The Maze Bank Arena is a large sports arena located in La Puerta, Los Santos, in Grand Theft Auto V and Grand Theft Auto Online.
Description[]
The building is home of the city's basketball team the Los Santos Panic, and where the auditions for the reality show Fame or Shame are held. The stadium is presumed to have sold the naming rights to Maze Bank, which also owns the Maze Bank Tower.
In 2013, the Fame or Shame auditions took place here and it was advertised by several billboards and a digital display at the entrance, as well as the large digital sign found at Innocence Boulevard, near the Olympic Freeway. In 2018, the Arena War events took place instead, replacing every Fame or Shame advertising with Arena War ones.
Layout[]
The Maze Bank Arena is normally inaccessible and features a lowly-textured interior. In the mission Fame or Shame, the room is fully rendered with several decorations of the TV show. There are several ATMs and Vending Machines around the side, as well as closed grocery stores and several inaccessible doors. The only exception is the right side, where it leads to an underground "B" floor, where the auditions take place. This room consists of a studio where the show takes place on TV, as welll as what appears to be the editing room and the recreational area.
In the Arena War update, the stadium is accessible through the garage doors on the northern side along with a walk-in entrance. These lead to the Arena Workshop, with the garage doors allowing direct access to purchased basement garage floors. Here, the workshop owner is able to see the actual interior, appearing to be under construction for the next Arena War event (although the finished interior is only seen when participating at the Arena War mode, which varies on the game mode and setting). There is also a spectator box on one side of the building, which appears to be reserved for participants of the event.
History[]
Events of Grand Theft Auto V[]
In the mission Fame or Shame, Michael and Trevor travel to the arena in order to rescue Michael's daughter, Tracey, from the clutches of the perverted celebrity host, Lazlow. The two men chase him out of the stadium, but Lazlow manages to get into his red Dilettante and drives away from the car park, only to be pursued by Michael and Trevor in a stolen Phantom attached to a Fame or Shame trailer.
Events of Grand Theft Auto Online[]
In the Arena War update for Grand Theft Auto Online, the player is introduced to Arena War, an internet show hosted by Alan Jerome, which consists of destruction derby-like Adversary Modes available to play inside the Maze Bank Arena. The missions focus around large arena setups with props, terrain and stunts. A huge selection of vehicles is present, including special variants of each, and a large amount of modifications available to apply to each variant.
Prominent Appearances in Missions[]
Grand Theft Auto V[]
Grand Theft Auto Online[]
- Panic Attack (Deathmatch)
- All Arena War events, added with the Arena War update, take place inside the arena.
- Players have to steal Apocalypse Sasquatches from the car park in Repo - Sasquashed.
- Project 4808E: Arena
The Chop Shop[]
Spectator Box[]
Following the Arena War update, GTA Online players can access a Spectator Box within the Arena. There are two ways of access:
- From an unmarked box office location on the south side of the building for a $10 fee.
- From a door within the Arena Workshop (no charge if owner).
The box can only be accessed during an event/competition involving other players. Depending on their settings, players will be given the option of joining the competition or spectating. Players in the spectator box are treated like competitors and must leave when the battle/competition ends. Matchmaking must be set to "open" in player settings. Multiple players can access the area simultaneously.
Spectator Box features[]
- An "electronic" wheel that can be spun for prizes including GTA$, RP, AP, clothing, and the ability to enter the in-progress event as an RC Bandito, drone or manning the arena's turrets, with the option of interfering with other players on the arena floor. (The announcer can be heard warning the competitors that this is a possibility when players spin the wheel.)
- A bar with a small selection of drink options and snacks.
- Interactive furniture (can be sat upon).
- Telescopes for close-up viewing of the arena floor.
- Large windows for additional viewing.
- A small art gallery (non-interactive).
Two elevators and several doors appear to lead off from the area, but are non-functional.
A brief cool-down is enforced between wheel spins. The first spin in a session is free (and free spins can be won on the wheel), with additional spins costing $5,000. Only one player can spin the wheel at a time. If the wheel is mid-spin when an Arena War session concludes, the spin-fee is refunded.
Influence[]
The stadium resembles a scaled down, domed iteration of the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, and takes inspiration from Kia Forum, the former home of the Los Angeles Lakers, and whose naming rights were also held by a bank. It also takes inspiration from the former Staples Center, now known as Crypto.com Arena.
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- The arena's old name was most likely "The Forum", as seen in the box offices. This would also be a reference to real life venue The Forum and to its 3D Universe counterpart, the Los Santos Forum.
- Images of four Los Santos Panic players (numbers 5, 13, 18 and 25) can be seen around the stadium.
- Out of the mission "Fame or Shame", the Arena only has an inaccessible lowly-textured interior, different from the one seen in the mission. If the player manages to go through the doors, they will fall in the map as the interior is not solid.
- An unused Kickstart model exists in the game's files. It was meant to return in GTA V, since its last appearance in Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas. [1]
- Rockstar Games originally planned to name La Puerta neighborhood "Los Puerta," which is incorrect Spanish. Unused police scanner audio files mentioning "Los Puerta Stadium" can still be found in the game files[2].
- In GTA Online, the large digital sign found near Innocence Boulevard and Olympic Freeway still displays "Fame or Shame auditions" on it, despite the one at the entrance displays "Arena War now open" and the building itself advertising the same event. This is likely an omission from the developers, although as the auditions do not take place within the main arena area, it is possible for both to be underway at the same time.
See Also[]
- Los Santos Forum – Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas equivalent.