What PPL Center is
PPL Center is the arena at 701 Hamilton Street in downtown Allentown, Pennsylvania, home of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the American Hockey League affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers, and the Lehigh Valley's main stop for arena concerts, comedy and family shows. It seats 8,420 for hockey, 9,046 with standing room, and about 10,500 for concerts. Because the bowl is compact, almost any seat is close; the best for hockey are lower-bowl seats near center ice, including The Morning Call Club in sections 113–117, and the upper 200-level sides are the value seats.
The arena has carried one name since it opened in September 2014. PPL Corporation, the Allentown-based utility, holds the naming rights. The City of Allentown owns the building.
How the seating is laid out
PPL Center is a two-level bowl with a ring of suites. The City of Allentown's count at construction was 7,009 bowl seats, 1,099 club seats and 533 suite seats, all made by Irwin Seating with cup holders at every seat.
100 level
The lower bowl wraps the ice and holds most of the seats. The arena's own guides place The Morning Call Club in sections 113–117, first aid on the main concourse behind section 108 and Chickie's & Pete's, the arena's sports bar, behind section 116. Section 108 also has a special feature: its first eight rows belong to the BSI Party Suite, next to the Phantoms' locker room and the tunnel where players high-five fans on their way to the ice.
Suite level
Above the club sits a two-tier Suite Level with 26 executive suites, each with 12 theater-style seats and a drink rail. Party suites, loge suites and ice-level suites round out the premium options.
200 level
The upper level sits above the suites and is the least expensive reserved seating. Stadium Journey's reviewer notes that every seat in the house has a good view of the ice, which matches the building's small scale.
Standing room
Standing-room tickets let you stand on the 100- and 200-level concourses, and the arena is clear that they do not allow you to sit in the bowl.
The arena does not publish a text seating guide, so use the map on each event page to confirm exact section positions before you buy.
Best seats for Phantoms hockey
Center ice in the lower bowl is the best view, and The Morning Call Club (sections 113–117) is the premium version of it, with padded seats, extra legroom and access to a club with a full bar and carving stations. It is sold mainly as a Phantoms season package, with first rights to other events.
Practical picks
- Lower bowl, ten rows up or more: the boards and glass stop interfering with the far end, and you still feel close.
- Section 108's area: the place to be for the pregame high-five tunnel and the players' walk to the ice.
- 200-level sides: the full-rink view at the lowest reserved price.
- Ends of either level: good for watching one goal up close; harder for following the whole game.
The AHL season runs from October to April, with weekend games the busiest. The annual Flyers in the Valley preseason game brings NHL players to Allentown each fall and is one of the arena's strongest draws.
Concerts and other events
For concerts the arena holds about 10,500. General-admission floor tickets are usually standing room, first come, first served, so arrive early if you want to be near the stage. The lower side sections closest to the stage are the best reserved seats, raised above the floor crowd; the lower and upper sections straight across from the stage show the whole production. Skip seats directly beside or behind the stage unless the show is in the round.
The arena also hosts comedy, family shows, the Allentown Indoor Race (midget-car racing), Lehigh Valley Spirits indoor soccer, starting in 2026, and in 2016 it hosted home playoff games for the Philadelphia Soul of the Arena Football League. For indoor racing and soccer, a higher seat helps you follow the whole surface.
Parking garages and the back-in rule
Downtown Allentown has several garages within a few blocks, and you can prepay through ParkMobile. One rule surprises many visitors: the Allentown Parking Authority requires you to pull forward into spaces in its decks and fines drivers who back in. The city decks include the Transportation Deck (6th and Linden), Community Deck, Government Deck, the Spiral Deck, the 9th and Walnut Deck and the Strata Deck. The Orange Garage at 712 W. Linden, which Stadium Journey describes as the garage attached to the arena and shared with the Renaissance Allentown hotel, allows backing in.
Transit
The Allentown Transit Center at 6th and Linden is less than a five-minute walk away and serves more than a dozen LANta bus routes. On event nights, LANta runs parking shuttles with the Allentown Parking Authority; see LANta for details. The arena is reached from US-22 via the MacArthur Road/7th Street exit or from the west via US-222 and Hamilton Street.
Clear bag policy and entry
As of 2026, PPL Center allows one clear bag no larger than 12 by 12 by 6 inches, or one clear one-gallon resealable bag, or a clutch no larger than about 4.5 by 6.5 by 2 inches. Backpacks and duffel bags are prohibited. Guests with medical needs or caring for infants can ask for consideration for a diaper or medical bag, and every item goes through security screening.
- Doors: usually one hour before showtime; some events open 30 minutes earlier.
- Re-entry: once your ticket is scanned, leaving means buying a new ticket; smokers use the outdoor area by Chickie's & Pete's.
- Strollers: permitted.
- Accessible seating: limited and sold first come, first served, online, by phone or at the box office.
Check the arena's bag policy page before you go, since rules can change.
Building a downtown arena
PPL Center was the centerpiece of Allentown's downtown redevelopment. Demolition on the site began in January 2012, the official groundbreaking followed on November 29, 2012, and the arena opened on September 10, 2014, at a construction cost of about 191 million dollars, roughly 282 million for the full project. Sink Combs Dethlefs and Elkus Manfredi designed it.
The Phantoms moved in for the 2014–15 season, giving the Flyers' top affiliate a home in eastern Pennsylvania. The Lehigh Valley Steelhawks played indoor football here from 2015 to 2018. The arena's game-night routine, with flames on the ice before puck drop and the crowd shouting "goal" after the announcer's cue, is part of why Stadium Journey describes the arena as loud.
Frequently asked questions
What is the capacity of PPL Center?
PPL Center seats 8,420 for hockey, or 9,046 with standing room, and about 10,500 for concerts.
What is the PPL Center bag policy?
As of 2026, one clear bag up to 12 by 12 by 6 inches, a clear one-gallon resealable bag, or a clutch up to about 4.5 by 6.5 by 2 inches. Backpacks are prohibited; check the arena's page before you go.
Can you back into parking spaces near PPL Center?
Not in the Allentown Parking Authority decks, which require pull-in parking and issue fines. The Orange Garage at 712 W. Linden allows backing in.
Where are the best seats at PPL Center for a Phantoms game?
Lower-bowl seats near center ice, including The Morning Call Club in sections 113-117. The 200-level sides are the value pick, and the small bowl keeps every seat close.
Can I leave and come back into PPL Center?
No. Once your ticket is scanned you cannot re-enter without a new ticket, except at the designated smoking area.