Heading to the arena to watch an NBA game this season just got a lot more luxurious, thanks to a few new members-only experiences in Phoenix and Cleveland.
The Mortgage Matchup Center in Arizona is now home to The Ra Ra Room, a private dining club tucked discreetly inside the Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury arena. Created by Suns and Mercury owner Mat Ishbia, along with hospitality company Major Food Group (MFG) and co-founders Mario Carbone, Jeff Zalaznick and Rich Torrisi, The Ra Ra Room offers a glamorous retreat from the noise of the game just steps away, with an exclusive Art Deco-inspired dining room, full bar and lounge area (with elevated snacks during the game).
Members enter the Ra Ra Room through a hidden entrance outside the arena, marked only by a single glowing martini glass. They are then led through a nondescript corridor adjacent to the rear of the arena, before the doors open to reveal a lavish and opulent supper-slash-slash club, complete with soaring columns, dazzling chandeliers and an epicurean menu to match.
Major Food Group owns popular hotspot Carbone, and the Italian restaurant’s famous spicy rigatoni is a favorite on the Ra Ra Room menu. Other signature dishes include MFG’s “Caesar alla ZZ” (a tableside Caesar salad), as well as shrimp ravioli and truffle tortellini. Desert offers delicious key lime pie and, paying homage to Arizona’s large Hispanic population, a basket of Mexican churros as a pregame treat. A sommelier will be happy to suggest a bottle (or two) from Ra Ra Room’s extensive wine list to accompany dinner, or guests are invited to sit and enjoy the view of the space from the bar.
Members can come and go as they please, whether for drinks or full dinner service, and the space has a private walkway that takes you directly to your seats in the arena, without having to set foot outside. In a statement, The Ra Ra Room calls it an “exclusive dining and social experience,” adding that “from the moment they walk through the door, members enter a world of glamor and indulgence.” Higher Touches: A personal concierge can help you with everything from booking last-minute seats on the field to arranging in-home car service.
“The Ra Ra Room is designed to be a destination in itself, with the added convenience of Phoenix’s best sports and entertainment offerings in the same building,” says Ishbia.
Mario Carbone adds: “The Ra Ra Room is an extraordinary opportunity to merge luxury hospitality with the vibrant energy of Phoenix sports and entertainment. It is designed to deliver an elevated experience that redefines the standards of hospitality in Phoenix and beyond.”
The members-only club is open every Thursday, Friday and Saturday, during every Suns home game, and open during select Mercury games and concerts. Access isn’t cheap: an annual membership starts at $15,000 and doesn’t include meals or event tickets.
In Cleveland, hospitality visionary The h.wood Group is bringing its Midas touch to Rocket Arena, with the unveiling of HIPP, a private members-only club located at the home of the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers.
Inspired by the dining rooms of Old Hollywood and named after Cleveland’s historic Hippodrome Theater, HIPP offers an intimate space for pre- and post-game dining and cocktails. Limited to just 100 guests per night, the private atmosphere offers a truly personalized experience, with h.wood Group describing it as a “white glove” match experience from start to finish.
Membership in HIPP is by invitation only (representatives note that it is “currently at capacity”), and while it does not include tickets to basketball games, members have access to a private valet entrance, as well as unlimited concessions and access to all clubs at Rocket Arena. HIPP also promises “special gifts and exclusive events” throughout the season, beyond the match days themselves. Opened last month, HIPP has already hosted a number of high profile athletes and celebrities, although mum is the official word of course, as befits the elite.
Known for being a pioneer in the Los Angeles dining and entertainment scene, this is h.wood Group’s first foray into Cleveland. The group states that “HIPP nods to the grandeur and sumptuous interiors of one of the world’s greatest theaters and reimagines what a central gathering place and pitchside cultural hub looks like today, blending sport, entertainment and world-class design.” »
This isn’t h.wood Group’s first foray into the sports arena, however: the hospitality and lifestyle brand is known for its parties at events like the Super Bowl, and it brought its famous Hollywood nightclub Bootsy Bellows to SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles in 2023.
