University At Buffalo – Alumni Arena

Yes, I’m partial. I’m an alumni of SUNY at Buffalo. That being said, the Arena is solid. The events are getting better as the university continues to grow. The facilities are good even though the Arena is getting older. The employees are mainly students but they try. The gym is always maintained and the workout areas are more than adequate. The olympic sized pool and the running track are a challenge. The racquetball courts are older but is open. The gym membership is a bargain as it includes most of the activities. I would recommend they gym as well as the Arena for events!

This space is much larger than the Center for the Arts Space just next door. It’s where the UB Basketball Team play. And concerts happen. And the Distinguished Speaker Series happens.
There are floor seats for events like speakers. It works well. Lots of entry and exit points. Well marked aisles. Easy to find seats.
The acoustics are good here. They have screens they put up to provide a better view for all seats, even the farthest away bleacher seats.
Parking is challenging as it always is at UB.

Awesome arena with lots of comfortable seating. As a big man, at 6’1, I typically get very uncomfortable since I have no leg room but we sat in the 300s and did not have that problem whatsoever. Bathrooms seemed scarce up on the second floor, and food vending prices are that of the First Niagara Center so those would be my only complains. But great place to watch a basketball game, I enjoyed it!

There is no comparison, cost-​wise, to work out at UB. As a community member, you pay a flat rate, $ 20/​month. No commitment. No long term agreement. Just fill out a form, get your picture taken for a UB – issued ID, and pay as you go. Twenty bucks a month!
The weight room is brimming with machines, is humongous and up to date; cardio machines are up a flight of stairs and ditto, up to date and plentiful pieces of equipment. You can walk the track, swim in the pool, whatever appeals. You would need to pay to take classes or for a consult with a personal trainer, still reasonably priced.
The down side can be the closing times, although a monthly calendar is available. If you were going to run on the track after five, there are several times a month you see not permitted, due to an event in the arena.
The parking is another deterrent, you’ll need a visitor’s pass between 7−3pm or face the parking ticket fees, steep. The lot is crazy, too, distracted student drivers means be aware, prepared to slam on your brakes!
Like any gym, there are those who well, don’t care about matters like hygiene, and not only do they «recycle» their gym clothes, they don’t feel it’s their job to mop up the leave-​behind sweat, despite the signs posted urging folks to wipe down the equipment.
There are almost always freshly laundered towels and bottles of cleaner spray when you check in. Big plus!
The workout area is well managed and considering the vast number of users, it is as clean as it can be at any given moment. It’s almost always totally tidy, weights re-​racked, and walkways mostly clear. The atmosphere is fairly quiet, no blasting music, just the hum of machines and the occasional SLAM of a too heavy barbell, which should be discouraged. The machines are typically in good working order, although some of the features conk out too soon. The temperature is comfortable for working out, chilly for the students at the check in desk.
I’d like to see hooks provided for jackets. Management makes a big deal if you have a sweatshirt on, that you must NOT take it off, and suggest you rent a locker instead. Frankly, the towels hanging off equipment fall into that category of «danger» as do the water bottles on the floor. You must often navigate user’s possessions on your way upstairs. Sometimes you want your workout jacket on, (not talking a parka here) if only to hold your keys, and if you want to take it off, there should be a hook, a table, somewhere to lay it without penalty. It’s an ill enforced rule, at any rate.
Far more serious are the rule breaker people who refuse to wipe down their equipment after use. I’m no scientist, but the microbes in sweat must carry illness and YUCK. The jacket-​hunter workers ought to be keeping their eye on THOSE violators.
The clientele is a very mixed bag, all ages early in the morning, mostly students and kids after dinner.
I’d recommend UB if you live fairly close, enough that you’d use the facilities, and if you aren’t a germaphobe. (Bring hand sanitizer.)
I’d up the star rating if there was a solution to the sweatshirt debacle for me, like a hook or a table. And particularly, better enforcement of the wiping down of equipment, that’s just gross.

As a student, working out here is complimentary. The facility is pretty decent if you’re just looking to use an elliptical, some weight machines, and stretch. You can also join this «gym» if you are a faculty member or member of the public. But the cost to join is on par with clubs like BAC, and personally, I think those clubs offer more with classes, newer equipment, etc. Plus, parking and ease of use of other clubs is better, in my opinion. Though, I know plenty of people who use and like the facility here.
When I was a student in the Pep Band, we played for the basketball team and games (mens games) were REALLY fun! They still are super fun! Again, it’s totally worth taking in at least one game, especially if the team is doing well toward the end of the season (just before the MAC tournament).
The student seats on the wooden bleachers will kill your bum after too long. As a non-​student now, I’d spring for a real seat, which are 1000% more comfortable than the student tickets (free, in other words).
A pretty decent facility overall, whether you are a student or not.

This building has lots of facets — basketball games are the biggest money maker, but the fitness center has a lot more daily use. Then there’s 100 other things happening inside everyday.
The fitness center is great, lots of different machines and equipment and reasonably priced for students, employees, and alumni. They also offer lots of classes (like yoga & spinning), have racquetball courts, and a good pool.
The arena is nice too — lots of upgrades in the last few years and lots of parking as well. I have many a fond memory of hanging out in the student section, screaming until hoarse for the 2005 basketball team… so I shan’t say a bad word about it.