Good venue; we've been here multiple times for a variety of things. Disney on ice, Zach Bryan, Cody Johnson, and most recently Monster Jam. The parking is good. $25 for parking if you go to the MVP arena parking. Level 3 is the best and easiest for walking straight into the venue. (Take Beaver Street) and follow it to the end to enter the garage. (You'll pass other garages that aren't affiliated with the arena and they charge $40+. Avoid them if you wanna save some money. The MVP arena garage is easy. As with every stadium the drinks and snacks are expensive but to be expected. Only con I had was the cleanliness of the actual seat isles. My feet were sticking to the floor. And bathrooms are on a lower level. So stairs are involved. read more

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MVP Arena is a cute, big but small, relaxed venue. Getting into the venue, through security, and finding our seats was easy and quick. We had a good time seeing Stars on Ice here. I would avoid the chicken tenders as we had two in one order that were raw on the inside. Other than that, everyone enjoyed their time here! read more

MVP Arena is an Upstate New York's Premier Sports arena and Entertainment Facility that hosts variety of events, including concerts, family shows and sporting events, averaging 165 events each year. Facility is owned by Albany County and operated by ASM Global, the world's leading producer of entertainment experiences. Arena has an adaptable seating capacity between 6,000 and 17,500 based on the event hosted. MVP Arena, formerly Times Union Center, was renamed in January 2022. This is the home for Albany Empire and Siena Saints. read more

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Great venue but parking is terrible. Be warned! One thing I wish they had screens to see the artists in the stage. If you sit on the seats across it's hard to see. Also the sound seemed off. It wasn't balanced well. You could hardly understand the lyrics. There's a huge bass speaker in the middle of the ceiling and maybe that overshadowed the music. Still a great concert so I'm only taking one star off due to sound imbalance. read more

Awesome arena to see a game at. THE WHOLE PLACE ONLY TAKES CREDIT/DEBIT cards NO CASH. All the seats are a good view. Bathroom interestingly are in the lower floor from the main floor but they do have elevators if you have small kids or need wheelchair access. read more

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As if $40 cash for parking at a cashless venue isn't crazy enough, you can also enjoy $17+ for a beer, an insane amount of money for garbage food, and bask in the ever lacking glory of a venue who knowingly takes on more than they can handle. What used to be the go to arena for all big events has gone down the gutter and became a trashy, overpriced, and run down shell of what it used to be. (This review is solely for the venue, not any of the performers or events that take place here). read more

It's a dated facility that tries. It's not a great facility by any means but you can tell they try. When a building gets at this point in its lifecycle it becomes more challenging to keep up with it. While generally clean - they could do better. Seats are uncomfortable. Good sight lines. Main entrance has a nice waterfall feature and open atrium, which is nice. What else can I say about an arena...‍ read more

I haven't been here in a while. The "Pepsi", "The Knick", TUC", whatever you call it, made some noticeable improvements. The face of it is really nice. The added doors leading into the carpeted entrance, the food venues, beverage kiosks. It's beautiful! No more concrete everywhere and no ridiculously long lines. You can even have digital tickets now! And they have metal detectors when you walk in. The staff was super friendly. It's very clean too! I don't know about that after last nights concert (people are slobs). I'm sure they are still cleaning up the mess! The arena itself looks about the same as it has but it was always nice. The steps are clearly highlighted so you don't fall down them when trying to navigate to the awesome seats where you seem to have a good view from wherever you sit. We took a Lyft to and from but it looked like the traffic flow was handled in expert fashion by Albany's finest. I didn't realize they blocked off the front of the place from traffic afterwards so keep that in mind if you use ride sharing. Great time and well worth the expensive tickets! read more

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Went to see avett brothers a last night with GREAT seats and we could not the band faces at all . Lights face out not in Lighting is awful Sound isn't good Seats are too small Will not go here again read more

Is there a zero star rating option? Service fee is absolutely ridiculous. 30% of the ticket price is just plain robbery. Was looking at tickets for TSO, Disney on Ice, Paw Patrol. No thanks MVP Arena. You've lost my interest in your venue. read more

