View source for CFG Bank Arena

{{Short description|Arena in Baltimore, Maryland, US}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox venue
| name                   = CFG Bank Arena
| native_name            = 
| native_name_lang       = 
| fullname               = 
| former names           = {{ubl|Baltimore Civic Center (1961–1986)|Baltimore Arena (1986–2003, 2013–2014, 2022)|1st Mariner Arena (2003–2013)|Royal Farms Arena (2014–2022)}}
| logo_image             = File:CFG Bank Arena Logo.png
| logo_caption           = CFG Bank Arena Logo
| image                  = File:Baltimore Arena MD1.jpg
| caption                = The arena in 2021, then known as Royal Farms Arena
| image_map              = {{maplink|frame=yes|plain=yes|frame-align=center|frame-width=250|zoom=13|type=point}}
| pushpin_map            = USA Maryland#USA
| pushpin_relief         = yes
| location               = [[Baltimore]], [[Maryland]], U.S.
| coordinates            = {{coord|39|17|19|N|76|37|8|W|type:landmark_scale:2000|display=inline,title}}
| broke_ground           = December 1959
| built                  = 
| opened                 = {{Start date|1962|10|23}}
| renovated              = 1986, 2003, 2022–2023
| expanded               = 
| closed                 = 
| demolished             = 
| owner                  = City of Baltimore
| operator               = [[Oak View Group]]
| surface                = 
| scoreboard             = 
| cost                   = $14 million<br />(${{formatprice|{{Inflation|US|14000000|1959}}}} in {{Inflation-year|US}} dollars{{inflation-fn|US}})
| architect              = AG Odell Jr. and Associates
| project_manager        = 
| structural engineer    = 
| services engineer      = 
| general_contractor     = 
| main_contractors       = 
| capacity               = {{ubl| Maximum: 14,000<br /> [[Concerts]]:<br /> 13,300 (center stage)<br />13,000 (end stage)|[[Basketball]]: 11,614|[[Ice Hockey]]/[[Arena football]]/[[Indoor Soccer]]: 10,582}}
| suites                 = 38
| record_attendance      = 14,686 ([[Premier Boxing Champions|PBC]]: [[Gervonta Davis]] vs. Ricardo Nunez, 2019)
| dimensions             = 
| acreage                = 
| volume                 = 
| tenants                = {{plainlist|
* [[Baltimore Clippers]] ([[American Hockey League|AHL]]/[[Southern Hockey League (1973–1977)|SHL]]) 1962–1977
* [[Baltimore Bullets (1963–73)|Baltimore Bullets]] ([[National Basketball Association|NBA]]) 1963–1973
* [[Baltimore Banners]] ([[World Team Tennis|WTT]]) 1974
* [[Michigan Stags#Baltimore Blades|Baltimore Blades]] ([[World Hockey Association|WHA]]) 1974–1975
* [[Baltimore Claws]] ([[American Basketball Association|ABA]]) 1975 preseason
* Baltimore Clippers  (EHL) 1979–1981
* Baltimore  Skipjacks (ACHL) 1981–1982
* [[Baltimore Blast (1980–92)|Baltimore Blast]] ([[Major Indoor Soccer League (1978–92)|MISL]]) 1980–1992
* [[Baltimore Skipjacks]] ([[American Hockey League|AHL]]) 1981–1993
* [[Baltimore Thunder]] ([[Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League|EPBLL]]/[[Major Indoor Lacrosse League|MILL]]/[[National Lacrosse League|NLL]]) 1987–1999
* [[Baltimore Blast]] ([[National Professional Soccer League (1984–2001)|NPSL]]/[[Major Indoor Soccer League (2001–08)|MISL II]]/[[Major Indoor Soccer League (2008–2014)|MISL III]]/[[Major Arena Soccer League|MASL]]) 1992–2017
* [[Baltimore Bayrunners]] ([[International Basketball League (1999–2001)|IBL]]) 1999–2000
* [[Baltimore Bandits]] (AHL) 1995–1997
* [[Baltimore Blackbirds]] ([[American Indoor Football Association|AIFA]]) 2007
* [[Baltimore Mariners]] (AIFA/[[American Indoor Football|AIF]]) 2008–2010, 2014
* [[Baltimore Charm]] ([[Legends Football League|LFL]]) 2010–2014
* [[Baltimore Brigade]] ([[Arena Football League|AFL]]) 2017–2019
}}
| embedded               = 
| website                = {{URL|cfgbankarena.com}}
| publictransit          = [[File:BaltimoreMetroSubwayIcon.png|20px]] [[Charles Center station|Charles Center]]<br />[[Baltimore Arena station|Baltimore Arena]]
| image_size             = 250px
| image_alt              = 
| address                = 201 West [[Baltimore Street]]
| type                   = 
| genre                  = 
| production             = 
| seating_type           = 
| field_shape            = 
}}

'''CFG Bank Arena'''<ref name="CBSLocalRFA">{{cite web|title=Baltimore's Largest Indoor Entertainment Facility Renamed Royal Farms Arena|url=http://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2014/09/18/baltimores-largest-indoor-entertainment-facility-renamed-royal-farms-arena/|website=[[CBS Baltimore]]|date=September 18, 2014|access-date=September 27, 2014}}</ref> is a multipurpose [[arena]] in [[Baltimore]], [[Maryland]]. This venue is located about one block away from the [[Baltimore Convention Center]] on the corner of [[Baltimore Street]] and [[Maryland Route 139|Hopkins Place]] in [[downtown Baltimore]]. With a seating capacity of up to 14,000 for concerts,<ref name="About us">{{cite web |title=About Us |url=https://www.cfgbankarena.com/about-the-arena/ |website=CFG Bank Arena |access-date=October 24, 2022}}</ref> CFG Bank Arena is owned by the City of Baltimore and managed by the [[Oak View Group]], a global sports and entertainment company.<ref name="About us" />

