First Horizon Coliseum

First Horizon Coliseum is the Greensboro Coliseum

First Horizon Coliseum is the new name for the Greensboro Coliseum, the large arena at the heart of the Greensboro Coliseum Complex on West Gate City Boulevard. The building, the address and the seating bowl did not change. In October 2024 the City of Greensboro and Oak View Group, which took over management of the complex on July 1, 2024, signed a 10-year naming-rights deal with First Horizon Bank. The new name applies only to the arena; the complex's other venues kept theirs.

For most events the best value is the 100 level along the sidelines, which keeps you close in a bowl that the venue lists at about 22,000 seats. The 200 level is where the building's size shows, so pick its lower rows and center sections if you go upstairs. For end-stage concerts, the floor and the lower sections angled toward the stage lead.

The arena is home to UNC Greensboro men's basketball (since 2010) and the Greensboro Gargoyles, an ECHL hockey team that began play in the 2025–26 season. It is also the most frequent host of the ACC men's and women's basketball tournaments, and it books touring concerts, wrestling, Monster Jam and family shows throughout the year.

How the two levels are numbered

Two independent seat-view guides, RateYourSeats and A View From My Seat, list the same structure:

• 100 level: sections 101 through 132, the lower bowl ringing the floor.
• 200 level: sections 201 through 240, the upper bowl. It has more sections than the lower ring because it wraps a larger circumference.
• Floor: for end-stage concerts, the floor is sold as Floor A, Floor B and Floor C. Wrestling and boxing setups add ringside floor seating.

Premium options listed by the complex include the OG Club seats, a Club Level, luxury suites and premium rentals. Guest Services, which also hands out booster seats for children, is at Section 103.

Exact sideline and end assignments shift with the event, so check the map attached to the event before you choose. In general, the middle sections of each long side of the 100 level are the center-court and center-ice seats.

Best seats for basketball, hockey and concerts

ACC and UNCG basketball

A sideline seat in the 100 level, roughly 10 or more rows up, gives the best balance of closeness and a view over the benches and scorer's table. Behind the baskets is cheaper and fine for watching one end, but depth perception suffers at the far end. During the ACC Tournament, demand is driven by which schools advance: sessions involving teams with large in-state fan bases fill fastest, while early-round sessions are usually the easiest to get into.

Gargoyles hockey

For hockey, a raised seat at center ice reads the whole rink. Low rows behind the glass are close but the boards hide the near corners. Because the bowl holds far more fans than ECHL hockey usually draws, the upper level is often unnecessary; stay downstairs if you can.

End-stage concerts

Floor sections are closest. Lower-bowl sections angled toward the stage give an elevated view without standing behind a crowd, while straight-on lower sections across the floor show the full light and video design. The record crowd for a concert here was 23,642 for Phish on March 1, 2003, which shows how big the room becomes when the floor is packed.

Seats to skip

• Upper 200-level rows behind the stage or in the far corners, the longest distance in the building.
• Sections directly beside an end stage, where the speakers and set pieces block part of the stage.
• The first rows behind the hockey glass if you want to follow the play rather than feel the hits.

How big is the coliseum?

Sources describe the capacity differently. The complex itself lists the arena at about 22,000 seats for arena events, and the Greensboro Gargoyles' launch announcement used the same 22,000 figure. Wikipedia's history of the complex says the bowl held 7,100 at opening in 1959, grew to 15,000 in 1972 and was later expanded, with capacity trimmed to roughly 20,000 after renovations in the late 2010s. The practical takeaway: basketball and concerts fill a bowl of about 20,000 to 22,000, and the actual number depends on the floor setup.

Parking and getting in

The complex has more than 6,000 on-site parking spaces, and lots are cashless. Fees vary by event and are paid on entry unless you buy in advance; for select events the complex sells advance passes through JustPark. Accessible spaces, including van-accessible ones, sit near the main entrance of each venue and cost the same as general parking with a valid placard or plate.

Bag policy

As of 2026, the complex recommends arriving without a bag. If you bring one, it should be a clutch no larger than 4.5 by 6.5 inches, which does not need to be clear. Medical bags and diaper bags (the latter only with a child) up to 12 by 6 by 12 inches are allowed after inspection. There is no bag check or locker, so anything else goes back to the car.

Other rules

• The complex is smoke-free, including e-cigarettes and vapes.
• Flash photography, detachable lenses, tripods and recording equipment are not allowed.
• Will call opens two hours before ticketed events.

Policies change, so confirm on the complex's bag policy page before you go.

Sixty-plus years of tournaments, Elvis and Starrcade

The coliseum was first proposed in 1944 as a war memorial and opened in 1959; its first event was Holiday on Ice on October 29 of that year. Wake Forest played part of its home schedule here from 1959 to 1989, the ABA's Carolina Cougars used it part-time, and the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes leased it for two seasons beginning in 1997.

The building hosted the 1974 NCAA Final Four and has held more ACC men's and women's tournaments than any other venue. Elvis Presley performed here in 1972 and 1977, and the arena served as a backdrop for his final film, Elvis on Tour. Wrestling fans know it as the home of the early Starrcade cards (1983–1986); AEW Revolution came here in 2024. The U.S. Figure Skating Championships were held here in 2011, 2015 and 2020. More history is on Wikipedia's Greensboro Coliseum Complex entry.

Sources

• Greensboro Complex – First Horizon Coliseum
• Greensboro Complex – Bag Policy
• Greensboro Complex – Directions & Parking
• Greensboro Complex – A to Z Guide
• Greensboro Complex – Greensboro Gargoyles named newest ECHL team
• Wikipedia – Greensboro Coliseum Complex
• RateYourSeats – First Horizon Coliseum sections
• A View From My Seat – Greensboro Coliseum sections