Editing Rocket Arena (section)

==History==
[[File:Gund Arena.svg|thumb|left|100px|The Gund Arena logo and name was used from 1994 to 2005.]]
Rocket Arena was preceded in downtown Cleveland by the [[Cleveland Arena]], a facility built in 1937 with a [[seating capacity]] for basketball of approximately 12,000. It was best known as the site of the [[Moondog Coronation Ball]] in 1952, widely regarded as the first [[rock and roll]] concert.<ref name=case/> Cleveland Arena was the first home of the Cavaliers in 1970.<ref name=case/>

The Cleveland Arena was also the home of an earlier professional basketball team, the [[Cleveland Rebels]] of the [[Basketball Association of America]], the original [[Cleveland Barons (1937–73)|Cleveland Barons]] ice hockey team, and hosted several games of the [[Cincinnati Royals]] of the NBA in the 1960s. By 1970, however, Cleveland Arena was outdated and in disrepair. The Cavs played there their first four seasons. It was replaced in 1974 by the 20,273-seat [[Richfield Coliseum]], located in [[Richfield, Ohio|Richfield]], between Cleveland and [[Akron, Ohio|Akron]].<ref name=case>{{cite encyclopedia |title=Cleveland Arena|url=http://ech.case.edu/cgi/article.pl?id=CA5|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Cleveland History|publisher=[[Case Western Reserve University]]|date=March 27, 1998|access-date=December 15, 2015}}</ref>

[[File:The Q Quicken Loans Arena.svg|thumb|left|100px|The Quicken Loans Arena logo and name was used from 2005 to 2019.]]

During the 1980s, the site of the Central Market, a fruit and vegetable market that dated back to 1856, was selected for construction of a multi-purpose domed stadium for the [[Cleveland Browns]] and [[Cleveland Indians]], but the ballot measure to fund it was defeated by voters. The market site was acquired in 1985 and cleared in 1987 in a continued push for new downtown sports facilities by city and business leaders. In 1990, voters approved a [[sin tax]] on alcohol and tobacco products in Cuyahoga County to fund the [[Gateway Sports and Entertainment Complex]], which includes the arena and adjacent Progressive Field.<ref name=sin>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1990/06/13/business/real-estate-new-sports-complex-for-cleveland.html|access-date=November 7, 2010|title=Real Estate; New Sports Complex for Cleveland|date=June 13, 1990|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|last=Stoffel|first=Jennifer}}</ref> Construction began in 1992 with the ballpark opening in April 1994 and the arena in October 1994.<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://ech.cwru.edu/ech-cgi/article.pl?id=CM|title=Central Market|encyclopedia=The Encyclopedia of Cleveland History|publisher=[[Case Western Reserve University]]|date=March 25, 1998|access-date=July 7, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite encyclopedia |title=Quicken Loans Arena|url=http://ech.case.edu/cgi/article.pl?id=QLA |encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Cleveland History|publisher=[[Case Western Reserve University]]|access-date=December 15, 2015|date=September 12, 2008}}</ref> The arena opened with a concert by [[Billy Joel]] on October 17, 1994. The Cavaliers played their first regular-season game in the arena a few weeks later, a loss to the [[Houston Rockets]] on November 8, 1994.<ref>{{cite news |title=Houston Rockets at Cleveland Cavaliers Box Score|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/boxscores/199411080CLE.html|publisher=Basketball-Reference|date=November 8, 1994|access-date=October 5, 2012}}</ref>

[[File:Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse logo.svg|thumb|left|100px|The Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse logo and name was used from 2019 to 2025.]]

As part of his purchase of the team and the arena naming rights in 2005, [[Dan Gilbert (businessman)|Dan Gilbert]], owner of [[Quicken Loans]], funded renovations of the arena, which included installing new wine-colored seats, state-of-the-art [[scoreboard]]s, video systems, and sound systems, new arena graphics and signage, and upgrades to security, locker rooms, and the suites, all of which were in place for the start of the Cavaliers' [[2005–06 Cleveland Cavaliers season|2005–2006 season]], except for the seats, which were replaced a few sections at a time.

Gilbert purchased the then-inactive [[Utah Grizzlies (1995–2005)|Utah Grizzlies]] franchise of the [[American Hockey League]] on May 16, 2006, and announced that it would move to Quicken Loans Arena to replace the departed [[Cleveland Barons (2001–06)|Cleveland Barons]]. The team name was announced as the Lake Erie Monsters on January 25, 2007, and began play in the 2007–08 season. The Lake Erie Monsters changed their name to the [[Cleveland Monsters]] on August 9, 2016.

The [[Las Vegas Gladiators]] of the [[Arena Football League]] announced on October 16, 2007, that they would move to Quicken Loans Arena, becoming the [[Cleveland Gladiators]].

