Nationwide Arena Nationwide Arena is a multi - purpose arena , in Columbus , Ohio , USA . It opened in 2000 and is the home of the Columbus Blue Jackets , of the NHL . It is one of three facilities in Columbus ( along with Greater Columbus Convention Center and Franklin County Veterans Memorial Auditorium ) that hosts events during the annual Arnold Classic , a sports and fitness event hosted by former professional bodybuilder and Governor of California Arnold Schwarzenegger . In May 2012 , Columbus Mayor Michael B . Coleman made a pitch to the NBA requesting an expansion or relocated team be moved to Nationwide Arena . Ownership . The venue is named for the arena ' s original majority owner , Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company , whose world headquarters are located across the street . Nationwide ' s real estate development affiliate , Nationwide Realty Investors , financed and developed the project — making it one of very few privately financed arenas in the nation . 2012 Sale . On February 21 , 2012 , arena owners Nationwide Insurance and the Dispatch Publishing Group sold the facility to the Franklin County Convention Facilities Authority ( FCCFA ) . As part of the sale , Nationwide agreed to loan the FCCFA $ 43 . 3 million to finance the arena ' s purchase which will be paid back by 2039 with casino tax revenue collected by both the City of Columbus and Franklin County . In addition , the Ohio Department of Development agreed to a 10 - year , $ 10 million loan to the FCCFA to assist with the facilities purchase . If the Blue Jackets meet annual roster payroll requirement , $ 500 , 000 of this loan per year will be forgiven . Nationwide Insurance will also pay the Blue Jackets $ 28 million to retain the arena ' s naming rights until 2022 as well as $ 58 million to purchase 30 % ownership stake in the franchise . The Blue Jackets , in turn , agreed to remain in the city until 2039 or pay $ 36 million in damages . Management . While the overall management responsibilities of the arena fell solely with the Blue Jackets from 2000 - 2012 , the team contracted day to day operational and event booking to venue management giant SMG from the arena ' s opening until June 30 , 2010 . On May 12 , 2010 , the Blue Jackets announced that SMG would not be retained as arena managers and further announced that a one - year , annually renewable , management contract had been signed with The Ohio State University . The contract called for the university to take over both day to day arena operations as well as booking non - athletic events , with the Blue Jackets booking athletic events and maintaining overall control of the arena . This arrangement will made Nationwide Arena a sister venue to the on - campus Value City Arena . The university started booking acts in May 2010 and assumed day to day control of the arena on July 1 , 2010 . As part of the arena purchase in 2012 , the Blue Jackets and the university , along with Nationwide Insurance and the FCCFA , will form Columbus Arena Management ( CAM ) . CAM will approve the arena ' s annual budget and will take over management of arena operations . Construction . The arena is of a brick design and serves as the center of an entertainment district located about one - half of a mile north of the Ohio State Capitol . Seating capacity is approximately 18 , 500 for hockey , 17 , 171 for arena football , 19 , 500 for basketball , and up to 21 , 000 for concerts . The death of Brittanie Cecil from injuries sustained from a hockey puck flying into the stands at a Blue Jackets game on March 16 , 2002 led to the installation of nylon netting to catch pucks that fly over the acrylic glass at all professional ice hockey arenas in the NHL , AHL , and ECHL . Location . The area surrounding Nationwide Arena , appropriately called the Arena District , houses bars , clubs and a movie theater . The Columbus Clippers , a AAA baseball team in the International League , play in the newly constructed Huntington Park nearby . Columbus uses the arena as a drawing point for the city with the other establishments feeding off of the foot traffic . The Lifestyle Communities Pavilion concert venue , and Arena Grand Theatre adjacent to the Nationwide Arena property , completes the entertainment complex . Facilities . Nationwide Arena houses a smaller ice rink called the OhioHealth IceHaus ( formerly named the CoreComm IceHaus and Dispatch Ice Haus ) . This facility serves as the practice rink for the Blue Jackets and is also used for youth hockey games and open skating times for the public . This facility makes Nationwide Arena the first NHL arena with an on - site practice facility and one of only two such facilities in NHL ( the other being the Prudential Center , home of the New Jersey Devils ) . Former Ohio Penitentiary . Nationwide Arena was built at the site of the former Ohio Penitentiary . Although believed to be built over the prison , the arena is actually built over the prison ' s former parking lot . Nationwide ' s parking lot is built where the prison formerly stood . Many prisoners were executed at the prison , and a fire on April 21 , 1930 killed 322 prisoners locked in their cells . Some fans and employees who frequent Nationwide claim experiencing paranormal activities . Reception . ESPN The Magazine declared it “ the No . 2 stadium experience in professional sports . ” The Ultimate Sports Road Trip rated it the best arena in the NHL saying " This newer arena in downtown Columbus is the anchor for the emerging Arena District , already burgeoning with shops , restaurants and hotels . The venue is spectacular , from its nostalgic brick and stone veneer to its sweeping concourses with blue mood lighting and modern amenities . The arena bowl has state of the art scoreboards and surround LED graphics boards which look 21st century high tech . With a separate practice rink built right in the facility , theme restaurants and great food selection , not to mention a raucous hockey atmosphere , this NHL venue is a must see ! "