The Inside Scoop by our Local Expert
More commonly known as the Rose Garden Arena, this is the primary indoor sports arena in Portland, Oregon. Construction on the Rose Garden began in 1993, and the arena opened on October 12, 1995. It is suitable for large indoor events of all sorts, including basketball, ice hockey, rodeos, circuses, conventions, ice shows, concerts, and dramatic productions. In addition, the Rose Garden is a popular venue for concerts and other artistic productions. Arena seating is divided into two primary sections, separated by skyboxes. The seating below the skyboxes, known as the lower bowl, is further divided into the 100 and 200 levels; the upper bowl is known as the 300 level.It is conveniently located near the transit center just south of the arena and many bus lines serve the area. There are several landmarks close by such as the Steel Bridge, which was built in the late 1980 and expanded in 2003. This is the bridge that the Amtrak trains cross when leaving Portland to the south or east. It is considered to be unique because it is one of the only known dual-lift bridges in the world, which means that the lower deck can be lifted independently of the upper deck to allow some clearance.