The venue officially opened on October 23, 1962, as the '''Baltimore Civic Center'''.<ref>{{cite news |title=7,760 ATTEND CENTER OPENING |newspaper=[[The Baltimore Sun]] |date=October 24, 1962 |id={{ProQuest|539784595}}}}</ref> Designed by AG Odell Jr. and Associates,<ref>{{cite book |editor1-last=Hayward |editor1-first=Mary Ellen |editor2-last=Shivers Jr. |editor2-first=Frank |date=May 26, 2004 |title=The Architecture of Baltimore: An Illustrated History |chapter=Building a Renaissance, 1955-2000|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X-5DiZPRbXMC&q=AG%20Odell%20Jr.%20baltimore&pg=PA282 |location=[[Baltimore]], [[Maryland]] |publisher=[[Johns Hopkins University Press]] |page=282 |isbn=0801878063}}</ref> it was built on the site of [[Henry Fite House|Old Congress Hall]], where the Continental Congress met in 1776. The venue has been home to several Baltimore-based sports teams, most notably the [[Baltimore Bullets (1963–73)|Baltimore Bullets]] (now [[Washington Wizards]]) of the [[National Basketball Association|NBA]] from 1963 to 1973.

As a cornerstone for the Inner Harbor redevelopment during the 1980s, it was reopened after renovations and renamed the '''Baltimore Arena''' in 1986. In 2003, it was renamed '''1st Mariner Arena''' for Baltimore-based 1st Mariner Bank, which purchased [[naming rights]] to the arena for 10 years. When this naming rights agreement ended in 2013, the arena returned to its "Baltimore Arena" name until convenience store chain [[Royal Farms]] purchased the naming rights in September 2014;<ref name="CBSLocalRFA" /> the arena was known as '''Royal Farms Arena''' until 2022. After an extensive renovation, the venue reopened as CFG Bank Arena in February 2023.

==History==

===1960s–1970s===
A cornerstone to the Arena was laid in 1961 with a vault that included messages from then-U.S. President [[John F. Kennedy]], then-[[Maryland]] governor [[J. Millard Tawes]], and then-Baltimore Mayor [[J. Harold Grady]]. The vault was opened in 2006. The current site that was chosen for the Baltimore Civic Center was actually not one of the many sites proposed to the [[Greater Baltimore Committee]] in 1955. Among nine suggested locations were two in [[Druid Hill Park]], three at the end of the Inner Harbor basin (where the [[Baltimore World Trade Center|World Trade Center]] and [[Harborplace]] are now located), and one in [[Clifton Park, Baltimore|Clifton Park]].<ref>Report No. 5781 to Greater Baltimore Committee, Inc. on Proposed Civic Center for Baltimore, November 1, 1955. (via [[Enoch Pratt Free Library]] Maryland History dept.)</ref>

From 1962 through 1976, the [[Baltimore Clippers]] of the [[American Hockey League]] played their home games at the Arena. The financially troubled Clippers ceased operations in mid-season, 1974–75, when the professional [[Michigan Stags#Baltimore Blades|Baltimore Blades]] (the relocated [[Michigan Stags]]) of the [[World Hockey Association]] (WHA) moved into the market/arena. The Blades folded at the end of the season, and the Clippers regrouped for one final AHL season 1975–76. The Arena has hosted two other AHL franchises: the [[Baltimore Skipjacks]] lasted from 1981 to 1993, and the [[Baltimore Bandits]] from 1995 to 1997.

On November 12, 1962, the Arena hosted a boxing match between [[Joey Giardello]] and Johnny Morris attended by approximately 6,000 fans.

In [[1963–64 NBA season|1963]], the Arena became the home of the [[National Basketball Association|NBA]]'s [[Washington Wizards|Baltimore Bullets]] (originally the [[Chicago Packers]]), where the team played home games until its move to the [[Capital Centre (Landover, Maryland)|Capital Centre]] in 1973. The [[NBA All-Star Game]] was played at the Arena in [[1969 NBA All-Star Game|1969]].

[[The Beatles]] performed at the Arena on September 13, 1964, to a total of 28,000 attendees in two performances on the same day, at 4:00 pm and 8:30 pm.

On April 3, 1965, defending WWWF champion [[Bruno Sammartino]] defeated [[Gene Kiniski]] in a return title match. Just a few months later, in January 1966, Kiniski would win the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA) title.

