Smoothie King Center Pregame Guide
New Orleans Pelicans · New Orleans, LA
The Smoothie King Center shares its parking with the Superdome next door: seven public garages and two surface lots between them, holding roughly 7,000 vehicles, and all the garages take credit or debit cards only. Rideshare has a designated zone on Poydras Street between Clara Street and Loyola Avenue. The bag limit is a relatively generous 14 by 14 by 6 inches for any bag, purse, backpack or briefcase, with declared medically necessary items admitted after inspection. On game days the Pelicans Team Store opens to ticketed fans at the door time, an hour before tip-off.
Tips & Fan Reports
Every garage is card-only, with no cash option at any of the seven.
The 14 by 14 by 6 inch limit is roomy by arena standards — a backpack within it is fine here, unlike at most NBA venues.
Rideshare drops on Poydras between Clara and Loyola, not at the arena itself.
The parking is shared with the Superdome complex, so a big event next door changes what is available.
Where to Go Before the Game
The seven public garages
Garages numbered 1, 1A, 2, 2A, 5, 6 and the Champions Garage, shared with the Superdome complex next door and holding around 7,000 vehicles with the two surface lots. All take credit or debit cards only.
Known for Seven garages · Card only · Shared with the Superdome
Lot 3 and Lot 4
The two surface lots serving the complex, adjacent to the arena alongside the garages.
Known for Surface parking · Adjacent to the arena
The Poydras Street rideshare zone
The designated drop-off and pick-up point for rideshare, on Poydras Street between Clara Street and Loyola Avenue rather than at the arena doors.
Known for On Poydras Street · Between Clara and Loyola · Rideshare only
Rules to Know
What Smoothie King Center allows, and what it does not.
- Any bag, purse, backpack or briefcase larger than 14" x 14" x 6" is not allowed into the arena. An exception is made for declared medically necessary items, after proper inspection.
- The facility has seven parking garages and two surface lots adjacent to the arena, accommodating approximately 7,000 vehicles. The public garages are numbered 1, 1A, 2, 2A, 5, 6 and the Champions Garage; the surface lots are Lot 3 and Lot 4.
- Parking garages accept credit or debit cards only.
- The designated rideshare drop-off and pick-up zone is on Poydras Street between Clara Street and Loyola Avenue.
- On game days the Pelicans Team Store opens to ticketed fans at game day door time, one hour prior to tip-off. Door opening is at the discretion of show management and event pages carry specific times.
- The arena publishes no tailgating policy.
What to Bring
- A bag the gate will accept
Backpacks are prohibited, and other bags, purses, or briefcases cannot exceed 14 x 14 x 6 inches.
- Only the outside food and drink the rule allows
Outside food and beverages are not allowed inside Smoothie King Center.
- A card or a phone wallet
Smoothie King Center is cashless for concessions, merchandise, and parking and accepts credit or debit cards.
- Your tickets on a charged phone
Pelicans tickets and parking passes are fully mobile and must be displayed on a phone through the Pelicans or SeatGeek app.
- A layer for the walk in
January evenings average 47°F outside Smoothie King Center.
- A rain layer for the walk in
January averages 5.0 inches of rain outside Smoothie King Center.
New Orleans Pelicans Tailgate Gear
Canopies, grills, coolers, and official New Orleans Pelicans gear for the ultimate tailgate.
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How We Checked This Page
Every section below names the source it was read from and the day it was read. Where we could not reach a published figure, the page says so rather than presenting an estimate as a checked fact.
- Pregame
Smoothie King Center official site: Directions & Parking, A to Z Guide, and the Pelicans game day pages
- Venue policies
Current New Orleans Pelicans and Smoothie King Center fan, accessibility, parking, and dining guidance reviewed for Pelicans policies.
- Weather
NOAA 1991-2020 Climate Normals