The Capitals have had two homes since their first season in 1974: the Capital Centre in suburban Landover, Maryland, and since December 1997 the downtown Washington arena now called Capital One Arena.
Here is each home in order, with the years the Capitals played there, what happened there and what stands on the site today. Each one links to our full guide.
Every Capitals Arena, 1974 to Today
- Landover
1974–1997Built by owner Abe Pollin in suburban Maryland and opened in December 1973; USAir Arena from 1993. It hosted the 1982 All-Star Game and the 1987 Easter Epic. The last Capitals game here was November 26, 1997.
Today: Imploded in December 2002; the shopping center built in its place was torn down in 2019 for the Carillon mixed-use development
Stadium history →- Washington
- 1997–presentCurrent home
Opened December 2, 1997, as the MCI Center, then the Verizon Center; renamed in 2017. It hosted the 1998 Stanley Cup Final. A $1 billion renovation is due to be finished for the 2027–28 season.
Visiting guide →
Capitals Arena FAQ
Where did the Capitals play before Capital One Arena?
At the Capital Centre in Landover, Maryland, from 1974 until November 1997. Owner Abe Pollin built it for his NBA Bullets and the new hockey team, and it was renamed USAir Arena in 1993.
How many arenas have the Capitals had?
Two: the Capital Centre (1974–1997) and Capital One Arena (1997–present), which opened as the MCI Center and was later the Verizon Center.
Why did the Capitals move downtown?
Attendance suffered because the suburban arena was hard to reach from both Washington and Baltimore, and it was behind newer NBA and NHL venues. The MCI Center opened on December 2, 1997, and the Capitals moved in midway through the 1997–98 season, the year they reached their first Stanley Cup Final.
Is the Capital Centre still standing?
No. It closed in 2002 and was imploded that December. The Boulevard at the Capital Centre, a shopping center, replaced it, and was itself torn down in 2019 for a new development called Carillon.
Where do the Capitals play now?
At Capital One Arena in the Chinatown section of Washington, which seats 18,573 for hockey. A 2024 deal with the District kept the Capitals and Wizards downtown after a planned move to Virginia fell through, and a $1 billion renovation is due to be finished for the 2027–28 season.