Worst venue I've ever been to. Seats are so small. You are right on top of the row ahead of you. Steps are small and steep. If you are in upper level your view is blocked by ducts. Parking is ridiculous. They had one lane open and getting out took forever. No police directing traffic and getting cars out quickly. read more

We went here to see Monster Jam - what a great show! The Times Union Center is clean and all the staff were very helpful and friendly. The security seemed pretty tight which was reassuring. There was parking across the street which made the 20 degree weather extremely bearable as our walk from the car to the show was about 90 seconds. Well worth the $20 fee... The space was great - there wasn't a bad seat in the house to see the show. I've never been here for any other than you but I know Monster Jam will be a favorite memory of mine. My three children absolutely loved it as did I! The concessions were extremely expensive but I guess you can't get away from that regardless of where you see a show. For all you other dads out there, they sell Coors Light tall boys. Just be sure to bring some cash! read more

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I took away one star because the seats are super tiny and cramped. But overall this is a great venue. We had nosebleeds and could still view the performance well. Clean area, easy access, and friendly employees. read more

Tearable service, nasty staff, seat are murder. Dirty, no guidance onto facility, horrifying parking prices through the roof. Purse policy should be more clarified . My wife was p.o.d. .. recommend any place than here!!! read more

I wish I could give this venue 0 stars. I have never been to a worse arena. I am not high maintenance when it comes to seeing a show- especially this Phish show- I come for the music. But this was truly an awful experience. To start, having 16,000 people cattle herded and funneled up 2 staircases is a disaster waiting to happen. It took an agonizing 45 minutes to get from the entrance to the ticket taker. I'm shocked the fire dept allows those conditions because had there been an emergency there was NO escape. Thank goodness it was a Phish show where fans are laid back and chill! Once we got to the main level it was impossible to move for narrow hallways and staff pushing huge hand trucks into people. The air circulation system, if there is one, barely functioned so the air was barely breathable. The only positive of the arena is the rentable cell phone chargers. Overall, Phish is amazing, arena is awful. MVP is a breath away from a stampede and should be condemned. I will never go back. read more

As someone that grew up in a NYC borough, I can really appreciate the many live music and sports venues in the Albany area. My perspective is very different...I'm used to experiencing a parking/traffic/obnoxious people cluster that can take hours and hours to disperse post-show. Not that Albany doesn't have it's issues....but Madison Square Garden? Nassau Coliseum? Jones Beach Theater? Meadowlands??! By comparison, TUC is a pleasure. There are multiple parking lots in the area. Some cost more than others, but if you're willing to walk a couple of blocks and are attending a popular show, there's a well priced lot just off 787 (near the overpass). I've parked in the attached lot for $10 or $20 a pop...but it's convenient. Yes - traffic can definitely suck here. But if you plan ahead and get to the area with enough time, there shouldn't be any issue with missing the first half of your show or game. So, speaking of games....I'm very sad that Albany no longer has a hockey team. It's just sad. Now that the renovations are done, the former outside is a great, cavernous area with stairways, escalators and elevators that will bring patrons up to the main level of the venue. There are plenty of vendors selling snacks and beverages. Concessions are expensive; $12 for popcorn and a bottle of water...but that's the way these things are. Seating is easy enough to find. Speaking of seating....I'm not a fan of floor seats. I saw a show here over the summer and if you weigh more than 120 pounds, you'll be touching the person next to you. Literally - you're smashed in the floor seats like sardines. Not a fan. Bathrooms are a little weird....there are handicapped/accessible restrooms on the main level that are rather small...but the bathrooms are down a flight of stairs (and I'm pretty sure there aren't elevators or escalators to get down there). If you're in a wheelchair or can't navigate stairs, you're stuck with the smaller restrooms on the main level. Perfectly reasonable venue...but they should really re-examine how they handle floor seating. read more