===Improvements===
In December 2016, the Cavaliers announced plans for renovations to the arena that included an increase in the square footage of the concourses and open areas, along with upgrades throughout the building.<ref>{{cite web |title=Cleveland Cavaliers Announce Plans for $140M Renovation of Arena|first=Tom|last=Withers|url=http://www.nba.com/article/2016/12/13/cavs-announce-plans-140-million-renovation-arena|publisher=National Basketball Association|agency=[[Associated Press]]|date=December 13, 2016|access-date=December 13, 2016|quote=The Cavaliers announced plans Tuesday for a $140&nbsp;million project to renovate Quicken Loans Arena, the downtown home of the NBA champions since 1994.}}</ref> The plan, which relied partly on tax money for funding, faced opposition from activist groups including the [[Cuyahoga County Progressive Caucus]] and the Greater Cleveland Congregations (GCC).<ref name=":3">{{cite news |title=No Public Money for Q Improvements, Says Cuyahoga County Progressive Caucus|first=Karen|last=Farkas|url=http://www.cleveland.com/cuyahoga-county/index.ssf/2017/02/cuyahoga_county_progressive_caucus_joins_opposition_to_county_funding_q_improvements.html|newspaper=[[The Plain Dealer]]|location=Cleveland|date=February 10, 2017|access-date=January 1, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Top 10 Government and Economic Development Stories of 2017|first=Jay|last=Miller|url=http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20171227/news/146611/top-10-government-and-economic-development-stories-2017|work=Crain's Cleveland Business|date=December 27, 2017|access-date=January 3, 2018}}</ref> After the groups submitted signatures to force a referendum on the plan, the Cavaliers announced that they were withdrawing from the plan, citing rising costs and delays caused by the prospective referendum.<ref>{{cite news |title=Cavaliers Withdraw From $140 Million Quicken Loans Arena transformation project|url=https://www.news5cleveland.com/sports/basketball/cavaliers/cavaliers-withdraw-from-140-million-quicken-loans-arena-transformation-project|publisher=[[WEWS-TV]]|location=Cleveland|date=August 29, 2017|access-date=January 3, 2018}}</ref> However, in August 2017, after Cuyahoga County made a non-binding commitment to build two mental health crisis centers, the GCC withdrew its petitions.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2017/08/31/the-q-deal-is-alive-and-well-how-gcc-compromised-to-resuscitate-it|title=The Q Deal is Alive and Well – How GCC Compromised to Resuscitate It|last=Allard|first=Sam|work=Cleveland Scene|date=August 31, 2017|access-date=January 6, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Petitions Seeking Referendum on The Q Upgrades Withdrawn, Ending Challenge by Greater Cleveland Congregations|first=Robert|last=Higgs|url=http://www.cleveland.com/metro/index.ssf/2017/08/petitions_seeking_referendum_o.html|newspaper=[[The Plain Dealer]]|location=Cleveland|date=August 31, 2017|access-date=January 5, 2018}}</ref> In December 2017, the team stated it was moving forward with the renovations. The project was finished in September 2019 by [[The Whiting-Turner Contracting Company]], with the final cost being approximately $185 million.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Astolfi |first1=Courtney |title=Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse ready for grand re-opening after $185 million transformation: First-look photos |url=https://www.cleveland.com/news/2019/09/rocket-mortgage-fieldhouse-ready-for-grand-re-opening-after-185-million-transformation.html |website=Cleveland.com |date=September 24, 2019 |publisher=Advance Local Media LLC |access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Topping Off Ceremony Marks Construction Milestone for The Q Transformation |url=https://www.rocketmortgagefieldhouse.com/news/detail/topping-off-ceremony-190116 |website=Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse |access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref>

===Design and operations===
The arena seats 19,432 for basketball, with 2,000 club seats and 88 [[luxury suite]]s. Seating is divided into three levels, with two main levels of suites and five "platinum suites" on the event level.  Around the seating there are two main concourses, one on the ground level to access the 100 level seating and 32 lower suites, and an upper concourse for the top 200 level seating. The lower concourse also includes the ticket office and the two-level main team shop. In between is the club level, which provides access to the 60 upper suites and club seating. Also on the club level is an auxiliary gym, which was used by the Cavaliers as their main practice court until the opening of the Cleveland Clinic Courts practice facility in 2007.

