A compact guide to where Hawks games, touring concerts and downtown nightlife intersect — and what local patrons should know before they go.
State Farm Arena occupies a central place in Downtown Atlanta’s event loop: it hosts Hawks games but also doubles as a stop on national tours, a site for stand-up and wrestling, and a node where transit, nearby parks and nightlife converge. For locals planning an evening out — whether a playoff game or a late concert — knowing how the building’s schedules, entry rules and onsite services work will save time and frustration.
Fast facts
- Home court for the Atlanta Hawks and a primary host for playoff and regular-season basketball. State Farm Arena is the Atlanta Hawks’ arena for their home schedule; the venue publishes ticketing, seating maps and game-day policies on its site so fans can plan arrivals, parking and accessibility needs ahead of tipoff.
- A year-round stop for concerts, comedy, wrestling and major touring shows. The arena’s public calendar shows a mix of headline concerts, stand-up dates and touring entertainment alongside sports; check the online event calendar before planning a visit, since non-game shows use different entry gates, start times and bag policies.
- Sits in Downtown’s event district near Centennial Olympic Park with multiple transit and parking options. The arena is adjacent to Centennial Olympic Park and lists transportation resources — including MARTA access, arena parking and ride-share guidance — making it practical to combine a show with nearby attractions or to travel by transit on busy event nights.
- On-site amenities and operational features from premium clubs to sustainability reporting affect the visitor experience. Beyond seating, the building offers premium clubs, suites and attractions such as Topgolf Swing Suites, free arena Wi-Fi, food-and-beverage options and a published sustainability dashboard; the arena has also reported multi-year waste-diversion milestones for its operations.
The story behind it
Practical prep makes the difference on event nights. The arena’s online calendar and box office pages show event-specific start times, recommended arrival windows and gate assignments, and the venue publishes seating maps and ticket-management tools so you can figure out transit and meeting points before you go. If you’re driving, consult the arena’s parking and transportation resources for prepay options; if you’re taking MARTA or ride-share, the venue’s Plan Your Visit guidance highlights preferred drop-off points and pedestrian routes into the Centennial Olympic Park area.
The building’s layout and programming mean different experiences depending on what you’re there for. A Hawks game follows a predictable rhythm of security entry and concession traffic, while a headliner concert or wrestling card can reassign concourse access, change bag policies or bring additional vendor activations. Amenities such as premium clubs, suites and the Topgolf Swing Suites provide alternatives to general admission, and the arena offers free Xfinity Wi‑Fi for guests — useful for mobile tickets and meeting up with friends. Box office and accessibility pages on the arena site list policies you’ll want to check in advance, including what items are allowed and how to request accommodations.
Beyond single events, the arena’s operational choices shape Downtown evenings. Its publicly available sustainability reporting and recent multi-year waste-diversion announcement indicate ongoing facility-level changes that affect how concessions and recycling are handled during shows. Located steps from Centennial Olympic Park, the arena helps concentrate sports, music and nightlife foot traffic in a compact, walkable part of the city — which means restaurants, bars and visitor services nearby will often swell on event days. For Atlanta residents, that makes State Farm Arena both a destination and a tool: plan logistics ahead, and you can thread a game or concert into a larger Downtown night out with minimal hassle.
Keeping You In The Know