Disney on Ice Best we have ever seen. Park in outside lots if need to exit quick $25 or inside Arena park if can wait 20-30 mins to exit $10. Clean and fun.. skaters were amazing! Great afternoon 12-2.. we sat in the middle area half way up. To see the castle and actors closer.. buy seats behind where a "goalie" would be. But we saw everything at half ice. Music was great.. souvenirs are $$$$ but that's how these things go! read more

I came here last month to see the opening show of Ariana Grande's Sweetener Tour ($65 bucks/ticket). I sat in the furthest back row (S) and thought that the view was just fine. The only thing I found hard to view were the 2 side screens left/right of the main stage. The center stage for her performance extended out all the way toward the back projector/lighting area so it made it easy to see the majority of the performance. Drinks/food inside are expensive (as most sports arenas are) but there were a ton of food options right outside the center that offered lots of cheaper eats. Arena food included pretzels, hot dogs, beer, Gatorade and water (for $6). I was able to park in a public parking lot 2 minutes away for free! The lot belonged to the beer garden so I went inside the beer garden prior to coming to the concert. Getting in and out of the venue was pretty easy and the purse-checking process was super quick. I barely waited in a line to get into the venue. Outside the lobby area was where they were selling merchandise. Someone was trying to steal someone else's tickets in this space and security intersected immediately when it happened without creating a scene/fuss. I thought that was impressive. The arena was a little hot and sweaty inside. The acoustics and sound quality were just okay. Like many other sports arenas, you're not allowed purses, bags or backpacks inside. You can only bring a see-through purse or ziplock back with your belongings. read more

Formerly the Pepsi Arena and the Knickerbocker Arena (from back in the day), the Times Union Center is a good regional venue for concerts, sporting events (Albany River Rats, Albany Conquest, Siena Saints Basketball, NCAA, WWE), circuses, ice shows, large ceremonies, and trade shows. I still end up calling this place the "Pepsi" out of habit. I've enjoyed many great concerts and events here and I've gotten pretty good seats (floor level or lower level) here compared to the larger markets like Boston or NYC, where my seats are far into the nosebleed section. PARKING: There are several parking lots and garages located off South Pearl near the TU Center. For easy highway access, park in the Empire State Plaza Garage (P2 or P3) under the Egg or the East Garage (after 5 PM weekdays), 5 to 10 minute walk. read more

In this day and age, I understand and appreciate the need for metal detectors at venues where large crowds gather. But the Times Union Center has taken security measures just a step too far, in my opinion, by banning the use of personal cameras. My wife and I purchased tickets for a WWE event, traveling from Toronto (a six hour drive, plus an hour wait at the border) for a long weekend. We received an e-mail from the arena via Ticketmaster advising that cameras were not allowed, but cellphone cameras were welcome. This seemed strange, so I contacted the venue through Facebook asking why they would ban cameras, and if there was any way that I could be allowed in, given the distance we were coming from, and the fact that they didn't post this information on Ticketmaster's event page, which would have discouraged us from spending the $200+ in the first place. Their response was simply "Sorry for the inconvenience, but cameras are not allowed" with no explanation as to why. Our hotel was a five minute walk from the arena, so I planned to bring the camera and simply walk back if I was turned away, but I decided to (begrudgingly) leave it in the room. When we arrived, we passed through the metal detectors, set them off, and were allowed in without a pat-down. That was a little odd. But as we took our seats, we were surrounded by people with cameras, some with huge flash apparatus, some with detachable lenses,, all snapping photos within feet of a security guard who was more interested in telling people to sit down than enforcing the camera ban? I can understand why certain events allow cameras and others don't, but WWE encourages fans to take as many photos as they like. The only thing they discourage is the filming of their events. But to ban cameras outright with no explanation is ridiculous. The restrooms for the arena are oddly located in the basement, but there is no access to them from the floor seating. One has to climb the stairs to the main concourse, descend into the basement, then climb stairs out of the basement and descend to the floor area again. read more

