Rock You Like a Hurricane: Reviewing The Carolina Hurricanes' RBC Center

This review was originally published, by the same author, on www.stadiumjourney.com.

Welcome to the RBC Center, home of the Carolina Hurricanes, North Carolina State Wolfpack, and 18,680 other screaming fans. Located just around 10 minutes north of downtown Raleigh, North Carolina, the arena is well into its 11th season but just as strong as ever. It’s also been home to some incredible accomplishments over the years, including, most famously, the Hurricanes Stanley Cup title in June 2006.

Despite plenty of usage over the years, the RBC Center still looks and seems like one of the newest arenas in the NHL. It’s already housed hundreds of basketball and hockey games, concerts, rodeos, comedians, and even the NHL draft in the decade since its original opening in October 1999, but shows no signs of wear and tear so far.

As they say, “every seat in the arena is the best seat in the arena”, and that saying definitely holds true as soon as you enter the building. From the large glass windows lining much of the front, to the red-carpet second level, to the bathrooms that look more like they belong in a fancy New York City hotel, and even to the massive selection of concessions (ranging from Hardees to a built-in restaurant), the RBC Center is about as elegant of an arena that you can find for any sporting event, anywhere.

Welcome to Raleigh, North Carolina

Over the years, Raleigh, normally thought of as a fast growing city known for its three nearby universities, has also become perhaps the largest hockey fanbase anywhere in the southern United States. After the franchise announced its relocation from Hartford, Connecticut in 1996, Raleigh began to prepare to house their first professional sports team ever. After the RBC Center (originally named the ESA Arena) was finished in 1999 and the team stopped playing their games in nearby Greensboro, the city residents began warming up to hockey, and they’ve just gotten more and more dedicated with every passing season.

My visit involved quite interesting and unusual settings, as although Raleigh is not known for having cold winters, the night before the game had brought seven inches of snow, two more inches of ice sealing in the snow, and had completely “paralyzed the town”, as the visiting Hawks announcer quoted on the television broadcast.

Despite less than 7,000 fans showing up for the game, and nearly a third of them seemingly Blackhawks fans, the game was still a great contest. A Carolina 4-2 victory ended up sending 'Canes faithful into a frenzy and backing up traffic for the entire parking lot, but it was definitely an enjoyable game to attend, and it most certainly wouldn’t have been the same without the magic and glamour of the RBC Center.

Food & Beverage – 5 out of 5

The food and beverage offered at the RBC Center is among the highest quality anywhere. Not only do they have a very wide range of concessions, but they are also reasonably priced and easy to find on all levels of the arena.

The RBC Center’s general concession booths offer 19 different choices, ranging from “Sausage Stop” (sausage, naturally) to “Dippin’ Dots” (ice cream) to “Hardees” (general concessions) to “Sinfully Sinnamon” (desserts). These stands are available around the arena in the 100’s and 300’s sections, respectively. The RBC Center also has conveniently-placed non-brand style concessions stands, selling the expectable sodas, nachos, candies, soft pretzels, and other common sporting event foods. All of these snacks are available at good prices, although the beverages are slightly on the overpriced side at times.

Also scattered throughout the arena are various clubs and bars, ranging from “Pub 300” to “The Carvery” (yes, I know it sounds like a fancy neighborhood) to “The Locker Room”. On the second level (200’s), complete with dim lighting and a red carpet, there are also several built in restaurants to catch the action while or after dining. Visit rbccenter.com to find out more about how to book reservations and additional information about these restaurants.

Atmosphere – 4 out of 5

The RBC Center might have only been finished building 11 years ago, but it’s already piled up its fair share of history and earned the atmosphere you can only feel from a very dedicated fanbase. Below the hanging jerseys and championship banners hanging from the rafters, the RBC Center has been home to ACC Championships in basketball and Stanley Cup titles in hockey.

Although many of the retired jerseys and such were earned long before the turn of the century, this arena is not only fancy and historical but it also has the feel of a true hockey stadium. The chants along to the blaring air-horn of “Lets go ‘Canes!” seem to amp up the electricity several volts, and each goal sends every fan out of their seats as they high-five along to the blaring goal horn, known as one of the loudest and longest in the NHL.

Neighborhood – 1.5 out of 5

Although the RBC Center excels at almost every category possible in grading, the surrounding neighborhood is one of only a few sections that doesn’t receive high marks. Besides being right next to N.C. State football’s Carter Finley Stadium, the surrounding neighborhood mostly consists of that, a very large parking lot, and a forest. The closest buildings outside of the wooded lot are a hospital and several large office complexes, and it doesn’t get much better until about two or three miles away once you begin to enter the Crabtree commercial “basin”, known for its frequent flooding, which ruins the lower floor of the mall about every couple years.

