Photos by Andrei Ojeda, Stadium Journey
Stadium Info FANFARE Score: 3.57
Lee's Family Forum
200 South Green Valley Pkwy Henderson, NV 89012
Year Opened: 2022
Capacity: 5,567
Camelot Amidst Slapshots
*Editor's note: The former Dollar Loan Center was renamed the Lee's Family Forum on April 4, 2024. The name change comes after only two years of the original 22-year naming rights contract had elapsed.
The newest franchise in the AHL is the Henderson Silver Knights. The Silver Knights added as the Las Vegas Golden Knights ownership group purchased the San Antonio Rampage and relocated them to Henderson, NV to serve as the AHL affiliate of the parent club. The club began play in time for the 2021-2022 season. The club began play with games held at the Orleans Resort Arena, with play shifting to the brand-new Dollar Loan Center in Henderson in April 2022.
The Dollar Loan Center is a 5,567-seat arena located on the former site of the Henderson Pavilion Amphitheatre. The venue also serves as the home of the Vegas Knight Hawks of the Indoor Football League and the Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame.
Food & Beverage 4
Several concession stands known as FanFare are located along the concourse. They offer a burger basket ($16), hot dogs ($7), brats ($7), chicken tenders w/fries ($12), chips ($5), candy ($5), popcorn ($5), Coca-Cola brand sodas ($6) and water ($5).
A full-service restaurant, the Craggy Range Sports Bar and Grille, is in the arena. It offers a wide range of pub fare including sliders ($12), nachos ($16), wings ($15), burgers ($16), BBQ sandwiches ($15) and fish sandwiches ($13). The sports bar offers more than 15 craft beers.
The Golden Goblet offers alcoholic drinks. These include deluxe cocktails ($12 for singles), luxury cocktails ($15 for singles) and a wide assortment of craft beers ($13).
Nacho Daddy has an individual stand. It offers a Supreme Tostada Nacho or BBQ Chicken Nachos which both sell for $15.
Atmosphere 4
The Dollar Loan Center differs from most athletic venues in that it has adopted a specific theme that is carried out in the names of its various amenities and also in the outfits worn by facility staff. It becomes readily apparent that the parent club Las Vegas Golden Knights are behind the decision to adopt a Modern Medieval theme for the Silver Knights new home. You will be greeted by a ticket taker in a Medieval outfit and served by a wench at the concession stand.
Town Crier Welcomes Crowd, Photo by Lloyd Brown, Stadium Journey
The various components of the arena also have Medieval themes (i.e., the 28 suites are known as chambers, premium seats are the Royal Landing, the plaza is known as the Tiltyard, where jousts are held, the penalty box is a dungeon and restrooms are, of course, the Throne Rooms.) The arena mimics the parent club’s staging of a castle at one end of the ice and a pair of decks at the other end (known as the King’s Lookout and the Queen’s Lookout). The center hung scoreboard features a war horse and the team store is known as The Saddlery. After a Silver Knights win, the town crier comes out and proclaims a victory over the opposing kingdom. While we think this unique aspect of the arena works in the world of Las Vegas, where hotels, shops and restaurants are all based on themes… we’re not sure it would work anywhere else.
The arena features a 360-degree concourse at the top of the seating bowl. The concourse is wide and offers excellent circulation during breaks in the action. You will not lose sight of the action on the ice from the concourse, as it offers open views from anywhere in the arena. There are also drinking rails for fans who wish to stand while enjoying a beverage or some food from the concession stands.
The Southern Nevada Sports Hall of Fame lines one wall of the arena. It features local athletes from UNLV, as well as the many boxers and other sports elite that are linked to the Las Vegas area.
Neighborhood 4
Henderson, NV is a suburb of Las Vegas. It is the second largest city in Nevada, with a population of over 330,000. It is located just southeast of the Las Vegas Strip and Harry Reid International Airport.
Like its larger neighbor, Henderson is all about entertainment, food, and fun. You will have no problem finding something to do near The Dollar Loan Center before or after a Silver Knights game. There is an Artisan Booze District with several craft breweries to choose from, tasting rooms for local wines and a distillery. The Water District is known for its great shopping and unique boutiques. Lake Las Vegas offers an oasis of water sports in the middle of the desert.
Fans 4
The kingdom of Henderson has welcomed the Silver Knights with open arms. Thus far games are drawing an average crowd of 4,500 per game and the fans have already identified some of their favorite players. The fanbase tends to break about 50% hardcore hockey fans and about 50% teens and children from the area youth hockey program. Even though the team is new to the Henderson area, it is a very knowledgeable crowd. The Silver Knights have also seen a noticeable number of fans from the visiting team’s hometown, as the lure of Las Vegas coupled with a hockey game can make for a fun sports travel weekend.
Access 3
The Dollar Loan Center is convenient to reach from anywhere in the Valley, including the Las Vegas Strip or Harry Reid International Airport. Visitors to the area typically use cabs or rideshares to get around the area, as things are close together and parking at casinos can be very pricey. Many hotels along the strip offer shuttles to sports events in the area.
Directions to the Dollar Loan Center are quite easy:
From I-215: Take Exit 5 (South Green Valley Parkway) and follow the parkway for .6 miles. The Dollar Loan Center will be on your left. The RTC bus system also has two routes (#111 and 221) that offer a stop directly in front of the arena.
Return on Investment 3
Henderson and Las Vegas offer a wide variety of entertainment options, but that can come at a high price. Tickets for Silver Knights games cost $48 for seats along the sides of the rink, $38 for seats in the corners and $28 for seats at the end of the rink. Concession prices are high for this level of competition. Parking at the Dollar Loan Center is $10 prepaid, or $12 the night of the event. All transactions are cashless at the Dollar Loan Center.
Extras 3
The Dollar Loan Center hosted the Big West Conference College Basketball Tournament in its inaugural year.
The Dollar Loan Center was built utilizing practices proposed by the Green Building Initiative to be environmentally friendly.
While the medieval theme may not be your cup of mead… we think it works well in Henderson!
Final Thoughts
The addition of the Silver Knights to the Las Vegas area, along with the brand-new Dollar Loan Center, has been a great boon to the activities available for visitors to the Henderson area. The location offers convenience for the parent club to pull up players from the AHL level to fill in for an injured player or give a promising player a shot at playing at the NHL level. The Dollar Loan Center can offer a wide variety of sports, entertainment, and meeting facilities when the hockey season ends.
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