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| - Before my sister moved to Huntersville, she used to live in nearby Sherwood Forest. With that being said, we would drive by the BoCo (as the locals call it) and have no idea what went on in there. Well, we finally know now!
She had gotten this deal through her son's school about getting some $5 for a hockey game. Now, just to clear things up, this is not an NHL arena, it is an AHL arena- so it is a little bit smaller (in terms of seating capacity, that is). This is home to the Charlotte Checkers. I was told that Carolina's NHL team (Hurricanes) is in Raleigh. However, with the experience I had the other night, why in the hell would I drive to Raleigh?
We will start off with getting here- you have a few options- taking 74 or Monroe. Parking is $8, cash only. There are 2 lots- one closer to the BoCo, and one closer to the convention center. I you park in the convention center lot, there is a pedestrian underpass. It is about a 5 minute walk.
It almost appears there is one entrance here, with doors on each side and the ticketing in between them. It can get quite hectic in here, so just stay alert you will be fine. We had to get our tickets at will call, which only took a few min. Then, I told my sister the best thing to do was to exit and stand back in line, as some people were trying to go from will call to inside, adding to the congestion.
Our seats were literally in the section when you walked in, so that was nice. We had section 109, which was close to the center. The thing I liked was the intimate size of this place- I mean, the "nosebleeds" here would be like club level viewing in most arenas. The section and row numbers are clearly marked here, and even then if you can't read, the ushers can help.
One thing I couldn't help but notice, was the affinity for Bojangles here. I mean, I love Bojangles, and I guess it is safe to say this place does too (hence the name). In the corners, I saw these hotties dressed up, and I realized they have their own cheerleaders- the Charlotte Checkmates. They are professional cheerleaders I later found out.
I walked around to see what they had to offer to eat- and they had Bojangles amongst other things. The prices were not too bad for arena food. They even had 24oz beers for $9 at some places! The main vendors take card, however the vendor carts are cash only.
I noticed a sign that said 5.5 laps is 1 mile here, if you want to get your exercise in. I don't think I got a full lap in, but I did up and down a few stairs, and saw they had a Red Line Club, opposite to where I was sitting.
I did have to use the restroom and I will admit, I hope you don't mind snuggling up the guy next to you when you are taking a piss- because the stalls are literally about an inch apart- and I think only that far apart so they could caulk each one to the wall LOL. They are closer than the ones at MEPS. Hey, you might even catch a disease or a new friend! Hey, I did say this place was intimate!
After the game was over, we sat in the seats for a few minutes to let the crowd leave. When we did go, we saw that the Checkmates were taking pictures with fans. I totally blew that opportunity, instead I just took a picture of them with other fans haha. Then, when we left, we actually got some samples of GE sealant (who was a game sponsor)- so that was cool.
All in all, it was a great experience. If I lived in the area, I would probably go to a bunch of games here. I here they have concerts here too, but I would rather watch a Checker kick the shit out of an opponent! Keep your eyes peeled for some game ticket specials, as we def lucked out on our seats!
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