The Summit opened on November 1, 1975, at 3700 Southwest Freeway in Houston, Texas, serving as the home of the NBA’s Houston Rockets for nearly three decades. Built for roughly $18–27 million, the glass-enclosed arena represented a new generation of American sports venues — spacious, modern, and purpose-built for television-era professional basketball.
Over its 28 years as a sports arena, The Summit hosted some of the most memorable moments in Houston sports and entertainment history, from back-to-back Rockets championships to a landmark WWE pay-per-view. Today the building still stands along the Southwest Freeway — not as an arena, but as one of the largest church sanctuaries in the United States.
Quick Answer
The Summit was Houston’s premier sports arena from 1975 to 2003, home to the Houston Rockets’ only two NBA championships (1994 and 1995) and four NBA Finals overall. Renamed Compaq Center in 1998, it was never demolished — after a $95 million renovation it reopened in 2005 as Lakewood Church’s Central Campus, where services are still held today at 3700 Southwest Freeway.
Stats at a Glance
Location: 3700 Southwest Freeway, Houston, Texas 77027. Opened: November 1, 1975 (groundbreaking December 1973). Closed as an arena: December 2003. Construction cost: approximately $18–27 million. Capacity as a basketball arena: about 16,285. Capacity as a church sanctuary today: about 16,800. Primary tenant: Houston Rockets (NBA, 1975–2003). Other tenants: Houston Aeros (hockey), Houston Comets (WNBA), Houston ThunderBears (Arena Football). NBA Finals hosted: 1981, 1986, 1994, 1995. Renamed: Compaq Center (1998–2003). Architects: Kenneth Bentsen Associates and Lloyd Jones Associates. Current use: Lakewood Church Central Campus, since July 2005.
From Blueprint to Basketball Mecca
The story of The Summit begins in 1971, when the NBA’s San Diego Rockets relocated to Houston. The city had no arena befitting a major professional franchise, so a purpose-built venue was planned almost immediately. Ground broke in December 1973, and The Summit opened on November 1, 1975 with a charity gala called “Heart to Heart,” benefiting Baylor College of Medicine, The Methodist Hospital, and the Texas Heart Institute.
Designed by Kenneth Bentsen Associates with Lloyd Jones Associates, The Summit was among the first fully enclosed, climate-controlled arenas in the world, with a distinctive glass-and-steel exterior that made it a Houston architectural landmark well before it became a championship venue.
Championship History
The Summit became synonymous with Houston basketball greatness. The arena hosted the NBA Finals four times — in 1981, 1986, 1994, and 1995. The 1994 and 1995 Finals were the most celebrated: Hakeem Olajuwon led the Houston Rockets to back-to-back NBA titles on The Summit’s hardwood, making it the site of the only championships in Rockets franchise history.
Basketball glory wasn’t limited to the NBA. The Houston Comets, one of the WNBA’s founding franchises, played at The Summit and won four consecutive league championships from 1997 to 2000, making the building a home to championship basketball on both the men’s and women’s sides.
More Than the Rockets: Every Team That Called The Summit Home
The Rockets were the arena’s marquee tenant, but far from the only one. The Houston Aeros played hockey there — first in the WHA, later in the IHL and AHL — giving Houston a second major winter sports draw under the same roof.
The building also hosted the Houston ThunderBears of the Arena Football League and, earlier, indoor soccer clubs including the Houston Summit and Houston Hotshots. Between basketball, hockey, football, and soccer, The Summit spent nearly three decades as the busiest multi-sport venue in Texas.
Concerts, Wrestling, and Landmark Events
Beyond team sports, The Summit was one of Houston’s premier concert and entertainment halls. It hosted major touring acts including The Who, Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Queen, Prince, Michael Jackson, and Madonna over its lifetime, along with championship boxing cards.
Its biggest non-sports claim to fame came on January 15, 1989, when The Summit hosted the Royal Rumble — the first edition of WWE’s signature match ever broadcast on pay-per-view. ZZ Top, longtime Houston favorites who had played the venue more than 20 times, closed out the building’s run as an entertainment venue with a farewell concert on November 22, 2003.
From Compaq Center to Lakewood Church: A $95 Million Transformation
The Rockets played their final games at Compaq Center (the arena had been renamed in 1998 after the Houston-based tech company bought naming rights) before relocating to the new downtown Toyota Center in 2003. The building sat mostly empty afterward, briefly known as Lakewood International Center during a 15-month, $95 million renovation.
Lakewood Church, a non-denominational congregation led by pastor Joel Osteen, reopened the building as its Central Campus on July 16, 2005, and purchased it outright in 2010. The renovation added five additional stories and reconfigured the arena bowl into a sanctuary, and the site now regularly draws tens of thousands of worshippers, making it one of the largest church campuses in the United States.
Planning Your Visit Today
The Summit was never torn down — its modernist glass-and-steel shell still stands at 3700 Southwest Freeway, now operating as Lakewood Church’s Central Campus. Services are free to attend and open to the public, with no ticket required; the church typically holds multiple Sunday services plus a midweek evening service, though exact days and times can shift around holidays and special events.
Free parking is available in the adjacent Greenway Plaza garages, but spaces can fill quickly before popular services, so arriving early is recommended. Because service times, parking details, and special events change periodically, check the official Lakewood Church website before you visit for the current schedule.
The Summit Houston arena history FAQs
When did The Summit open and close as a sports arena?
The Summit opened on November 1, 1975, and closed as a sports venue in December 2003, when the Houston Rockets moved to the new Toyota Center downtown.
How many NBA Finals did The Summit host?
The Summit hosted four NBA Finals: 1981, 1986, 1994, and 1995. The Houston Rockets won back-to-back championships there in 1994 and 1995.
Was The Summit demolished?
No. Rather than being torn down, the building underwent a $95 million renovation and reopened in July 2005 as the Lakewood Church Central Campus, where it still stands today.
What is The Summit called today, and who owns it?
The building is now Lakewood Church’s Central Campus. It was known as The Summit from 1975–1998, then Compaq Center from 1998–2003, before Lakewood Church leased and later purchased it outright in 2010.
What other teams played at The Summit besides the Rockets?
The Summit was also home to the Houston Aeros (hockey), the Houston Comets (WNBA, four straight titles from 1997–2000), the Houston ThunderBears (Arena Football), and earlier indoor soccer clubs.
What major non-sports events were held at The Summit?
The Summit hosted the 1989 Royal Rumble — the first Royal Rumble ever aired on pay-per-view — plus championship boxing and concerts by acts like Led Zeppelin, Queen, Michael Jackson, and Madonna. ZZ Top played the venue’s farewell concert on November 22, 2003.
Can you visit the former Summit arena today?
Yes. As Lakewood Church’s Central Campus, the building is open to the public for free services at 3700 Southwest Freeway, with free parking in the adjacent Greenway Plaza garages. Check the official Lakewood Church website for current service times before visiting.
Get More from The Summit Houston arena history
Log the coasters, stadiums, and venues you’ve experienced, rate The Summit Houston arena history, and see what your friends thought. Get the ThrillZing app.