Official Review by Dave Cottenie, Stadium Journey Regional Correspondent

When you first arrive, it is difficult to believe that the Van Andel Arena is 15 years old. Located in the downtown Heartside District of Grand Rapids in Western Michigan, the Van Andel Arena still has that shiny new look to it. The south side entrance is full length green glass, which gives the building a modern look.

Named after the main benefactors Jay and Betty Van Andel, both the Van Andel Arena and its main tenant, the Grand Rapids Griffins, have the fingerprints of local corporate citizen, Amway all over it. Jay Van Andel and his partner Rich DeVos (current owner of the Orlando Magic) founded Amway, and both were citizens of Grand Rapids, Michigan. They helped build a sparkling downtown. The current owners of the Grand Rapids Griffins are the Amway sons, Dan DeVos and David Van Andel.

The Griffins have the perfect NHL affiliate situation. After being founded in 1996 as a member of the now defunct International Hockey League (IHL), the Griffins signed an affiliate agreement with the Ottawa Senators. After the merger of the IHL into the American Hockey League (AHL), the Griffins signed an affiliate agreement with the Detroit Red Wings. The geographic proximity to Detroit is perfect for the Griffins, who have become one of the model franchises of the AHL. Grand Rapids is close enough to Detroit so that the locals still care about the parent club, but far enough away that they don't compete with the NHL.

Food & Beverage    5

The food selection at the Van Andel Arena is overwhelming! There are so many choices, and what is unique about this venue, is that it seems like no concession stand is duplicated throughout the arena.

You can choose from Brann's Steakhouse, Uccello's Express Pizza, Twist & Twins Pretzels and Ice Cream, Ionia Grill, Cole's Hot Sticks, Funnel Cake Fries and more. Prices are reasonable. Beer is sold at many of these concession stands at $6 a draught or at one of the specialty beer carts where they charge $6.75 for a domestic and $7.75 for an import. These stands also sell wine, coolers and margarita mix if hops and barley aren't your thing. We went with the ice cream cups from Twist & Twins ($3.75) and they were fantastic.

Atmosphere    4

The family focus of the Griffins is evident immediately upon entering the arena. When advancing up the escalator to the main concourse, patrons are greeted by ushers with free game day programs. Not far is the kids club stand which offers the opportunity for young fans to create their own "Go Griffs!" signs. You can also find face painting, tattoos and a cyber cafe all in the concourse.

Tradition and local accomplishment are also celebrated at Van Andel. The lower concourse features a small but eye-catching glass case display of local Grand Rapids athletes. In the upper concourse, plaques for the entrants into the Grand Rapids Sports Hall of Fame adorn the walls near the seating bowl.

Upon entering the seating area, you will notice that Van Andel Arena has a bit of a different configuration. Rather than the traditional bowl with 360° seating, Van Andel boasts a horseshoe configuration. What really makes this notable is a gigantic grey wall at the north end of the arena. The wall does have a fairly small video board on it, but this is a replacement for a true video board on the score clock, which only boasts an advanced dot matrix screen.

The in-game promotions were very creative and interesting, but did not have the same impact as they were not shown on the central focal point of the score clock, but at the end. The only thing featured on the big grey wall was the five banners celebrating IHL and AHL division wins, and the lone retired number 24 of Tyler Richards, a player who had a 10-year tenure with the Griffins.

In "Hockeytown West," as they refer to themselves, the game starts with the mascot "Grif" riding out to center ice on a four-wheeler, slip sliding everywhere. An interesting video promotion was a bit called "CSI: Grand Rapids" where two interns were attempting to solve the case of who stole Grif's hot dog gun. If you could solve the case, you could win a prize. The entire package was quite entertaining for the whole family.

Neighborhood    5

Downtown Grand Rapids offers tons of things to do. Museums, restaurants, hotels all make for a day in Grand Rapids quite enjoyable. Parking is ample and affordable, and all is within walking distance.

If you are looking for a pre or post game drink or meal, the options are numerous. Some highlights must include The B.O.B. It is one building that incorporates numerous bars and restaurants of different varieties, highlighting different cuisines and it is just across the road from the arena. Housed restaurants include Bobarinos, the Monkey Bar and Crush to name just a few. Currently you can't miss it because it is the one with the giant pig sculpture in front of it. The "Steam Pig" is a remnant of the local art festival "ArtPrize" and at the very least offers a fantastic meeting place.

If you are looking for something a little more family oriented, try the TGI Friday's around the corner. It is where we stopped and a great option when you have kids.

Fans    5

The Griffins have consistently ranked in the top 5 franchises in the AHL with regards to attendance. On the day of this review, a Wednesday, there were over 7,000 fans in attendance, which is around the Griffins average. Considering it was a weeknight, that is a fairly impressive accomplishment.

During the game, the Griffins fans are loud at all of the right times. They are knowledgeable, but don't overreact. They also love their fights!

Access    5

Getting to the Van Andel Arena is really easy. It is conveniently located close to both I-196 and Highway 131. There are a couple of parking garages right by the arena which makes finding parking a breeze. At $7 for event parking, the price is reasonable, especially considering the close proximity to the arena. Getting out and out of downtown is not a challenge as city officials have made the traffic flow a priority.

There are ample washrooms within the arena and each washroom can accommodate a large number of patrons.

Return on Investment    5

Tickets run from $13-$30. Any upper level seat is under $20 so bringing the family, or a group out is no problem. Combined with reasonable parking and concession prices, tickets for a night out with the Griffins are not going to make you take out a second mortgage! If you choose your night well, then the value only increases. Fridays boast $1 beer and $1 hot dogs from 6-8. Also, on our night it was Griffins Guaranteed Win Night. Since the Griffins won, we scored free tickets to the next Wednesday game.

Extras    3

An extra point to Van Andel Arena for not forgetting the past and keeping up the banners from the now folded Grand Rapids Rampage of the Arena Football League.

An extra point for extra time. This exciting day was capped off with overtime and a shootout. What makes this shootout significant was that it was a 5 round shootout rather than the 3 round that the NHL features. Definitely a change that the big league should make.

An extra point for an extra ticket. On guaranteed win night, the crowd scored tickets for another game the following week.

Final Thoughts

I have personally been quite skeptical of AHL hockey in the past. My experiences have been mixed at best. The Amway children, the Grand Rapids Griffins, and the city of Grand Rapids have created a blueprint of how minor league hockey should be presented. The entire experience was first class, regardless if you had the kids with you for a family outing, or if you were the hardcore local fan.