The authors have, over the past fifteen years, been involved in the design of over 30 arena‐type buildings, seating from 3500 to 22 000 people. A new arena, called a Special Events Center, under construction in Austin, TX, will approximate what the authors consider to be the state of the art in acoustics and audio, based on experience gained in previous spaces. Among the items to be covered will be the sound reinforcing system, which will accomodate all events from opera to rock concerts, and which will be operated by a professional operating company to avoid pitfalls of union soundmen. Salient features of other arenas will be discussed.