Rod Laver Arena

The food is overpriced and also not good, but that’s to be expected. The other facilities are amazing — more than enough bathrooms, helpful staff, TVs outside the doors, water fountains. Venue is small so tennis matches are visible even from highest rows.

This is a great venue to see concerts and productions on stage. No matter where your seat (unless you have a «restricted view» ticket), you will be able to see the stage well and be part of that’s going on. The venue is not so large that the stage performers are miles away. It’s very easy to get to by foot, public transport (tram is best), taxi or private car (there is parking underneath). The process to get inside is quick, even for crowds of people and it’s easy to find your seat. There’s plenty of refreshments, coffee and bars in the foyer area all around the arena. One thing though — the seating is not hugely comfortable, but it’s serviceable. It’s a good venue.

Saw Roxette here recently. Yes, Roxette are still around. Been to too many gigs here to recall and not generally a fan of the arena setting for bands, but understand it is a necessity to get the bigger bands (like, um, Roxette) out touring here.
Enjoyment can pretty much come down to where your seat is — you don’t really want to be sitting side-​on twisting your neck for a few hours — and if you are in General Admin or floor seats near the stage you can kid yourself it’s a more intimidate gig than it is.
Sound is usually quite good, as you would hope for the inevitable $ 100-​$ 300 ticket prices for gigs here.
Obviously much better for tennis than gigs!

Rod Laver Arena is the place to be during the Australian Open. I’ve also been to a few concerts here and I have to say that it’s a great arena. It’s pretty big, has good facilities and can hold a sizeable crowd.
It’s also very conveniently located, a short walk from Richmond train station or you could even walk back to the CBD as well if you wanted to.
Located in Melbourne Park, it is close to the MCG, Hisense Arena and AAMI park. Trams also run to and from it.
Tell you what, during the Aussie Open or when there’s a concert on; RLA is the place to be. The atmosphere there is awesome and there’s always plenty going on.
For first-​timers in Melbourne, it’s worth a visit and, it also provides a good opportunity to take a stroll and check out the sports museum at the G — you can be sure to have heaps of fun!

I really like Rod Laver Arena. A Lot. It is one of the few places I have been to watch sport or a concert and walked away thinking «this place is great!, no complaints about the venue at all».
The seats are comfortable, even after nine hours of tennis on a day that reached 43 degrees C, but bringing a cushion would not go be unwise. Similarly, as they are plastic, you should be prepared to sweat on super hot days during the Australian Open. The only issue is that the seats are a little flexible, so if you have a full drink in the cup holder on someone in front sneezes or moves in a similarly violent way, you may have wet feet.
The toilets are great, and there are plenty of them. While there are only about 3 or 4 sets of toilets for each sex, they are clean and abundant. Some of the best urinals in the city for my money.
The food will probably not set your world on fire, but it is an entertainment venue, so this is unfortunately par for the course. Last time I visited, there were some fresh salads and a carvery filling rolls, so above average for similar places.
Hot tip: if you are going to be here during summer, and the roof is open, if you sit in the middle of the tennis courts you will be in full sun all day. Seats at the ends are sheltered form the sun by the roof, so a better bet for the sun smart among us.
As a concert venue, I had a blast here. Seeing Bruce Springsteen was amazing, and I would attend other shows to see it mere mortals can also put on a good display here. I am sure they could.
Finally, Rod Laver Arena has a RETRACTABLE ROOF! Pretty nifty really, and it was among the first sports venues in the world to do so.

Home to the Australian Open, and have been fortunate to attend a couple of music concerts here. Either you can come here by train to Richmond station, or sometimes trams operate to Melbourne Park. This arena is massive, and it is great that re-​development works are underway right now in making this establishment even more popular and massive.
It is fairy easy to get in and out, not as much of a maze as ANZ Stadium in Sydney is. Great outdoor grassed area to watch the Australian Open when it is on, as well as to read a book and immerse yourself in nature; especially during the sun, and always remember to put on some sunscreen as the sun can be quite strong in this particular area.
The sheer size of this establishment, as well as the facilities on offer easily makes the Rod Laver Arena a world class establishment; that needs to be seen and visited to be appreciated. Also love the palm trees scattered across this sports park, and close views of the MCG and the city skyline.