements. Dangerous for the actors and annoying to fans. This place is an old dinosaur with the staff to match. read more

The floor seating is absolutely terrible. The seats are sized appropriately for children and they are extremely hard. The stage is about 2 feet too low making it difficult to see what is happening. People around us constantly complained that they couldn't see the stage at all. $4 bottles of water. I think someone bought an 8 ounce rum and coke for like $10. Better off to smuggle in your own drinks... The show was good otherwise. read more

Oh man hockey. Is there a sport I love more? Spoiler: No. Reasonably priced tickets and food. The Portland Pirates battled against the Worcester Sharks while I indulged in some delicious stadium fare. The game was enjoyable, the crowd had tons of fun and the Pirates won in a shoot out! All and all, a perfect hockey experience at a price anybody can afford. read more

Cross Insurance Arena - Visitors shot twice on this end. - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Portland, Maine

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Saw Blue Man Group here in May 2022. This is not the right venue to enjoy a performance like Blue Man Group. The stage is too low to get a good view of the performance from the floor seats. Probably good in the stands for hockey. The concert started 50 minutes later than advertised. Line went around the arena outside. Staff acted like they did not know what was happening and how to handle it. No common sense from staff with no planning for the delay with many elderly with canes and children waiting outside for 1 1/2 hours. There were no outside benches to sit and porta-a-potties would have been helpful or at least access to some bathrooms in a closed area inside. Elevator inside was having mechanical problem so family member with cane was forced to use stairs. Same venue I went to in high school back in the late 70's. Outdated. Will pass on any future shows at the Cross Arena. read more

Paid $50 to stand in line for an hour and not even get to see the best band there Sevendust. What a joke. I will never go to another event here, neither will the people I came with, and certainly won't be using Cross Insurance. Showed up at 630. Got in the first line I saw. I didn't even get into the doors until 730. Worst experience I have ever had going to a concert. First band had already played their set, which was the primary reason I was even there. The four people with me were disgusted too. Arena also way over sells beer to people. They were handing out drinks to people who could clearly barely stand. Heard one employee tell another that they are told to keep. Serving no matter what. read more

I had a great time at Portland on Tap!! Getting into the event was practically flawless, they did an excellent job at checking id's before you enter trough security, then immediately scanning tickets and getting you through another line to grab the most adorable little baby beer mug. Let's talk beers, they had so many! Breweries from all over, Rogue from Portland (the other Portland, across the country), Guinness, Omission Brewing (Portsmouth, NH), Kona Brewing (HI), Red Hook (Portsmouth, NH), schöfferhofer (Germany), Island Dog Brewing, Allagash, Geary's (Portland, ME), Two Roads Brewing, 21st Amendment, Sam Adams, Truly and so many more. I attended this event a few years ago at another location and at that time I would have given it one star as it was way oversold, not enough restrooms and parking was atrocious but since it was moved it the civic center it is a great way to spend an afternoon. The band is always lively, bathrooms are never overcrowded, you can easily get around with ample time to try all the beers. I had such a wonderful time and will return in the future. read more

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I've been to dozens of different music venues around the country, and this is among the worst. It's sad, really, because I know they've recently pumped a great deal of money into a massive renovation. In reality, they should have pumped that money into destroying the CCCC and building something better in its place. But ultimately it's more about how it's managed, and less about the physical structure. During my most recent visit (July 2016) I was pretty disappointed by how it was run. It took about 15 minutes just to get inside, because, not only were we instructed to enter through a separate entrance because of our seat location, but it also took security a really, really long time to do pat downs and metal detector wand screenings on a relatively short line. Once you get through, the floor on the outside ring is ridiculously slippery for folks just wearing flip flops. I can't imagine what it's like during mud season or after a rain or snow storm. We came on what was probably an 80-degree day, and the inside arena was like a sauna. Muggy and sweaty and gross. What they should have done during their fancy renovation was to put vents or a trap door in the ceiling (like many venues!) to release the pent up heat. Maybe the next renovation in another 40 years will include it. Water stations to refill nalgenes and other water bottles were out of control - about 20 people deep. I suggested to my friend that he fill up his in the bathroom, but apparently only hot water was coming out of the sinks. The stand-alone stations for beer were also about 20-30 people deep. The food and drink stations were 'only' about 15 people deep, but this took twice as long as the beer line because the folks who make the decisions thought it would be a fantastic idea to offer 3-4 specialty cocktails, which take an extra 1-3 minutes to make vs. a simple beer sale. And the vendors were SO SLOW and DISORGANIZED. They also ran out of all beer except for Sea Dog Blueberry at the very start of the intermission. The only plus to this experience is that we were on the street about 2 minutes after the show ended. Thankfully, because it was about 40 degrees cooler than in the arena. Sadly, we may all need to wait another 40 years before this abomination is destroyed, and hopefully shifted to new management. read more

