Truist Arena
Truist Arena, formerly The Bank of Kentucky Center and BB&T Arena, is a 10,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Highland Heights, Kentucky, on the campus of Northern Kentucky University. The arena was topped off on June 21, 2007, and the first event held there was NKU's graduation ceremony on May 10, 2008. A grand opening ceremony was held on September 22, 2008.
Truist Arena, also referred to as "The Bank" | |
| Former names | The Bank of Kentucky Center (2008–2015) BB&T Arena (2015–2022) |
|---|---|
| Location | 500 Nunn Drive Highland Heights, Kentucky 41099 |
| Coordinates | 39.032273°N 84.458864°W |
| Owner | Northern Kentucky University |
| Operator | ASM Global |
| Capacity | 9,400 (Basketball) 7–8,000 (Concerts) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | May 20, 2006 |
| Opened | May 10, 2008 |
| Construction cost | $64 million ($87 million in 2022 dollars) |
| Architect | 360 Architecture GBBN Architects |
| Structural engineer | THP Limited Inc. |
| General contractor | Turner Construction |
| Tenants | |
| Northern Kentucky Norse (NCAA) 2008–present Northern Kentucky River Monsters (UIFL/CIFL) 2011, 2014 Black-n-Bluegrass RollerGirls (WFTDA) 2012–2013 Cincinnati Bearcats (NCAA) 2017–2018 | |
The NKU men's and women's basketball teams are the main tenants, but many outside events are booked at the center. Among the first were country music star Carrie Underwood, comedian Jeff Dunham, and the cast of the reality television show So You Think You Can Dance as well as Cirque du Soleil, and the Walking With Dinosaurs live production. It hosted the Elite Eight of the NCAA Men's Division II Basketball Tournament in 2012. It was again set to host the Division II 2013 Elite Eight, but the NCAA moved the event to Freedom Hall in Louisville as NKU joined Division I (the NCAA would later go further by only holding the Elite Eight and Final Four matchups in Louisville; the Division II championship game was moved to Atlanta, Georgia's State Farm Arena with the Division III championship game as part of the celebration of 75 years of the men's Division I tournament, the Final Four of which was held in the Georgia Dome). On May 10, 2011, The Bank of Kentucky Center hosted WWE live. Other artists/performers that have visited the arena include Alan Jackson with Jana Kramer, Barry Manilow, Bill Engvall, Jeff Foxworthy, and Larry The Cable Guy, Blake Shelton, Bob Dylan, Dane Cook, Jason Aldean, Luke Bryan, Martina McBride, Trace Adkins, Jay-Z, REO Speedwagon, and Styx among others.
The first basketball event at the arena saw the NKU men's and women's basketball teams play Louisville on November 8, 2008.
The arena hosted the KHSAA Girls' Sweet Sixteen in high school basketball from 2016 through 2018, after which the event moved to Rupp Arena in Lexington.