Quick Answer
The Laredo Energy Arena in Laredo, Texas has a maximum seating capacity of 10,000 for concerts and 9,700 for sporting events. The arena can hold around 8,000-9,000 people for events that utilize both the arena floor and all seating areas. The exact number of people the arena can accommodate depends on the event layout and space used.
Detailed Answer
The Laredo Energy Arena is a multi-purpose arena located in Laredo, Texas. The arena was built in 2002 and is primarily used for sporting events, concerts, family shows, and other entertainment events. Here is a more detailed overview of the arena’s seating capacity:
Concert Seating
For concerts, Laredo Energy Arena has a maximum seating capacity of 10,000. This allows the arena to host large concerts and touring shows. The concert capacity includes seating in the permanent arena bowl, luxury suites, and any floor seating set up on the event floor. Stadium-style chairback seats are set up on the floor to allow for maximum concert attendance.
Sporting Event Seating
For sporting events like basketball and hockey games, Laredo Energy Arena has a slightly smaller capacity of 9,700. This is because sporting events require more space on the event floor for the playing surface. There is less room to set up temporary floor seating. Permanent arena seating includes 8,002 fixed seats in the lower and upper levels surrounding the main event floor. There are also 20 luxury suites with seating for a total of 380 spectators. The arena can accommodate up to 1,318 additional fans in standing room and special event luxury seating when available.
Other Event Seating
For other events like family shows, graduations, and speaking engagements, the seating capacity can range between 8,000-9,000. The flexibility comes from the amount of floor seating and standing room space made available. For many non-concert events, some or all of the permanent lower bowl and suite seating is accessible, along with any general admission floor and standing room tickets sold.
Seating Areas and Layouts
Here is an overview of the different seating areas and layouts that factor into the overall capacity at Laredo Energy Arena:
Lower Bowl
The lower bowl contains 6,300 permanent chairback seats surrounding the arena floor and event stage. The lower bowl seats are retractable to allow for more floor space as needed.
Upper Level
The upper level at Laredo Energy Arena contains 1,702 permanent arena-style seats with backs and cup holders. These seats are in the upper deck and allow for raised spectator viewing.
Luxury Suites
There are 20 luxury suites located on the main concourse level of the arena. Suites have lounge seating for 18-20 spectators each, totaling 380 luxury suite seats.
Club Seating
The arena has 320 club seats located on the main concourse with access to the Climate Control Club lounge.
Standing Room
For some concerts and events, standing room tickets are sold for the available space on the arena floor behind the last row of lower bowl seating. This can accommodate over 1,000 additional attendees depending on the event floor layout.
Temporary Seating
Temporary floor seating can be set up on the event floor level when concerts and other events utilize the full space. This allows for extra chairback seating near the stage or performance area. The amount of temporary seating varies per event.
Maximum Capacity Configurations
To demonstrate the arena’s overall flexibility, here are some of the common maximum capacity configurations:
| Event Type | Seating Areas Used | Total Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Concert | Lower Bowl, Upper Level, Suites, Floor Seating | 10,000 |
| Basketball Game | Lower Bowl, Upper Level, Suites | 9,700 |
| Graduation | Lower Bowl, Upper Level, Floor Seating | 9,000 |
As shown above, by utilizing different sections and seating areas, Laredo Energy Arena can accommodate crowds of up to 10,000 people for its largest events. The arena was specifically designed with a flexible layout to host diverse sports and entertainment events.
Recent Event Capacities
Here are some examples of real events held recently at the Laredo Energy Arena to demonstrate how the seating capacity can vary:
Chris Stapleton Concert – February 2022
In February 2022, the arena hosted a concert by country singer Chris Stapleton. The concert was sold out at full capacity of 10,000 attendees. The capacity included all permanent lower and upper level seating, suites, club seating, and floor seating on the event level.
Monster Jam – January 2022
Monster Jam held one of its monster truck rallies at the arena in January 2022. The event capacity was 9,500 spectators. This included most lower bowl and upper level seats, as well as special floor seating sections near the truck performance area.
Miss Texas Pageant – July 2022
The Miss Texas Scholarship Pageant was hosted at the arena in July 2022. This event utilized about 7,000 seats, with spectators seated in the lower bowl sections and no floor seating. Some upper level and suite seating was closed off.
Venue Features to Accommodate Large Crowds
Laredo Energy Arena was constructed and designed with state-of-the-art amenities to support high-capacity events. Here are some key features that allow the venue to comfortably accommodate up to 10,000 attendees:
- Large concourses and a main concourse spanning the perimeter of the arena – Provides abundant space for event circulation and concession stands
- Over 50 restroom facilities located on all levels – Minimizes wait times and lines
- Escalators connecting the upper and lower levels – Allows quick access between seating areas
- Large entry and exit plazas – Safely moves thousands of people in and out of the venue
- A box office and on-site ticket center – Provides 11 windows for quick ticketing services
- Parking for 5,000 vehicles on site – Accommodates arriving and departing arena traffic
The arena operations and guest services team is experienced in managing sold out crowds and high attendance events. With modern amenities to handle capacity crowds and a flexible seating design, Laredo Energy Arena remains a premier event destination in South Texas.
Future Expansion Plans
While Laredo Energy Arena already hosts crowds of 10,000 for major concerts and events, there are future plans to expand the venue’s capacity even further.
In 2022, the City of Laredo and SMG, the arena’s management company, announced plans for a major renovation and expansion project expected to begin in 2024. Plans include:
- Adding up to 2,000 new permanent seats to reach 10,000 fixed seats
- New floor seating sections with up to 1,500 capacity
- More luxury suites, loge boxes, and club seating
- Expansion of the main concourse and improved fan amenities
With these upgrades, the total maximum seating capacity of Laredo Energy Arena could potentially reach up to 13,000 for concerts and other high attendance events. The plans will expand the venue’s offerings and allow it to continue attracting top entertainment and sports events.
Conclusion
In summary, Laredo Energy Arena currently has a maximum capacity of around 10,000 attendees for concerts that utilize all arena sections and floor seating. For sporting events, the standard capacity is 9,700 without extra floor seating. The versatility of the arena’s design with a combination of permanent and temporary seating allows for varied configurations between 8,000 to 10,000 spectators. Planned future renovations will expand the venue’s size and capacity even more to accommodate growing event attendance. With its modern amenities and excellent capability to handle large crowds, the Laredo Energy Arena remains a premier venue for sports and entertainment in South Texas.
