Initially named the Special Events Arena when it opened in 1994, the arena was renamed the Stan Sheriff Center in 1998 in honor of Stan Sheriff (1932–1993), a former UH athletic director who lobbied for its construction.

[6] As Hawaii's largest indoor arena, the Stan Sheriff Center is the site of many major concert tours in Honolulu.

World Championship Wrestling used the Stan Sheriff Center as its Hawaiian stop from 1994 until the organization folded in 2001.

The arena hosted two NBA preseason games between the Los Angeles Lakers and Utah Jazz on October 4 and 6, 2015.

The arena again hosted two NBA preseason games between the Los Angeles Clippers and Toronto Raptors on October 1 and 3, 2017.