Van Andel Arena Seating Chart
Van Andel Arena is the centerpiece of downtown Grand Rapids, home to the AHL Griffins and a regular stop for arena concert tours and family shows. The compact bowl keeps fans close to the action and has driven much of the city's downtown revival since 1996.
Sections at Van Andel Arena
Van Andel Arena's seating bowl is organized into the following main sections. Section layout differs by event — a sports configuration and a concert configuration of the same arena are not the same chart.
- Lower bowl 100s — full ring around the ice and stage
- Suite level — premium boxes ringing the mid-tier
- Upper bowl 200s — second deck wrapping the building
- Glass seats — boards-level rows for hockey
- End-stage floor sections for concerts
- Standing-room rails on the concourse
Best seats at Van Andel Arena
For Griffins games, lower sections 103-106 near center ice give a clean view at a fair price. For concerts, the 100-level sections facing the stage stay close, while center upper-bowl rows keep the whole stage in frame.
Tips before you go
Downtown ramps on Ottawa and Weston put you a short walk from the doors. The upper bowl is steep but every seat points at the floor, and the arena's central location means dinner and post-show drinks are all within a few blocks.
How to read the Van Andel Arena seating chart
Van Andel Arena seats 12,000 in a bowl that wraps a central court, rink, or stage, so reading the chart starts at center and works outward. The lower bowl rings the floor closest to the action; a club or suite level sits in the middle; the upper bowl climbs above for the widest view. Lower-number sections sit nearest the action, and whether you are along a sideline or behind a baseline changes the view as much as the level does.
Three things decide an Van Andel Arena seat: how close you are to the floor, whether you face the action square on or from a baseline, and how high you sit. For an arena this size, the value sweet spot is usually the first few rows of the upper tier at center — close enough to read the play, cheap enough to justify, and high enough for the full picture. For a concert the stage usually sits at one end, so cross-check the official Van Andel Arena map against your ticket before you buy: a seat that's perfect for a game can sit behind the stage for a show.
Building a seating chart for an event at Van Andel Arena
Hosting a suite night, a group outing, or a private event in the Grand Rapids area? A seating chart keeps the group organized before you ever reach the gates. Map your party onto tables that mirror the suite or section layout, assign each guest a spot, and export a PDF so everyone knows where they sit. For a private event in a banquet space near Van Andel Arena, the same tool lays out rounds, banquet tables, and head tables, then prints a chart the venue's event-services team can work from. Capacity at Van Andel Arena runs to 12,000 for its main configuration, but most private events use a fraction of that in a club, suite, or adjacent hospitality space — exactly the scale the maker below is built for.
Hosting a private event at Van Andel Arena?
Build your own seating chart for the event — banquet rounds for the dinner portion, theater rows for the program, whatever the format calls for. The Seat Chart App maker handles layouts up to 500 seats and exports a print-ready PDF to share with the venue's event team.
Open the seating chart generatorFrequently asked questions
- How many seats does Van Andel Arena hold?
- Van Andel Arena has a capacity of 12,000 seats. Capacity varies by event configuration — a concert may use floor seating that a basketball game doesn't, and a private buyout uses a different count than a public event.
- What are the best seats at Van Andel Arena?
- For Griffins games, lower sections 103-106 near center ice give a clean view at a fair price. For concerts, the 100-level sections facing the stage stay close, while center upper-bowl rows keep the whole stage in frame.
- What sections does Van Andel Arena have?
- Main sections include: Lower bowl 100s — full ring around the ice and stage; Suite level — premium boxes ringing the mid-tier; Upper bowl 200s — second deck wrapping the building. Full breakdown in the sections list above.
- Where is Van Andel Arena located?
- Van Andel Arena is in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Check the venue's official website for the exact address, parking options, and public transit access closest to your seat section.
- How do I plan a private event at Van Andel Arena?
- For private events, build a seating chart that maps to the venue's section layout using the Seat Chart App maker below. Drop tables to match your event's footprint within the venue's space, assign guests, and export a PDF to share with the venue's event-services team.