If Baltimore is known as the cultural center of Maryland, then the Mariner Arena must be the cultural center of Baltimore. Officially opened in 1962 the Mariner Arena has seen it’s fair share of historic acts, from Dr. Martin Luther King to bands like The Rolling Stones and later this year Rihanna, it constantly and consistently attracts the biggest names and the most loyal fans. And with it’s 14,000 capacity there is room for a lot of people to have a lot of fun and enjoy the top performers and stars.

Mariner Arena

1st Mariner Arena was previously known as the Baltimore Arena until it was renamed in 2003 by 1st Mariner Bank. Located near to the Inner Harbor and one block away from the Baltimore Convention Center this massive venue has excellent access, whether you’re arriving by car, bus or metro, with great parking facilities and connectivity to the public transport system, the Mariner Arena is a thriving hub of central Baltimore.

Seating up to 14,000 people, the 1st Mariner Arena is one of the largest venues in Baltimore, but has excellent flexibility, able to offer different seating layouts depending on the type of event, be it a stage based concert, a ring based boxing match or even an aerial circus performance, Mariner Arena can change and adapt to accommodate any style of show or performance!

The Marina Arena officially opened in 1962 under the name, the Baltimore Civic Center. It was built on the site of Old Congress Hall, where the Continental Congress met in 1776. As the cornerstone for the Inner Harbor redevelopment during the early 1980s, the Marina Arena was reopened after heavy renovations and changed name to the Baltimore Arena in 1986. Currently it is owned by the city and managed by a private management company known as SMG.

Ice Hockey at the Mariner Arena

The Mariner Arena isn’t just a music venue, it also caters to sports such as Ice Hockey, originally home to the Baltimore Clippers back in the 1960s, boxing matches and basketball games! The music is of course very important, having hosted bands like The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin and The Grateful Dead and opera singers such as Luciano Pavarotti, the Mariner Arena continues to be the corner stone of Baltimore culture.

Also if visiting Baltimore to come to the arena, it must be noted that when it comes to food, Baltimore basically means crabs, lots and lots of delicious Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab! With tens of thousands of tourists flocking to the Mariner Arena each year do not miss out on feasting on these tasty crustaceans and the city mascot!