On April 12, 1966, Dr. [[Martin Luther King Jr.]] gave a speech, "Race and the Church", before a gathering of Methodist clergy at the Baltimore Civic Center.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.ubalt.edu/template.cfm?page=1639 |title=University of Baltimore: Riots and Rebirth Project Timeline |access-date=November 26, 2007 |archive-date=January 27, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080127050525/http://www.ubalt.edu/template.cfm?page=1639 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The venue also hosted [[Led Zeppelin]] several times through the early 1970s. A couple of scenes from the Led Zeppelin concert film ''[[The Song Remains the Same (film)|The Song Remains the Same]]'' were filmed backstage. On June 13, 1970, [[The Jimi Hendrix Experience]] played the Civic Center with a last-minute decision to visit from New York and sold out. This was noted to be one of the best performances of the whole 1970 tour and was one of the last shows Hendrix played before his death a few months later. [[Chicago (band)|Chicago]] performed at the Civic Center on September 4, 1971, the month before the release of their fourth album, ''[[Chicago at Carnegie Hall]]''. Elvis Presley played the Civic Center twice: Tuesday, November 9, 1971, 8:30pm (wearing the Red Lion Suit) and again on Sunday, May 29, 1977, 8:30pm (wearing the Mexican Sundial Suit), less than three months before his untimely death. Both shows were complete sell-outs. The [[Grateful Dead]]'s performance on September 17, 1972, was recorded and later released as ''[[Dick's Picks Volume 23]]''. It contains the complete concert, except for the encore, which was "[[One More Saturday Night (song)|One More Saturday Night]]". It contains the longest CD version of "The Other One", to date, at nearly 40 minutes long.

In 1974, the [[World Team Tennis]] (WTT) [[Baltimore Banners]] played their home games there in their only season. [[List of ATP number 1 ranked singles tennis players|World No. 1]] player [[Jimmy Connors]] was on that team. After Connors defeated [[Ken Rosewall]] in Wimbledon they played each other at the Arena in a rematch. [[Billie Jean King]] and [[John Newcombe]] both played at the Arena, with their respective WTT clubs.

The Civic Center was host to the 1974 and 1975 [[MEAC men's basketball tournament]]. In 1975, professional basketball returned briefly with the [[Baltimore Claws]] of the [[American Basketball Association]] (ABA). The [[Memphis Sounds]] relocated to Baltimore following the 1974–75 ABA season and were first called the Baltimore Hustlers, before changing their name. Troubled financially from the start, the Claws folded after three road exhibition games.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.remembertheaba.com/Baltimore-Claws.html |title=Baltimore Hustlers/Claws |first=Arthur |last=Hundhausen |website=RememberTheABA.com |access-date=February 6, 2013}}</ref>

===1980s–1990s===
The Arena was the home of the Major Indoor Soccer League's [[Baltimore Blast (1980–92)|Baltimore Blast]] from their arrival in the 1980–1981 season until the league folded in 1992. The Blast won their only championship in the 1983–84 season which was attended by upwards of 11,200 fans. The Blast, regardless of [[Baltimore Blast|incarnation]], were the longest-serving tenant in the Arena's history.

[[Van Halen]] performed at the Arena on July 22, 1980, as part of their [[Van Halen World Invasion Tour]]. [[Bon Jovi]] performed to a sold-out Arena crowd during their [[Slippery When Wet Tour]] on December 29, 1986. In 1986 and 1989, the Arena was host to popular Italian opera singer [[Luciano Pavarotti]]. [[Def Leppard]] performed at the Arena on October 9, 1987, during their [[Hysteria World Tour]].

[[Kiss (band)|Kiss]] performed at the Arena on November 27, 1984, as part of their [[Animalize World Tour]]. This performance is notable, because lead guitarist [[Mark St. John]] makes his live debut with the band, after being temporarily replaced by [[Bruce Kulick]] for the first two months of the tour due to contracting [[reactive arthritis]]. Kulick played the first five songs of the show, then St. John joined onstage to perform five songs. Kulick returned onstage and finished the show. Both St. John and Kulick bowed with the rest of the members at the end of the show. St. John went on to play only two full shows with the band before being permanently replaced by Kulick.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Wilkening |first1=Matthew |title=The Night Kiss Played a Show With Two Lead Guitarists |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/kiss-two-lead-guitarists/ |website=[[Ultimate Classic Rock]] |publisher=Townsquare Media |date=March 13, 2021}}</ref>

The Arena was the home of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League (MILL) and later the [[National Lacrosse League]] (NLL) [[Baltimore Thunder]] from 1987 through 1999. The Thunder won the inaugural MILL championship. Notable players include [[Gary Gait]], Tom Gravante (head Men's Lacrosse coach at [[Mount St. Mary's University]]) and Hugh Donovan.
The Arena was a frequent venue for [[Jim Crockett Promotions]] (NWA) and [[World Championship Wrestling]] (WCW). Starting in 1988, [[The Great American Bash]] pay-per-view was held at the Arena eight times. It also hosted [[SuperBrawl V]] in 1995. [[Sting (wrestler)|Sting]] defeated [[Ric Flair]] to win his first NWA World Championship at 1990's Great American Bash, and [[Ron Simmons]] upset [[Big Van Vader]] in 1992 for the WCW title, becoming the first African-American to hold a major world title. The [[New World Order (professional wrestling)|nWo]] was reformed in 1999 at the Baltimore Arena with [[Bret Hart]], [[Kevin Nash]], [[Scott Hall]] and [[Jeff Jarrett]] on the Nitro after [[Starrcade (1999)|Starrcade]]

The Arena has also hosted many [[WWE]] events over the years. Most notably the [[King of the Ring (1994)|1994 King of the Ring]], [[No Mercy (2003)]], [[No Way Out (2006)|No Way Out 2006]], [[Backlash (2008)|Backlash 2008]], [[Extreme Rules (2010)]], [[TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs (2011)]], [[Payback (2015)]], and [[Extreme Rules (2017)]] as well as multiple ''[[WWE Raw|Raw]]'' and ''[[WWE SmackDown|SmackDown!]]'' tapings. Major title changes to take place in the Arena include [[Superstar Billy Graham]] over [[Bruno Sammartino]] in 1977 for the WWWF championship and [[Tito Santana]] over [[Greg Valentine]] in 1985 for the WWF Intercontinental title in a [[professional wrestling match types#Cages|steel cage match]].

