Acrisure Arena

Acrisure Arena is the Coachella Valley’s indoor home for major concerts, professional hockey and basketball, comedy, and family entertainment. It sits along Varner Road near Interstate 10 in the Palm Desert area. This guide helps you choose an event, compare seats, plan your arrival, and avoid the common ticketing and entry surprises.

View Acrisure Arena on the DOI map

Original photography: Mark Miller photographed the arena at sundown on October 8, 2026. The featured aerial shows the full building framed by the desert’s mountain silhouettes.

• Choose your night: Official events and tickets.
• Plan your arrival: Parking passes, arrival routes, and rideshare maps.
• Check your seats: Arena seating layouts.
• Before leaving home: Current bag and entry policies.

What happens at Acrisure Arena?

The venue opened December 14, 2022. Its approximately 300,000-square-foot building was designed by Populous and built by AECOM Hunt. The arena publishes a concert capacity of 11,007; the actual number of available seats depends on the event’s stage, floor, and production configuration. Hockey, basketball, and concerts use different layouts.

• Coachella Valley Firebirds: Follow the official Firebirds website for hockey schedules and tickets.
• Coachella Valley Lakers: Find basketball schedules and team information on the official CV Lakers website.
• Touring entertainment: Concerts, comedy, and family shows rotate throughout the year. Use the live arena calendar for current dates rather than relying on an old event list.

Tickets, prices, and mobile entry

Start with the official event listing and follow its ticket link. Prices vary by event, seat, availability, and fees; compare the final checkout total. The arena identifies Ticketmaster and its ticket exchange as authorized purchasing and resale channels. A cheap listing elsewhere is not a guarantee of a valid ticket.

Tickets use mobile delivery and scanning. Screenshots and print-at-home copies are not accepted. Open your ticket account before the trip, add eligible tickets to your phone wallet, charge your phone, and transfer tickets to companions who may arrive separately. Season and premium holders may use a separate Account Manager login.

The box office lists event-day hours from 10 a.m. until approximately one hour into the event and accepts cashless payment. Contact boxoffice@acrisurearena.com for ticket help. Confirm children’s admission rules for your particular show. Full ticketing guidance.

Choosing seats for your event

The official seating guide distinguishes end-stage concerts, hockey, and basketball. The ticket map for your specific performance is the deciding reference: stage position and production needs can change which seats are offered.

Our practical seat-selection advice:

• Hockey: Consider whether you prefer proximity to the glass or a higher vantage point to follow play across the ice. Check the side and end of the rink on the game’s map.
• Basketball: Compare sideline and baseline views. A center-side view is useful if seeing both ends of the court matters more than being close to one basket.
• Concerts: Check whether floor tickets are seated or standing, where the stage faces, and whether the listing notes a restricted view. Closer does not always mean a clearer view if people stand in front of you.
• Premium experiences: Confirm exactly which lounge, entrance, food, or parking benefits your ticket includes. Premium seating and suites have different access arrangements.

Parking, directions, and rideshare

The arena has adjacent parking for more than 3,000 vehicles. ParkWhiz is its official parking provider. Fees vary by event; advance online sales close three hours before the start. Arrival payment is cashless. Keep your pass ready before entering: the arena warns that cellular service is limited in the lots and Wi-Fi is unavailable there.

Use the official lot-specific arrival and exit maps rather than assuming every driveway serves every lot. For rideshare, follow the designated pickup and drop-off map and arrange a meeting point with your group before the event ends. Accessible spaces require the appropriate placard or plates and are first come, first served. Tailgating is not allowed. Parking, directions, and pickup maps.

Our arrival advice: Allow time for parking, the walk to your entrance, security, and finding your section. Build extra margin into a sold-out night. Do not schedule dinner so tightly that one slow intersection means missing the opening.

Bags, security, and what to bring

• Clear bags: Maximum 14 × 14 × 6 inches, with no more than two pockets.
• Small clutches, purses, or wallets: Maximum 4.5 × 6.5 inches.
• Medical and diaper bags: Require leadership approval; contact Guest Services ahead of time.
• Leave restricted gear at home: Backpacks, professional cameras with interchangeable lenses, tripods, and outside food or drinks are among the restrictions. Seek approval for medical exceptions.
• Re-entry: Generally not permitted. Finish anything that requires returning to your car before scanning in.

Event-specific rules can be stricter. Check the full entry guide before packing.

Food, drinks, and making a night of it

The arena’s dining program includes local businesses alongside familiar stadium options. The current guide lists choices such as Tanners Burgers, Big Chicken, Sumo Dog, Slice Society, Coachella Valley Coffee, and local draft beer. Outlets and menus vary by event; premium clubs require the appropriate ticket. Use the food guide’s section and cuisine filters to see what is near your seat.

For dietary requirements, check choices ahead of time and contact Guest Services about necessary accommodations. For dinner before the event, explore DOI’s Palm Desert guide and leave a separate travel window between your meal and arena arrival.

Accessibility and visiting with children

Accessible and low-mobility seating is available on all levels, subject to availability. Use the accessibility filter when buying tickets; reserve suitable seating before event day. Designated parking is limited, and wheelchair escorts can be requested at entry. An escort is a transport service rather than a wheelchair you retain for the evening.

The arena is a Certified Autism Center and offers sensory kits and assistive listening devices through Guest Services. Request interpreting services at least 10 business days ahead. Baby-changing facilities, family restrooms, and a nursing station are available. Contact guestservices@acrisurearena.com about specific mobility, sensory, service-animal, or dietary needs. Full accessibility guidance.

Our family advice: Check the child ticket policy before checkout, choose a workable seat location, bring suitable hearing protection, and decide where your group will meet if separated.

Public skating at Berger Foundation Iceplex

The adjacent Berger Foundation Iceplex offers separately scheduled public skating, lessons, and hockey programs. An arena event ticket is not a public-skating reservation. Check the Iceplex calendar and registration for your preferred session.

Iceplex guest parking is complimentary. On arena event days, registered guests must validate parking at its Welcome Center with their license plate number. Validation covers the registered session only, up to three hours; it is not a substitute for an arena event parking pass.

Build your desert itinerary

Turn your event into a fuller visit with DOI’s Palm Desert places, Today & This Week in the Coachella Valley, and interactive Atlas. Compare other local entertainment settings at McCallum Theatre and Empire Polo Club. Plan any extra stop around your actual door and event times.

Frequently asked questions