Allen Event Center

Allen, Texas
Construction Cost: $38.6 million
Occupancy Date: October 2009

The Allen Event Center is the anchor component of a 400-acre retail and office development in suburban Dallas. With a seating capacity of 8,300, including 24 luxury and club suites, the arena is expected to host as many as 150 events and one million visitors per year. The home venue for a Central Hockey League franchise, the Allen Americans, the center also has a separate ice sheet for community use.

The brilliantly lit facade is augmented by a video board, a marquee and a two-story rotunda with floor-to-ceiling windows and a balcony overhang that heightens its visibility from an adjacent shopping district. The lobby features terrazzo flooring with the Texas Lone Star prominently displayed at the entry vestibule. Ample and free covered parking encourages patrons to spend time in and around the venue before and after events.

Numerous cost-savings efforts are reflected at the concourse and event levels. The entire facility utilizes a tilt-up panel construction with the integration of a curtainwall system. A simple long-span structure follows an efficient and clear layout. High-end finishes help define spaces where patrons spend money — the lobbies and suites, for example — whereas materials in back-of-the-house spaces reflect a more economical approach.