In [[1989 U.S. Figure Skating Championships|1989]], the Arena was host to the [[U.S. Figure Skating Championships|U.S. National Figure Skating Championships]]. Three years later, the [[International Olympic Committee]] held the U.S. Olympic Gymnastics Trials there. In 1995, the Arena was host to the [[National Collegiate Athletic Association|NCAA]] Men's Basketball Division 1 games (Rounds 1 & 2).

The [[National Basketball Association|NBA]]'s [[Washington Bullets]] (formerly based in Baltimore) played 35 regular season "home" games at the arena from January 1989 through March 1997; their final game at the arena was a 94–87 victory over the [[Dallas Mavericks]] on March 29, 1997.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1989/01/29/The-last-time-the-Washington-Bullets-played-in-Baltimore/7587602053200/ |title=The last time the Washington Bullets played in Baltimore |work=[[United Press International]] |date=1989-01-29}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Bembry |first1=Jerry |title=Bullets leave Baltimore with win Mavericks fall, 94-87; Washington a half-game behind in playoff chase |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1997-03-30-1997089160-story.html |access-date=September 19, 2023 |work=The Baltimore Sun |url-status=live |url-access=subscription |date=March 30, 1997 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230810151106/https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1997-03-30-1997089160-story.html |archive-date=August 10, 2023}}</ref> The team has yet to play a regular season game in Baltimore under its current Wizards moniker.

===2000s===
The Arena has also been a staple on the [[Professional Bull Riders|PBR]]'s [[Built Ford Tough Series]] [[bull riding]] tour. It first visited the Arena from 2001 to 2003, then came back again from 2008 to 2010. It returned in 2012 and again in 2015.

On October 25, 2003, Maryland's [[Good Charlotte]] performed at the Arena. In July 2004, the Arena was host to the US debut of Japanese rock band [[L'Arc-en-Ciel]], as part of the [[anime]] and east Asian culture convention [[Otakon]].

On December 3–4, 2004, the Arena hosted the final Vans Triple Crown Of [[Freestyle Motocross]] events.

On February 1, 2006, the Arena hosted the first concert by [[The Rolling Stones]], in Baltimore, since 1969, which was also at the Arena.

On February 19, 2006, [[No Way Out (2006)|No Way Out 2006]] was held in Baltimore, the WWE's first pay-per-view in the city since No Mercy 2003. [[Kurt Angle]] defeated [[The Undertaker]] to retain the World Heavyweight Championship.

The [[Miss USA 2006|2006 Miss USA Pageant]] was held here on April 21, 2006.

On February 11, 2008, the Arena also hosted a rally for presidential candidate [[Barack Obama]].

On April 27, 2008, [[Backlash (2008)|Backlash 2008]] was held in Baltimore. [[Triple H]] defeated [[Randy Orton]] to win the WWE Championship.

On November 20, 2009, [[Bruce Springsteen]] & The [[E Street Band]] performed at the Arena, recreating the entirety of their landmark album ''[[Born to Run]]''; it was their first tour stop in Baltimore since 1973. Several country-pop music acts have made tour stops at the Arena, including [[Carrie Underwood]] and [[George Strait]].

;Accolades:
:<nowiki>#1</nowiki> Top Grossing Venue in North America in 2009*
:<nowiki>#3</nowiki> Top Grossing Venue in the World in 2008*
:<nowiki>#13</nowiki> Ticket Sales Worldwide All Venues in 2008**
:Prime Site Award Winner 2005–2015
:<nowiki>*</nowiki>{{small|Capacities 10,001–15,000, ''Billboard'' magazine}}
:<nowiki>**</nowiki>{{small|Pollstar Top 100 Worldwide Arena Venues}}

===2010s===
The [[Professional Bull Riders|PBR]]'s [[Built Ford Tough Series]] [[bull riding]] tour returned to the Arena in 2012.

Shogun Fights, the first promoter to bring professional Mixed Martial Arts to the state of Maryland, held its second event, Shogun Fights 2, on March 27, 2010. This event occurs twice each year, once in the Spring and again in the Fall.

On April 25, 2010, the Arena played host to [[Extreme Rules (2010)|WWE Extreme Rules]]. It has then played host to [[WWE Raw|Monday Night Raw]] on June 20, 2011. This episode was named ''[[WWE Raw#Special episodes|Power to the People]]''. It has played host to [[WWE]]'s [[TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs (2011)|Tables, Ladders & Chairs 2011]] on December 18, 2011. It hosted the season 23 premiere of [[WWE Monday Night Raw]] on September 8, 2014, and ended the same WWE Raw season on September 7, 2015, with the main event being a six-man tag team match between [[John Cena]] and the [[Prime Time Players]] vs. [[Seth Rollins]] and [[The New Day (wrestling)|The New Day]]. [[Payback (2015)|WWE Payback]] was held in this Arena on May 17, 2015. [[Extreme Rules (2017)|WWE Extreme Rules]] held on June 4, 2017, was the latest WWE pay-per-view to be held at the Arena.