In the hockey<!--, indoor soccer--> and arena football configuration, capacity is 18,926. During most Monsters games, the upper-level seating is closed and covered by a large curtain, reducing capacity to 9,447. In the basketball configuration, when the upper-level seating is closed, capacity is listed at 11,751. 60% of the seating is located in the lower two levels.<ref name=funfacts>{{cite web|title=Quicken Loans Arena Fun Facts|url=http://www.theqarena.com/arena-info/about-quicken-loans-arena/quicken-loans-arena-fun-facts|publisher=Quicken Loans Arena|year=2015|access-date=December 16, 2015|archive-date=September 17, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180917105332/https://www.theqarena.com/arena-info/about-quicken-loans-arena/quicken-loans-arena-fun-facts|url-status=dead}}</ref> The seating capacity was reduced in 2018 as part of a major renovation project that expanded the concourses, removed three sections of seating in the upper level, and updated other parts of the facility. From the opening of the arena until 2018, seating capacity for basketball was listed at 20,562, with a maximum for ice hockey<!--, indoor soccer--> and arena football at 20,056.<ref>{{cite news|title=Take a Behind-the-Scenes Tour of the Q Renovation|first=Courtney|last=Astolfi|url=http://s.cleveland.com/epZvIlZ|newspaper=[[The Plain Dealer]]|location=Cleveland|date=September 28, 2018|access-date=September 28, 2018|archive-date=December 26, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191226004403/http://s.cleveland.com/epZvIlZ|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[File:Humongotron.jpg|thumb|300px|The scoreboard with flames during player introductions in 2014]]
The main scoreboard at Rocket Arena, nicknamed ''Humongotron'', is the fourth largest scoreboard used in an NBA arena. It was installed in October 2014.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2246757-cavaliers-announce-quicken-loans-arena-is-now-home-to-nbas-biggest-videoboard|title=Cavaliers Announce Quicken Loans Arena Is Now Home to NBA's Biggest Scoreboard|work=[[Bleacher Report]]|date=October 27, 2014|access-date=October 28, 2014}}</ref>

On the roof of the building is a large LED message board that measures {{convert|360|ft}} by {{convert|90|ft}}. The sign was approved by the Cleveland City Planning Commission in March 2016 with the stipulation that only the arena's name or its naming rights sponsor can be shown. Any other use of the sign needs commission approval.<ref>{{cite news |title=Cleveland Cavaliers' Plan for Giant LED Sign Atop The Q Gets Planning Commission's OK|first=Michelle|last=Jarboe|url=http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2016/03/cleveland_cavaliers_plan_for_g.html|newspaper=[[The Plain Dealer]]|location=Cleveland|date=March 18, 2016|access-date=February 10, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The New 'Quicken Loans Arena' LED Sign Debuted Last Night|url=http://www.clevescene.com/scene-and-heard/archives/2016/05/18/the-new-quicken-loans-arena-led-sign-debuted-last-night |date=May 18, 2016|author=Allard, Sam|work=Cleveland Scene|access-date=February 10, 2017}}</ref>

The arena, along with neighboring [[Progressive Field]] and an adjacent parking garage, is owned by the Gateway Economic Development Corporation of Greater Cleveland, an entity made up of members appointed by the governments of the city of Cleveland and [[Cuyahoga County, Ohio|Cuyahoga County]]. Gateway leases the arena to the Cavaliers, who also manage the [[Cleveland Monsters]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Who We Are|url=http://www.gatewaysportscomplex.org/who.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005012345/http://gatewaysportscomplex.org/who.html|url-status=usurped|archive-date=October 5, 2013|year=2013|publisher=Gateway Economic Development Corporation of Greater Cleveland|access-date=December 16, 2015}}</ref>
 
In March 2017, in partnership with the non-profit organization KultureCity, the Cavaliers officially introduced the availability of [[Autism friendly|accommodations]] during all events for guests with hypersensitivity needs, such as attendees with [[autism spectrum]] disorders. This includes staff training, free "sensory bags" with headphones, a blanket, and other items geared towards attendees with sensory needs, as well as a [[sensory room]] and exemptions from re-entry policies if they are overwhelmed by the environment. The arena became the first in the NBA to be certified by KultureCity as being "sensory inclusive".<ref name="sbnation-sensory">{{cite web |title=Cleveland Cavaliers Have First Sensory Inclusive Sporting Arena. Here's What That Means and Why It Matters|first=Kristian|last=Winfield|url=https://www.sbnation.com/2017/3/31/15129734/cleveland-cavaliers-quicken-loans-arena-nba-sensory-inclusive|work=[[SB Nation]]|date=March 31, 2017|access-date=April 1, 2017}}</ref><ref name="cleveland-sensoryfriendly">{{cite news |title=Cavaliers Debut The Quiet Space Sensory Room Aimed at Expanding Accessibility Inside The Q|first=Joe|last=Noga|url=http://www.cleveland.com/cavs/index.ssf/2017/03/cavaliers_debut_the_quiet_spac.html|website=[[The Plain Dealer]]|location=Cleveland|date=March 30, 2017|access-date=April 1, 2017}}</ref>