MVP Arena - Great to see that the strict no-camera policy is enforced. - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Albany, New York

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This is a pretty decent mid-sized arena, with good sight lines all around. Concessions are pretty standard and boring, and are spread around in old-style booths on the outer ring, but they're not too far from seats and there are enough of them that the lines don't seem to get excessively long. There's no permanent souvenir stand, however, or store, and the one restaurant is small. The restrooms are somewhat inconveniently located on lower levels and the traffic routing in and out isn't well thought-out. If there's an emergency first aid station, I didn't see it marked at all in two complete circles of the outer area. The parking is spread around downtown, but that's a good thing, as it avoids having permanent gridlock after an event; on a recent trip we were out of our garage and on the highway within 10 minutes of reaching the car. We also had a pleasant experience with the ushers and concession staff, relative to the genre, as it were. All in all, this is never going to replace a proper modern arena but it's up to date enough not to feel shabby and the smaller scale makes it a nicer venue than a lot of bigger spots. read more

Ah, the Knick. A great place generally to see anything. It's a third tier city arena, so it's not huge. This is generally a good thing because it's hard to have a bad seat for concerts etc. It's also not overly crowded and you can park for free if you are a little savvy and willing to walk a short distance. Seats are comfy for an arena. read more

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0 stars. MVP Arena is a dump and should be ashamed. Was there for 2 nights for the Luke Combs concerts in Sept/Oct 2022 and before the main act even came out the bathrooms had no toilet paper and some were overflowing. Disgusting. What a mess. Had to bring TP for the second night and warned others to do the same. read more

Smallest most uncomfortable seating I've ever experienced in my life and I'm not a big fat guy. It was ridiculous and we'll never go back. Other than the kindergarten seats it was a nice venue. read more

5 stars for a great venue. what cant you do times union AKA pepsi AKA knickerbocker arena? can you serve as the spot where i turn the tassel from left to write (haha state school) btw, the college president YELLED at the 4000+ people graduating claiming, sit down, be quiet, dont you have any respect, to which the inflatable doll popped up out of the aforementioned unruly so to be grads (it was NOT me though)! can you put on a roaring good concert? well there have been double albums released from here and last night was also an indication, that yes, yes you can rock out. ps thank you security for not checking me at all! and allowing me to bring in my water WOOHOO free water! can you put on sporting events? yes, yes you can but even so who cares about semi pro? meh, its still fun and affordable, but i havent been to a game there in a bit. sure the concourse can get packed with 10,000 hippies (smells interest indeed) and the beer lines can get unruly, but as a whole, you get 5 stars from me times pepsi knickerunion center arena. read more

Ah! I'm not a huge fan of the seating layout. It took me a while to figure out how to make my way down to floor seating at a wrestling event. Then to go buy stuff later I had to exit the one of maybe 3 exiting areas in the floor seating area. It totally sucked to originally walk down the wrong aisle to be sent back up and around to find the very few openings to floor seats. Overall it's the average arena with some really helpful people and others that let their roles get to their heads; like security. Parking is great as there are several lots you'll pass as you approach the place. read more

Sound was not good for a Dave Matthews concert. I've been to many Dave shows and I think they need to update there sound. I give 4 stars because of Dave Matthews band. The venue security is to relaxed. Almost everyone that entered through the security scanners the alarm would sound and security would just keep passing them through. Had I know that I would have puts some beers in my pockets instead of paying the high price. They way security was did not make me feel safe. I think you could have brought whatever you wanted in the show. I don't think I would spend the $100 on a concert here again. The venue was clean and warm. The downstairs restrooms looked new. The restrooms were clean and fresh looking. The people that worked the concessions were awesome. read more

