Kohl Center
601 W Dayton St, Madison, WI 53703, USAAbout
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Added by Jopie, at 18 December 2016
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13 Reviews
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27 November 2017
On the outside this place looks phenomenal, on the inside it's nothing special. Rivalry games against my Gophers are pretty epic though. Gotta love the atmosphere.
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10 November 2017
I'm not very sportsy, but I am rocky, so my review of the Kohl Center is based on my experience at the Foo Fighters concert on November 7, 2017.
Foo Fighters = A++++++++++
Kohl Center = C or C-
Pros:
- The building is laid out nicely. There aren't bottlenecks at the doors when people are entering the arena. Getting in/out of the building is easy, and the concourses are roomy.
- Getting through security is quick and efficient. The security consisted of a purse check and walking through a metal detector. Coats/jackets could remain on.
- The bathrooms are big, clean and have lots of stalls. The bathroom lines (even with a sold-out event) are short.
- The arena itself is clean. It seems like a totally new structure even though it was built in 1998.
- Ushers are friendly and helpful in directing you to your seat.
- Parking is not bad. While there really isn't ample parking very close to the arena, we only had to walk a few blocks after parking in the State Street garage.
Cons:
- Concessions are very limited and not vegetarian- and/or health-friendly. The choices included hot dogs, hamburgers, nachos, popcorn, pretzels, mac & cheese, ice cream and some candy items. A larger variety of food options -- wraps, various sandwiches, salads -- would have been nice.
- Concession stands were quite pokey. I stood in line for over five minutes with only two orders in front of me. The people working the concession stands did not appear to work quickly or try to keep the line moving.
- Alcohol. I understand the campus is a "dry" campus, but a FF concert isn't a school event. Why is alcohol not served at a rock concert? It's my understanding that the Kohl Center has served alcohol at other concerts before. The answer I received from the concession stand lady was that alcohol is not served at the Kohl Center because any venue associated with the UW doesn't serve alcohol. How does this explain alcohol sales within the suites at the Kohl Center?
While I'm happy Foo came to Madison for a concert and I enjoyed the show, I don't plan on returning to the Kohl Center.response / report this review -
09 November 2017
I'm sure this venue is a fine place to watch basketball but they should never host a concert again. It's a college sports venue, I get it, but zero alcohol sales can be a bummer for someone trying to unwind with some good American rock & roll. Also, once you're in, you're in. No re-entry at all, like some middle school dance, so forget about getting any fresh air or chatting under the stars during a set break. Finally, all concessions close nearly two hours before the show is over (this was my personal experience, my show ended at 12). This left all the sweaty, out of breathe, dance the night away types to desperately search for water most of the night. There are a few water fountains but that's hardly enough to quench the thirst of a few thousand foot stompers. In the end, this venue didn't ruin my night for me, but it didn't do it any favors either. It does look very pretty from the outside.
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08 November 2017
Do not go here if you plan on having a beer or place to smoke. Saw the Foo Fighters which were awesome, but not the best venue for a rock show. It was unexpected to say the least. Disappointed in this venue for not accommodating a rock concert. People wanna party at the show and let loose! Won't be back to this particular venue because of how locked in I felt once I got in, there was no way to leave unless it was to leave for good. Very weird policies here.
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17 September 2017
Great arena for college hockey! Go Badgers!
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29 August 2017
Nice and comfortable seats/ well maintained stadium when I watched the Badgers play Ohio State in December.
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30 July 2017
It's a little big for a hockey arena. Good site views from the upper deck for hockey. Staff is always professional and friendly. Sat in a suite for a women's basketball game and was top notch experience. Always clean no matter how busy the event going on is.
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20 May 2017
Great view from any seat. I think that the 3rd tier is very underrated for basketball. Basketball tickets are a little expensive for B1G games, but that's expected since given the team's recent success as of this post. Great environment and good wifi.
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02 March 2017
It would really help if there were escalators in the building. Right after games get done there is major congestion at the staircases. Food and beverage are pretty expensive. There is a good view from most seats though.
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14 February 2017
The kohl center is great! It has great seating so even if you're super high up you can still see the game, and great audio quality! The only thing wrong is that food and drinks are super expensive.
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08 February 2017
Great location for college sporting events. Very easy venue to find your way around. A lot of restrooms available for the masses of people attending events. Only complaint was that it was difficult to walk anywhere during a break in the action because lines for food stands clogged the walkways. Would be helpful if they would get stantions to direct lines and keep lines of people out of main walkway.
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05 February 2017
A super clean and easy-to-navigate place! Definitely one of the better sports centers out there.
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25 December 2016
Very easy and fast through the doors. They do have metal detectors you have to walk through when entering. Very easy to find seats and a great food selection
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