Walk into the Arena District in downtown Columbus on a Tuesday night in January, and you'll feel it immediately. The air is cold, but the vibe is electric. You've got the brick-paved streets, the smell of overpriced popcorn, and that distinct, low-frequency hum of a crowd waiting for something to happen. Nationwide Arena, the home of the Columbus Blue Jackets, isn't just some concrete bowl where people go to sit. It’s a literal cornerstone of a city that, for a long time, didn't think it could support professional hockey.
People forget how risky this was back in the late 90s.
Columbus was a college football town. Period. If you weren't talking about the Buckeyes, you basically weren't talking. But when Nationwide Arena opened its doors in September 2000, it changed the geography of the city. It turned a former state penitentiary site—yeah, it’s built on the old Ohio Penitentiary grounds—into one of the most vibrant entertainment hubs in the Midwest.
The Cannon, the Crowd, and the Ghost of the Penitentiary
If you haven't been to a Blue Jackets game, there is one thing you need to prepare for: the cannon. It’s a replica 1857 Napoleon civil war cannon. When the Jackets score, or when they win, or when the team takes the ice, that thing fires. It is loud. Like, "feel it in your molars" loud. It’s become a rite of passage for visiting fans to jump out of their seats in terror the first time it goes off.
Honestly, the cannon is a perfect metaphor for the franchise. It’s loud, it’s a bit jarring, and it demands your attention even when the standings suggest otherwise.
The arena itself sits 18,500 for hockey, but it feels smaller. That’s by design. The architects (360 Architecture and Heinlein Schrock Stearns) wanted to keep the sightlines tight. You don't feel miles away from the puck even in the upper bowl. It’s got this weirdly intimate atmosphere for a building that large. Maybe it’s the ghosts of the old prison. I’m kidding, mostly. But there have been local legends for years about security guards seeing "shadow figures" in the basement levels of the arena. Whether you believe in ghosts or just think it's a cool urban legend, it adds a layer of grit to the place.
Why the Arena District Actually Works
Most cities try to build "districts" around their stadiums and fail. They end up with a weird desert of parking lots and one sad Buffalo Wild Wings. Nationwide Arena is the exception.
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The development around the Columbus Blue Jackets arena was actually a massive private-public partnership that used the team as an anchor to save the north end of downtown. Because the arena is privately financed (mostly by Nationwide Insurance), there’s a different level of care in how it integrates with the surroundings. You can walk from a high-end steakhouse like Jeff Ruby’s straight into the arena doors in five minutes.
The proximity is the point.
- The Fan Zone: Before the game, fans congregate at the Front Street bars.
- The Practice Rink: One of the coolest features of the building is the OhioHealth Ice Haus. It’s a full NHL-sized practice rink attached directly to the main arena. You can literally watch the team practice for free during certain hours, then walk ten feet and be in the main concourse.
- Connectivity: It’s walkable from the Short North and the Convention Center.
The Blue Jackets arena isn't just a sports venue; it’s an urban planning success story. It kept people downtown when the suburbs were pulling everyone away.
Recent Upgrades and the Fan Experience
Let's talk about the actual "watching the game" part. In the last few years, the arena has undergone some serious tech facelifts. We're talking about a massive, high-definition scoreboard that was installed to keep up with the newer arenas in Vegas and Seattle.
But it's not just the big screen. The food has gotten... actually good?
Usually, arena food is a sad hot dog and a $14 beer. While the beer is still expensive (it’s the NHL, after all), the local partnerships have stepped up. You’ve got Schmidt’s Sausage Haus—a Columbus institution—serving real German food. You’ve got local craft breweries on tap. It feels like Columbus, not some generic corporate venue.
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However, it's not all perfect. If you're driving in from the suburbs, parking can be a nightmare if there's a simultaneous event at the nearby Huntington Park or a concert at Kemba Live! (formerly Express Live!). My advice? Park a few blocks north in the Short North and just walk. The $20 you save on a garage is better spent on a "Boone's Beer" or whatever the seasonal special is.
The Business of the Blue Jackets Arena
Financially, the arena has had a rocky history. For a while, the Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority had to step in because the original financing model was struggling. It's a complex web of casino tax revenue and lease agreements. But for the average fan, the takeaway is that the building is stable now.
It’s also a massive concert venue. When the Blue Jackets aren't playing, the arena hosts everyone from Taylor Swift to Tool. The acoustics are surprisingly decent for a hockey rink. Usually, these big echo chambers ruin a concert, but the way they’ve treated the ceiling and the seating bowls helps dampen that "bathroom" sound you get at older arenas.
How to Do a Game Night Like a Local
If you're heading to the Columbus Blue Jackets arena, don't just show up at puck drop. You're doing it wrong if you do.
Start at R Bar. It is the hockey bar in Columbus. It’s covered in jerseys and pucks, and the energy there an hour before the game is better than the energy in most other cities' actual arenas. From there, you walk the two blocks to the main entrance.
Inside the arena, make sure you check out the "Tower of Power" (the cannon) on the 100 level. Even if you aren't a Blue Jackets fan, the historical displays about the formation of the team and the tribute to fans are worth a look.
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Also, a pro tip: the bathrooms on the upper concourse near the ends of the rink are almost always less crowded than the ones in the middle. You're welcome.
What Most People Get Wrong About Columbus Fans
There's this weird myth that Columbus is just a "casual" hockey town. That couldn't be further from the truth. The people who go to Nationwide Arena are some of the most knowledgeable fans in the league. They know their prospects. They know their advanced stats.
When the Jackets swept the record-breaking Tampa Bay Lightning in 2019, Nationwide Arena was arguably the loudest building in the history of the sport. The building was literally shaking. The "C-B-J" chant isn't just a chant; it’s a rhythmic thumping that echoes through the brick walls.
The Future of Nationwide Arena
As we look toward the next decade, the arena is going to need more than just a new scoreboard. There’s talk about further integrating the "smart" features—app-based concessions, better Wi-Fi (which can still be spotty when the house is full), and perhaps more premium seating options.
The challenge is maintaining that "Old Columbus" brick-and-mortar feel while providing the "New Columbus" tech experience.
Actionable Insights for Your Visit
- Buy tickets on the "Attack Twice" side: That's sections 113-117 and 218-223. You want to see the action up close during the first and third periods.
- The Cannon Blast: If you have sensitive ears or are bringing kids, maybe don't sit in the sections directly adjacent to the cannon (upper 100s, specifically section 111). It's loud enough to trigger car alarms in the garage.
- Timing: Arrive at least 45 minutes early. Security lines at the main Front Street entrance can get backed up, especially on giveaway nights.
- The "Ice Haus" Hack: If you want to see the players up close without paying for glass-seat prices, check the practice schedule. You can often see them 20 feet away for free on game-day mornings.
Nationwide Arena remains a premier example of how a sports venue can define a city's identity. It took a piece of land with a dark history and turned it into the heartbeat of downtown Columbus. Whether you're there for the hockey, the history, or just a giant bratwurst, it’s an experience that sticks with you. Just don't say I didn't warn you about the cannon.
Plan your route ahead of time. Use the ParkMobile app to reserve a spot in the Marconi or Front Street garages to avoid the game-day scramble. If you're coming from out of town, stay at the Hilton Columbus Downtown—it's connected via a skywalk and puts you right in the middle of the action without needing a car. For the best food experience, skip the generic stands and head straight for the local vendors on the lower concourse near the main entrance. Get there before the second period starts to beat the rush.