There is one shopping center that includes a few fast food restaurants and one Southwestern restaurant at the corner of Edwards Mill and Duraleigh, just slightly north of the RBC Center exits. However, most fans decide to get what they want to eat inside the arena rather than hanging out at one of the few and scattered bars in the surrounding area.

Nearby Restaurants

Bella Monica

Offering quaint southern-style Italian cuisine, but known mostly as one of the best pizza places in town, Bella Monica is just a great nearby restaurant. Reasonable rates are also offered in their welcoming family environment. Bella Monica’s is located near the west entrance on Edwards Mill Rd. While perhaps not the most suiting to more hard-core hockey fans looking for a place to hang out with a drink or two after the game, Bella Monica is simply a must-visit.

Fans – 4.5 out of 5

Are there fans in the RBC Center? Not really. So should I have rated this section a 0? No, because the attendees aren’t fans; they’re lunatics.

Although sellouts are and have always been extremely rare, even in the 2009 playoffs, every single fan, young or old, in attendance is always completely devoted and involved in their Carolina Hurricanes. As you can see in the link about for the goal horn, a Carolina score sends the arena wild. So one stays sitting…it’s just the rule. North Carolina might be a southern state, but every fan knows what hockey’s all about, and they’re all completely dedicated to cheering on their team during the game at hand.

Access – 3 out of 5

The RBC Center focuses more on the game at hand and the fan’s comfort while cheering on their ‘Canes, but access is most certainly reasonable at all levels. Parking is on the expensive side (a 10-minute walk usually costs about $10, rates can be up to $15 to $20 closer in) and traffic can get quite clogged up after games, as there are only two two-lane exits, but the parking directors do a good job keeping cars moving heading into the lots and also keep parkers orderly and well organized. There are a few tricks that regulars know to get into the better sections, which is more or less choosing a lane to enter in, but mostly, parking is not a major issue.

Inside, bathrooms and staircases have very high levels of quality. Both are conveniently placed and plentiful, and are cleaned thoroughly. Restrooms also offer 10 sinks, and nearly 20 stalls & toilets. Both are very sanitary and much better than any spectator would expect at any sporting event.

Return on Investment – 3 out of 5

Both sides of this calculation are on the high side. While many expenses such as parking, food, and tickets are slightly (but not too much) over-average, there is a very high quality of…well, everything. Concession prices are fairly reasonable for sporting events despite being much higher than a grocery store costs, but that is made up for by a huge variety of choices. Parking, like explained earlier, is a little painful, giving that you’re only attending an NHL game and not a football match, but this is definitely survivable. Most other costs are also reasonably priced for such high standards.

As for tickets, a front-row seat usually costs $225, and most other lower level seats start at $80. If you’re not ready to get quite that upscale, upper level tickets can be found for costs anywhere from $30 to $60. Visit hurricanes.nhl.com to check out upcoming ‘Canes games and tickets for yourself.

Etc. & Bonus Points – 5 out of 5

The RBC Center blows away all competition in etcetera section, by far. It’s cleanliness and high quality is just something that can’t be described in a review, no matter how long we try. The parking lot, the bathrooms, the seats, the hallways, the restaurants…everything is the best quality possible (and this is for an 11-year old arena) and also kept up very well by the cleaning crew.

Seating is also a large plus for the Center. Despite their size and location, rafters, retired hanging jerseys, and the “jumbotron” do not obstruct any views from anywhere in the arena. Each section also offers different incentives for all types of hockey fans. Lower level seating is definitely more expensive, but adds to the atmosphere and also gives you a chance at picking up a prize, ranging from a “Bailey’s box of jewelry” to a “Stormy t-shirt”, and it also might give you a chance to enter in the classic “human hamster race” during the second intermission, which is just so funny you have to see it for yourself. For the more price-limited fans, there’s always the third level, which has benefits of its own, too.

Final Grade – 26 out of 35 possible

With every category added up, the RBC Center comes out with an impressive score of 26 out of 35 possible. While the neighborhood and parking aren’t great, Raleigh’s arena sets the NHL standard in nearly every quality level in the book. Hopefully, this review will prepare everyone from a first-time fan to the experience lunatic for their next visit. But, really, the RBC Center can’t be described in words. You just have to see it for yourself.

Mark Jones is currently Bleacher Report's featured columnist for the Carolina Hurricanes. In his 17 months so far with the site, he has written over 150 articles and received over 100,000 total reads.

Visit his profile to read more.