On September 30, 2011, the [[National Hockey League|NHL]]'s [[Washington Capitals]] played a preseason game against the [[Nashville Predators]] in a 2–0 loss at the Arena. It was the arena's first ice hockey event to be played since 1997.<ref>{{cite web|title=Baltimore Hockey Classic was a success -- except for the slush|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/bal-sportsblitz-baltimore-hockey-classic-ice0921-story.html|date=September 21, 2011|work=The Baltimore Sun|access-date=September 10, 2022}}</ref> A second Capitals preseason game at the arena was played on September 17, 2013, against the [[Boston Bruins]] in another 3–2 loss.<ref>{{cite web|title=Baltimore Hockey Classic draws low turnout at Baltimore Arena|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/bs-xpm-2013-09-17-bs-sp-baltimore-hockey-0918-20130917-story.html|date=September 17, 2013|work=The Baltimore Sun|access-date=September 10, 2022}}</ref>

On October 17, 2013, the RFA held an NBA preseason game between the [[Washington Wizards]] and the [[New York Knicks]] to celebrate the Wizards 50th anniversary.<ref>{{cite web|title=Professional Basketball Returns To Baltimore Arena For 1st Time In 14 Years|url=https://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2013/08/07/professional-basketball-returns-to-the-baltimore-arena/|date=August 7, 2013|publisher=[[WJZ-TV]]|access-date=September 11, 2020}}</ref> The team, who played several games there in the 1990s as the Bullets, played another preseason game at the arena against the [[New Orleans Pelicans]], on October 20, 2014.

On April 26, 2014, the Royal Farms Arena hosted [[UFC 172#Scheduled events|UFC 172: Jones vs. Teixeira.]]

The [[Colonial Athletic Association]] announced they would be moving their [[Colonial Athletic Association men's basketball tournament|men's basketball tournament]] to the Arena in 2014 under a three-year contract after a 24-year run at the [[Richmond Coliseum]].<ref>{{cite web|title=CAA Reaches Three-Year Agreement With City of Baltimore to Host 2014-16 CAA Men's Basketball Championships|url=http://www.caasports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_LANG=C&ATCLID=205823830&DB_OEM_ID=8500|publisher=CAA|access-date=December 12, 2012}}</ref> It is the first time the tournament will be held outside the state of Virginia.

In still more recent years, the Arena continues holding events such as [[Stevie Wonder]] (April 2015), [[Prince (musician)|Prince]] (May 2015), the [[Eagles (band)|Eagles]] (July 2015), and [[Garth Brooks]] (five sold-out concerts in January 2016).

On November 14, 2016, [[Monumental Sports & Entertainment]] (owners of the [[Washington Wizards]] of the [[National Basketball Association|NBA]], [[Washington Capitals]] of the [[National Hockey League|NHL]], [[Washington Mystics]] of the [[Women's National Basketball Association|WNBA]] and the new [[Washington Valor]] of the [[Arena Football League]]) announced that they had been granted a second [[Arena Football League]] franchise, the [[Baltimore Brigade]], to play at the Royal Farms Arena.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.monumentalsports.com/newsroom/2016/11/monumental-sports-entertainment-acquires-afl-team-to-play-in-baltimore/ |title=Monumental Sports & Entertainment Acquires AFL Team to Play in Baltimore |publisher=[[Monumental Sports & Entertainment]] |date=November 14, 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170616175450/http://www.monumentalsports.com/newsroom/2016/11/monumental-sports-entertainment-acquires-afl-team-to-play-in-baltimore/|archive-date=June 16, 2017}}</ref> It is the first time the AFL played in Baltimore and the first team to play in Maryland since the [[Maryland Commandos]] played at the [[Capital Centre (Landover, Maryland)|Capital Centre]] in 1989. On July 28, 2018, the Arena and Brigade hosted its first ArenaBowl Championship, [[ArenaBowl XXXI]] where the Baltimore Brigade was upset by the Washington Valor 55–69.<ref>[https://arenafootball.com/article/arenabowl-xxxi-matchup-set-baltimore-brigade-to-host-washington-valor ArenaBowl XXXI Matchup Set: Baltimore Brigade to Host Washington Valor]{{dead link|date=March 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}, Arena Football League website, July 21, 2018</ref>

On July 23, 2017, [[Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers]] played a concert in the arena as part of their 40th Anniversary Tour.

On November 8, 2018, [[Travis Scott]] kicked off his [[Astroworld – Wish You Were Here Tour]] in the arena.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Turner |first1=Cate |title=Travis Scott hits first stop of his tour in Baltimore |url=https://www.jhunewsletter.com/article/2018/11/travis-scott-hits-first-stop-of-his-tour-in-baltimore |work=[[The Johns Hopkins News-Letter]] |access-date=December 2, 2022 |date=November 15, 2018}}</ref>

;Accolades:
:<nowiki>#1</nowiki> Top Grossing Venue in North America in 2015*
:<nowiki>#2</nowiki> Top Grossing Venue in North America in 2014*
:<nowiki>#2</nowiki> Top Grossing Venue in North America in 2012*
:<nowiki>#1</nowiki> Top Grossing Venue in North America in 2011*
:Prime Site Award Winner 2005–2015
:<nowiki>*</nowiki>{{small|Capacities 10,001–15,000, ''Billboard'' magazine}}
:<nowiki>**</nowiki>{{small|Pollstar Top 100 Worldwide Arena Venues}}

