Madison Square Garden has hosted the New York Knicks since 1968. That makes it the oldest arena in the NBA by a wide margin. The next-oldest building, Minnesota’s Target Center, didn’t open until 1990.
Below is every current NBA home arena ranked by the year it opened, updated for 2026 naming changes (Phoenix, Cleveland and Philadelphia all have new arena names). It also covers why the list bunches up in 1999 and which teams are already planning replacements.
Quick Answer
The oldest NBA arena is Madison Square Garden in New York, home of the Knicks, which opened in 1968 and is about 58 years old in 2026. The next oldest are Target Center in Minneapolis (1990), Delta Center in Salt Lake City (1991), Mortgage Matchup Center in Phoenix (1992), and Rocket Arena in Cleveland and the United Center in Chicago (both 1994). The newest is Intuit Dome in Inglewood, which opened in 2024.
All 30 NBA Arenas Ranked by Year Opened
Ranking is by the year the current building first opened. Ties are listed alphabetically by arena name. Ages are calculated for 2026.
| # | Arena | Team | Opened | Age (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Madison Square Garden | New York Knicks | 1968 | 58 |
| 2 | Target Center | Minnesota Timberwolves | 1990 | 36 |
| 3 | Delta Center | Utah Jazz | 1991 | 35 |
| 4 | Mortgage Matchup Center | Phoenix Suns | 1992 | 34 |
| 5 | Rocket Arena | Cleveland Cavaliers | 1994 | 32 |
| 6 | United Center | Chicago Bulls | 1994 | 32 |
| 7 | Moda Center | Portland Trail Blazers | 1995 | 31 |
| 8 | TD Garden | Boston Celtics | 1995 | 31 |
| 9 | Xfinity Mobile Arena* | Philadelphia 76ers | 1996 | 30 |
| 10 | Capital One Arena | Washington Wizards | 1997 | 29 |
| 11 | Ball Arena | Denver Nuggets | 1999 | 27 |
| 12 | Crypto.com Arena | Los Angeles Lakers | 1999 | 27 |
| 13 | Gainbridge Fieldhouse | Indiana Pacers | 1999 | 27 |
| 14 | Kaseya Center | Miami Heat | 1999 | 27 |
| 15 | Scotiabank Arena | Toronto Raptors | 1999 | 27 |
| 16 | Smoothie King Center | New Orleans Pelicans | 1999 | 27 |
| 17 | State Farm Arena | Atlanta Hawks | 1999 | 27 |
| 18 | American Airlines Center* | Dallas Mavericks | 2001 | 25 |
| 19 | Frost Bank Center* | San Antonio Spurs | 2002 | 24 |
| 20 | Paycom Center* | Oklahoma City Thunder | 2002 | 24 |
| 21 | Toyota Center | Houston Rockets | 2003 | 23 |
| 22 | FedExForum | Memphis Grizzlies | 2004 | 22 |
| 23 | Spectrum Center | Charlotte Hornets | 2005 | 21 |
| 24 | Kia Center | Orlando Magic | 2010 | 16 |
| 25 | Barclays Center | Brooklyn Nets | 2012 | 14 |
| 26 | Golden 1 Center | Sacramento Kings | 2016 | 10 |
| 27 | Little Caesars Arena | Detroit Pistons | 2017 | 9 |
| 28 | Fiserv Forum | Milwaukee Bucks | 2018 | 8 |
| 29 | Chase Center | Golden State Warriors | 2019 | 7 |
| 30 | Intuit Dome | LA Clippers | 2024 | 2 |
* A replacement arena has been announced or is in development. See the Replacement Watch section below.
Why Madison Square Garden Sits Alone at the Top
Madison Square Garden opened in 1968 above Penn Station in Manhattan. It is the fourth building to carry the Garden name in New York. Its 22-year lead over Target Center is the biggest gap anywhere on the list. Only 1 of the 30 arenas opened before 1990.
It has survived because it was renovated in place rather than replaced. A multi-year, roughly $1 billion transformation finished in the early 2010s and rebuilt the concourses, seating bowl and suites inside the existing structure. Most NBA teams have instead replaced arenas after 20 to 30 years to add premium seating, wider concourses and new technology. Because the building itself was never torn down, 1968 remains its opening year.
The Five Oldest NBA Arenas After MSG
Target Center (1990), Minnesota Timberwolves. It opened in downtown Minneapolis a year after the Timberwolves joined the league. It is the second-oldest arena and has been updated several times since.
Delta Center (1991), Utah Jazz. The Salt Lake City arena is the third oldest and still keeps its original opening year despite sponsor changes and upgrades.
Mortgage Matchup Center (1992), Phoenix Suns. It opened on June 6, 1992 as America West Arena, and has also been called US Airways Center, Talking Stick Resort Arena, Phoenix Suns Arena and Footprint Center. It took its current name in October 2025 under a 10-year naming-rights deal.
