What is Bridgestone Arena?
[[Image:WTN EVula 053.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Bridgestone Arena]] The '''Bridgestone Arena''' is a [[sport]]s [[arena]] in [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]], [[Tennessee]]. The arena opened on December 18, 1996, and is the current home to the [[Nashville Predators]] of the [[National Hockey League]] (NHL). The arena is formerly known as '''Nashville Arena''', '''Gaylord Entertainment Center''', and '''Sommet Center'''. The arena was also home to the [[Nashville Kats]] of the [[Arena Football League]] from 1997 until 2001 when the franchise was sold and was moved to Georgia to become the [[Georgia Force]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/2001/09/22/pro_321961.shtml|access-date=2013-06-16|title=Titans owner gets franchise; Kats move to Atlanta|publisher=The Augusta Chronicle|archive-date=2016-04-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160422073013/http://chronicle.augusta.com/stories/2001/09/22/pro_321961.shtml|url-status=dead}}</ref> The team was reincarnated and played in the Gaylord Entertainment Center from 2005 to 2007. Aside from sports, the arena has also hosted the [[NHL Entry Draft]] Twice, [[Country Music Association Awards|CMA Awards]] and [[CMT Music Awards]]. [[Bridgestone]] currently has naming rights for the arena.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://predators.nhl.com/club/news.htm?id=518610|access-date=2013-06-16|title=Preds Home Building Renamed Bridgestone Arena|publisher=Nashville Predators}}</ref> The arena currently seats 19,395 for basketball and 17,113 for ice hockey. It used to hold 17,298 from 1996 to 1999. ==References== {{reflist}} ==Other websites== *[http://www.bridgestonearena.com/ Official website] {{NHL Arenas}} {{sport-stub}} {{authority control}} [[Category:Sports buildings in the United States]] [[Category:Nashville Predators]] [[Category:Buildings and structures in Tennessee]] [[Category:1996 establishments in the United States]] [[Category:1990s establishments in Tennessee]]