We attended the Feld Corporations "Jurassic Park" show a couple of mos ago and had a terrible experience. In fact we probably will not ever go there again because they appear to be biased against seniors. After I sat down Mike went to get drinks all the way back upstairs as they didn't open the stalls downstairs. There was a lot of noise but the next thing was a woman tried to climb over me with no warning stepping all over my feet and banging my knee. I am 68 but have a disabled knee. She yelled at me "I said excuse me several times" and continued to complain after sitting down. The seats were on the floor and expensive so after saying to me that "if I couldn't take the noise I shouldn't be there and that this is akids show" I told her not to speak to me anymore and I move to our end seat and turned away to avoid her. She called security over and the guard told me "to behave myself". When Mike sat down next to her she caled the guard again and said that he was "deliberately sitting on her seat". The guard was heavy set as we are and the chairs were locked together so I tried to explain but she stated sahe was calling security to have us "escorted out". A manager agreed to let us sit elsewhere in cheaper seats but I suggested it to defuse the situation. since then I have requested a full refund because we were embarrassed and upset and didn't enjoy the show. The administrator promised an investigation but after weeks we filed a complaint with the AG's office. I am unable to attack anyone as I am disabled and if being larger or older is a problem then their security guard should look in the mirror. They created a "file" we were told and we are asking that be erased as it is defamation of character with no proof. They are not friendly to disabled or older customers. read more

Please fix the air conditioner. Ruined my whole concert experience. I couldn't enjoy the show without buying $20 water just so I didn't pass out from heat exhaustion. read more

So I saw a concert there Saturday night, and I think I would have had a better experience just staying home watching youtube videos of the show. We got floor seats, and they put in chairs- which sucks, but whatever. However, the chairs were packed so close together people had to exit the row for you to get in. Then when you stood up, you had just enough room to stand. Trying to rock out to the music or move your feet was impossible. It was just shifting weight from 1 numb foot to another so you didn't lock your legs and pass out. The worst part was the security. They had zero ability to keep people in the proper row. We skipped the opening band, and there were obviously too many people in our row by the time we got there for us to actually make it to our seats. The solution was to just pack us all in rather than kick out the people in the wrong spot. So there we are, packed in, can't move, and paid $150 to be uncomfortable. Awesome, thanks. We did not get to enjoy the show from our seats at all, and just left for the bleachers half way through. Went to get a beer, only to be told they stopped service at 10:00. It was 10:05. Sound sucked and light show was small- basically only looked good from the floor. Bottom line- never see a rock show here. read more

I enjoyed going to Albany Devils games and I appreciate when artists I want to see come through. However, the arena itself is in a sad, sorry state. The bathrooms are poorly lit and dingy and there is no where to hang a coat or purse in the stall. This is a big deal, even if it doesn't sound like one, especially in the winter. While there is a decent variety of concessions (glad they brought in Nine Pin and Dino BBQ - that moves them up from one star!), the mark up on prices is outrageous. It shouldn't be as expensive to get a beer at the TU as it is in one of the nice, renovated/new theaters in NYC. The TU should take a hint from a place like the Joe. Going to Valley Cats games is fun and affordable, down to even craft/trademark concessions and I don't see why that model can't at the TU. The Devils left because they had the worst attendance in the league and I'm going to bet that a big part of that is it's not affordable to go as a couple, nevermind a family. Another huge issue is the seating. I can go to a nice venue in NYC (I'm a big concert goer) and be comfortable or I can pay the same price to sit at the TU in a seat that feels like it's about to snap and is filthy. The seats are incredibly uncomfortable and lack even cup holders. All in all, the building is out of date and uncomfortable. I have a big issue with the "enhanced security," which is ridiculous and a waste of time. I don't want to feel like I am entering a prison when I am trying to have a fun night out. With all of these issues, the venue is spending an incredible amount of money to update the facade, of all things! Try making the interior a place someone would want to be. read more

I've been to many events here, but my favorite so far is the arena football games. The Albany Empire is a fantastic arena football team and Albany has a history of amazing AFB. It definitely gets us through the NFL offseason. But it's also an amazing night filled with fun for the whole family. Plus, I can find my favorite items from Dinosaur BBQ and Druthers at this local event location. read more