===2020s===
The [[COVID-19 pandemic in Maryland]] led to the postponement or cancellation of a number of arena events. The venue went dark until a September 2021 [[Guns N' Roses]] performance.<ref>{{cite news |first1=Jean |last1=Marbella |first2=McKenna |last2=Oxenden |title=With Guns N' Roses and the BSO, two indoor concerts herald the return of live music in a big way to Baltimore |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/bs-prem-md-baltimore-returns-20210927-hbdcafkd6bevdcsiuhgldsqjcy-story.html |access-date=March 7, 2022 |date=2021-09-27 |work=[[The Baltimore Sun]]}}</ref>

In February 2022, the arena hosted the [[Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association|CIAA]] men's and women's basketball tournament.<ref>{{cite news |title=CIAA Tournament Wraps Up Week Of Basketball Fandom In Baltimore |url=https://baltimore.cbslocal.com/2022/02/26/ciaa-tournament-wraps-up-week-of-basketball-fandom-in-baltimore/ |access-date=March 7, 2022 |date=February 26, 2022}}</ref> No further events were scheduled due to the pending renovation. After the tournament, the city terminated its naming rights deal with Royal Farms. Oak View Group, which is leading the arena's renovation, has the right to sell naming rights and other sponsorships.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Alonso |first1=Johanna |title=Arena scraps Royal Farms name, searches for next title sponsor |work=[[Daily Record (Maryland)|The Daily Record]] |url=https://thedailyrecord.com/2022/05/27/arena-scraps-royal-farms-name-searches-for-next-title-sponsor |access-date=June 1, 2022 |date=May 27, 2022}}</ref>

In October 2022 the arena was renamed CFG Bank Arena.<ref>{{cite news |first=Giacomo |last=Bologna |title=The Baltimore Arena is getting a $200M face-lift. Now it's got a new name. |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bs-bz-baltimore-arena-naming-rights-20221024-jcypf5zjnfg5japgbqomeiqlie-story.html |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |access-date=October 24, 2022 |date=October 24, 2022}}</ref> The arena reopened in February 2023 after a year long renovation and once again hosted the 2023 [[Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association|CIAA]] men's and women's basketball tournament.<ref>{{cite news  |first=Edward |last=Lee |title=After CIAA Tournament's second run in Baltimore, officials hope to continue long-term partnership |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/sports/college/basketball/bs-sp-ciaa-basketball-tournament-last-day-20230226-2aaspk4uufdipbcokurz6ybnsi-story.html |newspaper=The Baltimore Sun |access-date=February 27, 2023 |date=February 26, 2023}}</ref> The first concert held since the renovation was [[Bruce Springsteen]] and [[the E Street Band]] in April 2023.<ref>{{cite news |first=Nicky |last=Zizaza |title=CFG Bank Arena attracts headliner acts and big-name comedians |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/baltimore/news/cfg-bank-arena-attracts-headliner-acts-comedians/ |work=CBS News |access-date=March 9, 2023 |date=March 3, 2023}}</ref>

On May 28, 2025, the arena hosted its first [[Women's National Basketball Association]] (WNBA) game between the [[Indiana Fever]] and [[Washington Mystics]], with a second game between the two teams coming on September 7, 2025.<ref>{{Cite press release |url=https://fever.wnba.com/news/indiana-fever-2025-road-games-at-mystics-moved-to-baltimore |title=Indiana Fever 2025 Road Games at Mystics Moved to Baltimore |website=[[Indiana Fever]] |date=February 27, 2025}}</ref>

On November 3rd, 2025, the arena hosted a [[Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference|MEAC]] vs [[Big Ten Conference|Big-Ten Conference]] Men's Basketball game between [[Coppin State Eagles men's basketball|Coppin State]] vs [[University of Maryland, College Park|Maryland University]], where Maryland University won 61-83 against Coppin State.

==Proposed replacement and the decision for renovation==
On October 16, 2004, ''[[The Baltimore Sun]]'' revealed that official steps had been taken toward replacing the Arena, then 42 years old. The [[Maryland Stadium Authority]] had started soliciting proposals for a feasibility study on building an Arena in downtown Baltimore, due on November 1, 2004. According to the request for proposals, the new Arena would be built on the same site of Royal Farms Arena and "would have a smaller [[seating capacity]] than would be required for an NHL or NBA team" but it did not set a specific seating capacity.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Waldman |first1=Ed |title=Ideas solicited for city arena |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2004-10-16-0410160237-story.html |access-date=September 19, 2023 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=October 16, 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210619232457/https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2004-10-16-0410160237-story.html |archive-date=June 19, 2021 |url-status=live |url-access=subscription}}</ref>

On May 15, 2007, ''[[The Baltimore Sun]]'' reported that the feasibility study started in 2004 had been released publicly and the study stated that the current Arena had "served its useful life" and that Baltimore must build a new Arena or face the risk of losing events. The study rejected a proposal to repair the Arena's aging systems, citing an estimated cost of $60 million, and instead suggested that the city demolish Royal Farms Arena and build a new Arena on the same site or elsewhere in Baltimore. Notably the proposed new Arena would seat only 15,000 to 16,000 people; the study assumed that Baltimore would never be successful in attracting a major pro team in the future; however, city officials were still open to this idea.<ref name="urged">{{cite news |last1=Rosen |first1=Jill |last2=Walker |first2=Childs |title=City is urged to replace arena |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/baltimore-city/bal-te.md.ci.arena15may15002653-story.html |access-date=October 27, 2022 |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=May 15, 2007}}</ref>