I saw Cirque du Soleil here a couple months ago. The show was great, the seats were great, but the venue is a lot smaller than it looks from outside! During the intermission, the single bathroom line was insane so I decided to line up for food instead. The setup was absolutely ridiculous. Even though it was at a dinner hour (meaning a lot of people would be hungry), there were maybe two snack areas open, both with very slow moving lines. I didn't get any impression that the staff that night felt like being there at all since everyone in line could see them meandering their way around and slowly scooping popcorn and then waiting around by the soda machines. There were over two dozen of us left still waiting when the intermission ended, and there was still no sense of urgency on their part. Disappointing! :( read more

Great venue for whatever you're there for. Watch your steps on your way out though, some of those steps are tiny! Great location if your visiting the area. Lots of places to stay nearby and great lil' shops to check out. Hope to be able to check it out after the remodel. read more

It's one thing to charge $80 for 40 minutes of entertainment (Amy Schumer). It's quite another to ignore customers complaints and just hardball the outpouring of criticism. Cross took an unfortunate situation and added fuel to the fire. Be assured that if you have any problem at the Arena, they simply won't give a damn. read more

No one gave me everything I ordered. Everyone around me didn't get anything either, just kept giving their money and hoping. Now there are two bartenders for 6000 people...people from northern maine and North dakota. Understaffed and under prepared to the extreme. read more

Worst experience ever. Seating is a disaster. We were moved multiple times the doors didn't open till after the band started playing. I'm quite disappointed and won't be going back. read more

Amy Schumer, you were fantastic!! Cross Center, the next time I want to see a big act I'll be catching it at another venue. The greediness of slashing the length of the set virtually in half to squeeze in a second show disappointed me. The talent did not. read more

Poorly managed venue across the board. Inadequate staffing at big shows. No sense of customer service. Lack of any decency for paying customers. Will not be returning. read more

I am pretty impressed by the improvements made to the CCCC. Went here for a Pirates Game this past weekend, and the seats are all new, there are some really cool balcony sections now available and also bar top seating. Nice additions! The lobby, vendor area also has had a facelift. I think the changes have really given the aging venue a new modern look and feel with upgraded seating options that people are seeking. read more

I hate the new name but THE CIVIC CENTER is a great venue for its size. Even the nosebleeds are decent seats and theres plenty of standing room for the shows that use it. I've only been to 2 shows here so far but i wouldnt hesitate to come back. read more

A good experience for a little venue. I really, really liked the general admission seating anywhere in the arena. We got to move around to ensure we were comfortable. This is the first time I've done this at a 'bigger name' show. Food prices were great (in comparison to other venues) and the selection of food was standard (pizza, popcorn, hot dogs, some candy) -- a hot dog, 2 slices of pizza & bottle of water for $13! Beers were priced within average of other venues, but only one variety (Coors Light...a disgrace!) which was the worst part of the evening! I'd definitely prefer to go here again over the bigger venues, and look forward to their remodel (as long as it doesn't raise concession prices!) read more

Excellent wheelchair access. Great seats, though I'd rather have been sitting in the center ice section than the goal end. Don't expect good food. Hotdogs and fries (cold). Good beer selection, but what else would you expect in Portland. Good handicap rest room. Big fun! read more

Attended the Anthony Bourdain show - sound system was terrible. Regardless of how much you pay or where you sit, you should be able to hear the speaker. Audience shouted to staff to increase sound at least 4 times. Speakers only face forward, not adequate for the space. Will not attend another performance event at this venue. read more

Went to a portland pirates game last night. Very impressed with the new civic center with the exception of the hot dogs. Without a doubt the WORST hot dog I have ever had in my life. It had some fake smokey taste to it, would be great if they could serve normal hot dogs like every other arena in the world. I steered clear of the pizza due to previous reviews, the rest of the food was about what you would expect, decent burger. I would recommend checking out the pavilion that looks out over the street, perfect spot for a relaxing bite to eat and a beer. read more

Patrons need to be aware once you are in you are in. Security will not allow re-entry for any reason. My spouse had diabetic complications and needed insulin from the car. Our situation was explained to security and we were told we absolutely could not leave. read more

10 minutes before panic at the disco show and standing in a line that is wrapped around the back of the arena and its February!! Never again!! read more