MVP Arena - Stadiums & Arenas Near Me - Albany, New York

A fixture in Albany since I was a child, have been coming here for as long. Parking can be tricky but next door is frequently a parking garage for $5 and there are other areas within a short walk for the same amount of money. Downsides include very high priced food/drink options inside, along with the majority of options being alcohol related. Also, seating can be tight and difficult to navigate if there are a lot of people (getting to your seat in the middle i.e.) Acoustics aren't that great either. As some have said relatively clean, parking is decent. it isn't flashy or hugely expensive, but does draw some big name acts. read more

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The Times Union Center is a very good sports arena located in the Capital Region. I've been to many events here for sports, shows, and other events. The arena isn't huge, but it's decent size. The food is solid Stadium food as well, but it's overpriced. A hot dog is $7. Also, Dallas Hot Wieners is located inside the arena which is a nice addition. The biggest problem with this arena is the seats. They are uncomfortable and small and they don't even have cup holders. Overall, The Times Union Center is a good Stadium in the Capital Region, but the seats are not comfortable. read more

I swear the TU isn't as big as I remember it - is it possible it's shrinking? I've been there recently for both a hockey game and a concert, and I think it's a better event for sports than concerts. It's small enough that there isn't really a bad seat in the house, but I think there could maybe be more staff helping people find their seats. I don't super love the overcooked pizza smell that is ALWAYS there. Bathrooms also seemed few and far between. Parking was a nightmare when we were there most recently, but that's not TU's fault - it was really cold and nobody had patience to let people out of their spots to exit the garage. They had police directing traffic once you did manage to get out of the garage, and then we were off! I have to agree with whoever said it was a little outdated, and I don't find myself going there often - perhaps it's just a change in MY tastes that leads me to other venues. read more

I've been here twice and it's a really nice venue. Strange that I went to college 10 minutes from here and I never stepped foot in this place until 20 years after. I have to say that the venue is big yet small. You can see many great things from your seat. Even if you're in the nosebleeds, it's not BAD like Barclays or the Prudential Center. In those places, you'll need a telescope if you're in the upper rows. I was there 6 days ago and saw Twenty One Pilots. It's convenient (literally minutes from the NYS Thruway and I90) and it's clean. Whatever show is there and you're interested, just go there. read more

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Go Devils, had a good time here , and the tickets are dirt cheap compared to Prudential. The arena is very outdated, old, and dirty. The food options are worse than your normal arena food. I had a cold pulled pork sandwich from Dino BBQ, it was ice cold. There were a lot of stands inside too but they were all closed. The team store really had nothing either. But I guess that is the AHL. read more

This will always be the Knickerbocker Arena for those us us who live in the area. Mostly because it's more fun to say. I went to see the Dead on April 17th 2009. I had been to see the Grateful Dead in this arena about 15 years before and for nostalgia sake went to see them again. The show as fascinating, and my youthful adventures was seen was a different eye now that I've got on in life. You cant live the same things twice can you? The Knick is somehow intimate in it's presence. I have't been to a concert in a while It's starting to look a little dated on the inside. For the guys there is always room at one of the urinals when you have to go. They must have done the math on micturation per male, because there was never a wait. Amazingly, nobody was smoking cigarettes. The outside area that was designated had very few people there. I remember that being the worst part of a concert, and I'm glad to see the population moving away from cigarettes. read more

Went for the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament. 8,000+ people there on Friday night, 9000+ today and only 1 !!!! Handicap Women's bathroom!!! Seats are extremely narrow and no leg room at all! Definitely not a venue I will frequent. Extremely disappointed. read more

Easy to park, easy to navigate, and relatively clean. Thats pretty much all im looking for when i go to a venue like this. Its not as fancy as some, but if youre going to see a concert or a game, its a good place to be. Food and drinks are, of course, expensive, but not more than any other arena. One thing they do have that is nice is a bicardi bar so you can step it up from wine or beer if youre interested. Bathrooms are large and set off from the main area (below ground) which is actually really nice. I never waited to an open restroom despite there being lots of people. I would go back. read more