Conceivably, the new arena could be successful in attracting a minor-league hockey team, bringing more than 200 new jobs and generating up to $1 million in additional tax revenue. City officials have said that the private sector would need to bear the brunt of the estimated $162-million construction cost of the new arena, as the city is also considering giving up ownership of the arena. The Baltimore Development Corporation (BDC) stated that it would begin seeking interested developers for the project by June 2007. BDC's President M. J. "Jay" Brodie said it was a "miracle" that the current Arena books as many events as it does in its current state. City officials have said the location of the new Arena would be dependent on what the developers suggest. Officials stated that they are equally comfortable with keeping the current Arena, building the new Arena in a new location, then demolishing the current Arena, or encouraging a mixed-use development in the site of the current Arena. Advocates for downtown, including the Downtown Partnership and the Westside Renaissance, want the new Arena to remain in the downtown area.<ref name="urged" />

On November 18, 2007, [[WJZ 13]] reported that seven sites have been submitted to the BDC for a new Arena, and the choices will be narrowed down by the Spring of 2008.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://wjz.com/seenon/arena.baltimore.charm.2.570624.html |title=wjz.com - Plans In The Works For New Arena |website=wjz.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080617142548/http://wjz.com/seenon/arena.baltimore.charm.2.570624.html |archive-date=June 17, 2008}}</ref>

On July 24, 2008, it was reported that the new Arena will be built on the same site as the current one, with a capacity of upwards of 18,500. It was unknown at that time what would happen to concerts and events while construction is underway, or who would develop the new Arena. However, there have been talks about building a temporary facility for events. The Arena was planned to be completed within three years.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wbaltv.com/news/16980285/detail.html?rss=bal&psp=news |title=City's New Arena To Sit In Same Spot |website=wbaltv.com |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110930074111/http://www.wbaltv.com/news/16980285/detail.html?rss=bal&psp=news |archive-date=September 30, 2011}}</ref>

On August 27, 2008, ''The Baltimore Sun'' reported that developers were looking for designers to build an apartment building and outdoor shopping stores to be a part of the new Royal Farms Arena. Also, the developers announced that they were accepting all design proposals until November 26, 2008, and that, by the summer of 2009, they planned to make a final design decision.

On December 17, 2008, ''[[The Baltimore Examiner]]'' reported that the Baltimore Development Corp. had received four proposals for the Royal Farms Arena replacement that could take away a "major entertainment venue" for Baltimore for up to "4 years" and the estimated price is $300 million, but could be more depending on additional retail and hotel uses. The Arena is reported to be an 18,500-seat venue built on the site of the current Royal Farms Arena. The four proposals were:

'''ESmith Legacy and Garfield Traub Development:''' ESmith Legacy was a team led by former NFL player [[Emmitt Smith]] that has offices in Baltimore. This proposal included the following features in addition to the larger Arena:

*7-screen movie theater
*{{convert|20000|sqft}} of retail space
*1,000-seat concert venue

'''Streuver Brothers Eccles & Rouse:''' A well known Baltimore-based developer. This proposal included:

*300-room hotel
*{{convert|43000|sqft}} of retail space

'''Cormony Development and Harrison Development:''' Respectively, Rockville- and Baltimore-based development firms who have been involved since 2007. This proposal includes:

*400-room hotel
*240,000 SF office tower
*12,000 SF to 20,000 SF of retail space

'''A&R Development, J Street Development Co., and Accent Development Co.:''' A partnership of Baltimore-based A&R and Washington based J Street and Accent Development under the name Arena Development. This proposal includes:

*Up to {{convert|100000|sqft}} of retail space

The Baltimore Examiner reported that the BDC could make a decision on the developer as soon as mid-2009.<ref>{{cite news|author=Andrew Cannarsa|title=New downtown arena project draws four interested parties|work=[[The Baltimore Examiner]]|date=December 17, 2008|page=16}}</ref>

On July 8, 2009, ArenaDigest.com reported that Baltimore City officials had postponed their plans for constructing a new arena, due in part to the [[Late-2000s recession|struggling economy]], and the officials' decision split between building either an 18,500-seat Arena for a possible NBA or NHL franchise, or constructing a mid-size facility for concerts, family events, and minor league sports.<ref>{{cite news|title=Baltimore puts off decision on new downtown arena|publisher=Arena Digest|date=July 8, 2009}}</ref>

However, on November 12, 2010, with the recession rebounding, Mayor [[Stephanie Rawlings-Blake]] announced that city officials were considering new sites for a new arena. The plan called for Royal Farms Arena to remain open, while a new arena was constructed. While Rawlings-Blake believed that the new Arena would most likely to be erected in the city's West Side, the Greater Baltimore Committee suggested building the Arena as an expansion to the Baltimore Convention Center, to help re-develop the [[Inner Harbor]].<ref>{{cite news|title=GBC proposes Inner Harbor redevelopment to expand Convention Center, add sports arena|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bs-xpm-2010-11-12-bs-bz-arena-convention-gbc-20101112-story.html|work=The Baltimore Sun|date=November 12, 2010}}</ref> The cost would range from $750 to $930 million, since it would include the 18,500-seat Arena, {{convert|400,000|sqft|m2|adj=on}} expansion of the Baltimore Convention Center, an underground garage, and a new 500-room Sheraton hotel; the proposed Arena site is where the current Sheraton hotel rests.<ref>{{cite news|title=Arena, convention center idea could cost nearly $1B|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2010/12/16/arena-convention-center-proposal.html |work=Baltimore Business Journal|date=December 16, 2010}}</ref>