Rocket Arena (1994), Cleveland Cavaliers. It opened in October 1994 as Gund Arena, then became Quicken Loans Arena in 2005 and Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse in 2019. It was rebranded Rocket Arena in 2025 as its owner unified its businesses under the Rocket name.
United Center (1994), Chicago Bulls. It replaced Chicago Stadium and is one of only two NBA arenas from 1994. It is also the only building in the top six without a corporate rename in recent years.
The 1999 Cluster: Seven Arenas in One Year
Seven NBA arenas opened in 1999: Ball Arena (Nuggets), Crypto.com Arena (Lakers), Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Pacers), Kaseya Center (Heat), Scotiabank Arena (Raptors), Smoothie King Center (Pelicans) and State Farm Arena (Hawks). That is nearly a quarter of the league in a single year.
The cluster came out of the 1990s arena boom. Teams left older multipurpose buildings for basketball-first venues with more suites, club seating and other revenue streams. Counting the 1999 group, 17 of the 30 current arenas opened before 2000, 6 opened from 2001 to 2005, and 7 have opened since 2010. Many of the 1999 buildings have since been renovated, so they play more like newer arenas than their age suggests.
The Newest NBA Arenas
Intuit Dome (2024) in Inglewood is the newest, ahead of Chase Center in San Francisco (2019), Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee (2018) and Little Caesars Arena in Detroit (2017). The span from Madison Square Garden to Intuit Dome is 56 years. That is a wider gap than in any of the other major U.S. leagues’ venue lists that include a truly original building.
Replacement Watch: Which Old Arenas Are Being Replaced
Oklahoma City Thunder: Continental Coliseum is under construction and is targeted to open in late summer 2028, replacing Paycom Center (2002). The naming-rights deal was announced in March 2026.
Philadelphia 76ers: A new South Philadelphia arena is planned inside the sports complex, jointly owned by the 76ers’ and Flyers’ ownership groups. It is targeted to open around 2030, replacing Xfinity Mobile Arena (1996). The building was named Wells Fargo Center until August 2025, when its name changed to Xfinity Mobile Arena.
Dallas Mavericks: The team has an option on the former Valley View Mall site in North Dallas and is aiming for the 2031-32 season, when its lease at American Airlines Center (2001) ends. It has also been reported to be looking at other sites.
San Antonio Spurs: Voters approved public funding in 2025 for a roughly $1.3 billion downtown arena as part of Project Marvel. It would replace Frost Bank Center (2002), with an opening expected in the early 2030s. Timelines are still being updated by the city, so check current local reporting.
If all four projects finish on schedule, Madison Square Garden’s lead will grow further, and the 1999 group will move to the middle of an older-looking list.
How “Oldest” Is Measured on This List
The year is when the current physical building first opened. It ignores sponsor renames, which are frequent, and it isn’t the year the franchise was founded. Several teams are much older than their arenas. The Knicks began play in 1946, and the Celtics’ TD Garden replaced the old Boston Garden in 1995.
Age also shapes the experience. Older bowls such as Madison Square Garden’s tend to sit closer to the floor and can feel louder and more compressed. Newer arenas trade some of that intimacy for wider concourses, more clubs and modern sightlines. Neither is better; they feel different.
oldest NBA arenas FAQs
What is the oldest arena in the NBA?
Madison Square Garden in New York, home of the Knicks. The current building opened in 1968 and has been in continuous use since.
What is the second-oldest NBA arena?
Target Center in Minneapolis, home of the Minnesota Timberwolves, which opened in 1990. It is 22 years newer than Madison Square Garden.
How old is Madison Square Garden?
The current Madison Square Garden opened in 1968, so it is about 58 years old in 2026. It is the fourth building in New York to use the Garden name.
What is the newest NBA arena?
Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California, home of the LA Clippers, which opened in 2024. Chase Center (2019) is the next newest.
Which NBA arenas opened in 1999?
Seven: Ball Arena (Denver Nuggets), Crypto.com Arena (Los Angeles Lakers), Gainbridge Fieldhouse (Indiana Pacers), Kaseya Center (Miami Heat), Scotiabank Arena (Toronto Raptors), Smoothie King Center (New Orleans Pelicans) and State Farm Arena (Atlanta Hawks).
Which NBA teams are getting new arenas?
The Oklahoma City Thunder (Continental Coliseum, targeted for 2028), the Philadelphia 76ers (a new South Philadelphia arena, targeted around 2030), the Dallas Mavericks (targeting 2031-32) and the San Antonio Spurs (a downtown arena in the early 2030s).
Do arena renames change how old an arena is?
No. Age is counted from when the building opened. The Phoenix arena has had six names since 1992 and still counts as a 1992 building.
Get More from oldest NBA arenas
Log the coasters, stadiums, and venues you’ve experienced, rate oldest NBA arenas, and see what your friends thought. Get the ThrillZing app.
Want the day’s theme park news in your inbox? Subscribe to ThrillZing Daily — free.