Sports and entertainment venues: The next level for corporate events or retreats

Whether it is a staff retreat, a shareholder meeting, a corporate event that welcomes some of your biggest customers of the year, or you’re looking to offer a unique team-building day for your employees, one of the most important decisions you’ll make is regarding the venue.

The right venue has a direct impact on the success of the event. Sports facilities or event venues are some of the best ways to score points with attendees and organizers alike.

The benefits of unique venues

Taking your corporate event to the next level doesn’t have to be hard. Instead, think outside of the box ― away from stiff meeting rooms that people might dread being in for a long time. Sports facilities or entertainment venues offer a change of scenery. Here are some additional benefits of unique venues like this.

Versatility:
Sport or entertainment venues are meant to accommodate a variety of events ― both large and small. From trade shows to weddings to corporate team-building events, these facilities are easily transformed into what you need. They have wide open spaces, high ceilings or open air, different seating options, lots of natural light and meeting rooms that are fully adaptable and customizable to specific event requirements.

Convenience:
Indoor or outdoor sporting or event facilities are often conveniently located in a central area, accessible to major thoroughfares or highways and public transportation. This makes it pretty simple for attendees to get there and eliminates the difficulty of finding parking for those choosing to drive to the event.

Enhanced connection:
The world of sports and entertainment is often a universal language ― a lot of people, no matter where they are from, like or follow some sort of sports or entertainment. So, when you’re hosting an event ― maybe with a group of people that don’t all know each other ― the venue creates a common ground and sometimes even a talking point that allows people to connect and network. This enhanced connection is really what corporate events are all about, too ― bringing people together.

Cost effectiveness:
When you are planning a corporate event, there are a lot of little details that need to be planned out. Sometimes those small details turn into big expenses. Many times, indoor sports facilities or other entertainment venues can end up being more cost effective in the long run. For example, there are often many of the necessary amenities or add-ons already in place ― food or catering, tech equipment and much more.

State-of-the-art amenities:
Whether it’s a suite or a meeting room overlooking the ball field, if you’re looking for something to stand out and make an impression, a one-of-a-kind venue is the way to do that. Advanced technology for presentations and professional-grade sound systems for music and entertainment are just some of the incredible amenities people can expect when renting these venues.

Options for Idaho sports or entertainment venue rentals

“We have some really unique venues to consider here in Boise,” shared Lucas Gebhart, associate director of sports sales for Visit Boise, which gladly helps connect people with the right places for memorable corporate event venues.

Boise State University’s Stueckle Sky Center at Albertsons Stadium
Thousands of people visit Albertsons Stadium to see it’s unique and famous blue turf. Named for University benefactors Duane and Lori Stueckle, the Stueckle Sky Center is a spacious four-level facility that includes a variety of rental options. Each space is outfitted with everything guests need, and have sweeping views of the Boise Bench, foothills and downtown skyline. If you’re looking for something that provides a stunning backdrop for your corporate event, this is one of the best places to be.

Allison Hevner, director of events for Stueckle Sky Center for Boise State University said, “We currently have seven meeting and event spaces between the Stueckle Sky Center and Allen Noble Hall of Fame. We will have two additional spaces available when our North End Zone Project comes online in 2026. Most groups rent one banquet space for their event, however, we host conferences that utilize multiple spaces.”

Pricing varies between event spaces and overall event needs, and in-house catering and bar services are available for full meals, luncheons or simple hors d’oeuvres receptions.

“While we are a sport venue, we are still a premiere venue for corporate meetings, receptions and parties,” she said. “We host retirement and holiday parties, shareholder meetings and even casino nights and weddings, so we have plenty of ideas to assist with the event planning process to take corporate events to the winning level.”

Idaho Central Arena
There are 35 luxury suites in the arena that can host from 12 to 100 people.

Eric Trapp, president of the Idaho Steelheads and Idaho Central Arena shared, “Over the last decade, luxury suite programs have become a standard attraction in all new sports and entertainment arenas. Why? Because luxury suite entertainment has proven to be a flexible business and social tool that inspires and generates important results for the corporate community. Companies that invest in suites have discovered that more ideas are created, more deals are made, and more contracts are extended in the company’s suite than in the workplace.”

ExtraMile Arena
Boise’s ExtraMile Arena has a wealth of options available for rent. There are five multi-purpose meeting rooms available, including a conference room annex. The Blue Room for example, can be divided in half with a floor-to-ceiling folding air wall partition, which makes two 30-foot by 30-foot rooms. The Green Room is a 624-square-foot space that includes furniture, a TV, drop-down projector screen, mini-bar and adjoining restrooms. There is also a Club Room, which features restricted access points and can accommodate groups with catering and bar service.

Boise Centre
Boise Centre offers 86,000 square feet of total space with 31 versatile meeting rooms. The rooms and event spaces offer breathtaking views of the nearby Boise foothills and feature in-house catering, audio-visual offerings and IT services. The largest room is the 24,000-plus-square-foot grand ballroom that can be divided into three sections. Another popular option is the executive boardroom available for rent that features floor-to-ceiling glass walls and an attached patio.

Mountain View Event Center
Located at the intersection of Interstate 15 and Interstate 86, the Pocatello-Chubbuck Auditorium District operates this conveniently located event center. It can transform into spaces to accommodate corporate meetings, trade shows and more.

Tee Time
Do you have golf lovers in your group? Tee Time in Rigby, Idaho rents simulators by the hour or you can rent the entire facility for your corporate event. There are televisions around, a soda bar and an upstairs lounge that allows for PowerPoint presentations, slideshows or movies.

Nampa Spectrum 14
A distinct cinematic-style experience will welcome your guests here. Giant screens, surround sound audio, HD visuals and comfortable stadium seating make this an ideal space for a business meeting or conference. This venue has dedicated event consultants and regal business event meeting managers to help plan and manage all of the logistics of your corporate event. At the end of the event, consider treating the team to a special private screening of a film.

This story originally appeared in the Corporate Event Planners’ Guide 2025-2026, a publication of Idaho Business Review.