On January 14, 2015, [[David S. Cordish]], the chairman and CEO of the [[Cordish Company]], proposed to build a 15,000–16,000-seat waterfront arena, but built with expanded capacity in mind. The Arena, accommodated with an outdoor amphitheater and a pedestrian bridge to connect the [[Inner Harbor]] and [[Federal Hill, Baltimore|Federal Hill]], would cost $450 million and tie up with [[Harbor East]] and [[Power Plant Live]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Exclusive: Cordish floating plans to build Inner Harbor arena on Piers 5 and 6|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/baltimore/news/2015/01/14/cordish-floating-plans-to-build-inner-harbor-arena.html?page=all |work=Baltimore Business Journal|date=December 14, 2015}}</ref> However, the Cordish proposal was scrapped when Maryland Governor [[Larry Hogan]] cancelled the [[Red Line (Baltimore)|Red Line project]], which was a dire need for the arena.

On August 3, 2016, talks about the convention center/arena proposal resumed. Up to that point, a few more studies for a new arena have been planned, including a possible renovation of Royal Farms Arena and construction of a new Arena at the city's [[State Center station]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Team named to study convention center expansion, possible new arena|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/maryland/bs-bz-convention-center-study-20170504-story.html |work=The Baltimore Sun|date=May 4, 2016}}</ref>

On November 25, 2020, the Baltimore Development Corporation called for proposals of redeveloping the arena to a state-of-the-art facility, whether through renovation or construction of a brand-new arena. The caveat is that the arena must remain on the current site and that no proposals for alternate sites were under consideration.<ref>{{cite news|title=Baltimore Development Corp. seeks developer for Royal Farms Arena for post-coronavirus events venue|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/business/bal-baltimore-development-corp-seeks-developer-for-royal-farms-arena-for-post-coronavirus-events-venue-20201125-story.html |work=The Baltimore Sun|date=November 25, 2020}}</ref>

On June 23, 2021, it was announced that [[Oak View Group]], in association with the Thirty Five Ventures, the investment company of NBA player [[Kevin Durant]] and his agent and business partner, [[Rich Kleiman]] entered negotiations to invest $200 million into renovating the Royal Farms Arena. The renovations would feature "overhauled concourses, new suites, new concessions, a new exterior featuring plenty of glass, and new seating." After which, the two companies would manage and lease the arena.<ref>{{cite news|title=Royal Farms Arena renovations unveiled|url=https://arenadigest.com/2021/06/24/royal-farms-arena-renovations-unveiled/|work=Arena Digest|date=June 24, 2021}}</ref> On November 24, 2021, the Board of Estimates approved the arrangement with a one-year renovation project beginning in February 2022. The renovation cost $250 million with the arena reopening in February 2023.

==Transportation==
The CFG Bank Arena is immediately adjacent to the [[Baltimore Arena station]] on the [[Baltimore Light Rail]]. The [[Charles Center Metro Subway Station]] and many bus lines are also nearby.

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|https://www.cfgbankarena.com/}}
* [http://explore.baltimoreheritage.org/items/show/152 Baltimore Arena] at Explore Baltimore Heritage

{{s-start-collapsible|header={{s-sta|et}}}}
{{succession box
 | title = Home of the<br />[[Baltimore Thunder]]
 | years = 1987–1999
 | before = first arena
 | after = [[Pittsburgh Civic Arena]]
}}
{{succession box
 | title = Home of the<br />[[Baltimore Blast]]
 | years = 1992–2017
 | before = first arena
 | after = [[SECU Arena]]
}}
{{succession box
 | title = Home of the<br />[[Baltimore Bullets (1963–73)|Baltimore Bullets]]
 | years = 1963–1973
 | before = [[Chicago Coliseum]]
 | after = [[Capital Centre (Landover, Maryland)|Capital Centre]]
}}
{{succession box
 | title = Host of the<br /> [[NBA All-Star Game]]
 | years = 1969
 | before = [[Madison Square Garden]]
 | after = [[Spectrum (arena)|The Spectrum]]
}}
{{s-end}}

{{Baltimore Brigade}}
{{Washington Wizards}}
{{Baltimore}}
{{LFL Venues}}
{{Music venues of Maryland}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:1962 establishments in Maryland]]
[[Category:Sports venues completed in 1962]]
[[Category:Event venues established in 1962]]
[[Category:Baltimore Bandits]]
[[Category:Baltimore Bullets (1963–1973)]]
[[Category:Baltimore Claws]]
[[Category:Baltimore Skipjacks]]
[[Category:Basketball venues in Maryland]]
[[Category:Boxing in Maryland]]
[[Category:Boxing venues in the United States]]
[[Category:Downtown Baltimore]]
[[Category:Indoor arenas in Maryland]]
[[Category:Ice hockey venues in Maryland]]
[[Category:Indoor lacrosse venues in the United States]]
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[[Category:Mixed martial arts venues in the United States]]
[[Category:Music venues in Baltimore]]
[[Category:NBA venues]]
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