Philips Arena - Going Through a "Phase"

Official Review by John McCurdy, Stadium Journey Regional Correspondent

Everything fades with time, and such is the fate of Philips Arena. At the time that it opened in 1999, it was state-of-the-art – and in many ways, it still is. And please, dear reader, don’t get it twisted: This is still a good place to take in a basketball game.

But this stadium has had its time in the limelight, first as a young whippersnapper of a facility that, just four years into existence, hosted the NBA All-Star Game; and then, as the site of a Southern sports revival around its 10th birthday, when the Hawks actually started winning.

By now, though, the “Highlight Factory” branding is starting to wear. No matter how loudly or largely the marketing department claims that Jeff Teague is Derrick Rose’s “thorn,” it will never be true; we don’t have the on-court product to pack the place, and that’s unfortunate, because full seats are what Philips needs at this point in its life-cycle.

Food & Beverage    4

This section, at least, has not felt the effects of the Arena's mid-life crisis. In fact, many consumables for sale within the place have gone down in price since my initial review, if you can believe it!

The setup remains unchanged: On the upper level (where one must go for any and all 300-level seats), your options are the standard fare (hot dogs, pretzels, popcorn, soda, and beer) at regular, non-branded stations around the concourse. But down on the main level is "Hawk Walk," where you'll find the Court Side Grill (burger-and-fry combo recommended!), the Buckhead Diner, Frybaby, Three-Point Play Pizza, Stir Crazy, several other cleverly-named stands, and even a smallish Taco Mac. Expect to pay casual-dining-level prices, though the quality of food you'll receive is at that level, too. Beer is overpriced but has at least come down a buck ($7.25); grab a Sweetwater for a quarter more, for sure.

Finally, I present for the cheaper among us the alternative of eating at the adjoined CNN Center, which has Wendy's, Chick-fil-A, Taco Bell, Moe's, and a bunch else (it's basically a mall food court). No, you won't pay the same price as you would at regular locations of these franchises, but it won't hurt the wallet so much as anything inside.

Atmosphere    3

Here we begin to see the downturn. As mentioned previously, the Hawks' revised color scheme has lost its newness, as has the font and confident language of the overall marketing campaign.

The place just hasn't changed much, and for some reason, I think it has something to do with the former-co-tenant Atlanta Thrashers not just leaving the facility, but the city, state, and nation entirely. I'm not here to argue Georgia's capital could sustain a hockey team, but instead to express the overwhelming feeling that something's missing here.

Also, the PA crew led by Ryan Cameron is finally showing its age, as are all the games we play during time-outs and between quarters. Call me sour before my time, but I'm not alone.

Neighborhood    4

I still firmly believe my hometown's got as much to offer as ever. If you're making a special trip here and have time for additional diversions, just a stone's throw away are the still-shiny Georgia Aquarium, recently re-done World of Coca-Cola, and a ton of great concert venues.

For those of you eating out before or after the game (or with multiple meals to eat during your stay), I'll mention a couple places I've never shouted-out before in my downtown Atlanta reviews: Max's Coal Oven Pizzeria (300 Marietta St.) and Fire of Brazil (218 Peachtree St. NW). As you might guess, both are outside the realm of normal sports bar food, and I'll say they're definitely worth a try.

Fans    3

At the game I most recently attended, I found it hard to get excited, and I was not alone. Sure, our competition wasn't great, and the Hawks have that annoying habit of playing down to (or below) their competition, but it was a Friday-night home tilt as we jockeyed for playoff position.

And the folks who were making noise - beyond the token applause - were mostly complaining, but with very little basis. Yes, we know Tracy McGrady, Jerry Stackhouse, and Erick Dampier are on the roster and were all once stars, but they aren't anymore and no amount of whining is going to make them young again.

Still, I must acknowledge that this place still rocks pretty hard when the Bulls or Celtics come to town; can't say I like the number of turncoats that show up when the Lakers or Heat are in the building, but at least it's loud.

Access    3

The heart of the city is a nightmare to navigate as always, but I'll plug my personal solution in the opening paragraph here for those willing to listen: MARTA (Atlanta's abysmal "public transit" - locals can resume reading when done laughing) has a station dedicated to Philips and the CNN Center, and getting off there not only saves you traffic and parking, but also any walking outside on cold nights.

If you insist upon driving your own car, the surface streets you'll be most concerned with are Centennial Olympic Park Drive and probably either Marietta Street (north or west approach) or MLK Jr. Blvd. (south or east). Coming from further out, you should take Interstates 75/85 (southwest, northwest or northeast) or I-20 (southeast) to the Spring Street exit and from there cut over to Centennial.

Parking will cost you an arm and a leg, but once inside, those other two "p" words (more frequently referred to as #1 and #2) are much more easily accomplished in one of the many and well-maintained restrooms.

Return on Investment    3

The Hawks are so hit-and-miss these days in terms of their performance, this category is difficult to judge. I'd advise going to see a decent opponent for the highest likelihood of a good game, but the home team's tendency to not show up for big contests more or less evens the odds.

I can say this: A playoff game at Philips is still a treat - at least that thrill hasn't worn off yet - and if you read the injury reports as frequently as some of us, maybe you can see a real showdown.

But with ticket prices still as high as ever, not even a $15 nosebleed to see a league powerhouse play the hometown heroes is a sure bet. In short, not much has changed, and even less has improved, so stay at home if your budget is limited like mine and you've been in the past year or so.

Extras    2

Harry the Hawk will never pass his hilarity prime, and I stand by all my previous assertions that he's the best among all NBA mascots. Tell me you don't at least giggle at that face and silent silliness.Also in the club of still-cool is the façade facing Centennial that spells "Atlanta." Yep, it's been 14 years since the sketch came out, and I still think it's awesome.