It annually hosts the Snake River Stampede, considered one of the nation's top rodeos, during the third week in July.

Upon its completion, the tournament moved to the Ford Idaho Center in 1998 from its former home on the campus of Northwest Nazarene University.

In March 2004, the Ford Idaho Center Arena was the home court for the Boise State men's basketball team for a second-round matchup in the NIT against the UWM Panthers.

The game was moved to the Ford Idaho Center due to a prior scheduled Metallica concert at Boise State's Taco Bell Arena.

The Rolling Stones played their first concert in the state of Idaho at the arena during their A Bigger Bang Tour on Tuesday, November 14, 2006.

[7] Seattle bands that have played the Ford venues include Heart in '03, Pearl Jam in 2000, Alice in Chains in '13, Foo Fighters in '17, and Death Cab for Cutie in '21.