Denver Coliseum

Last updated
Denver Coliseum
Denver-Coliseum-Logo.png
DenverColiseum.JPG
Denver Coliseum
Location4600 Humboldt Street
Denver, Colorado 80216
Coordinates 39°46′45″N104°58′15″W / 39.7791279°N 104.9707305°W / 39.7791279; -104.9707305
OwnerCity and County of Denver [1]
OperatorDivision of Arts and Venues [1]
Capacity Concert: 10,500
Basketball: 9,340
Hockey: 8,140 [1]
Field size122,400 square feet (11,370 m2)
SurfaceMulti-surface
Construction
Broke groundSeptember 16, 1949 [1]
OpenedDecember 1951 [1]
Construction cost $3 million [1]
Tenants
Denver Mavericks (IHL) (1959)
Denver Invaders (WHL) (1963–1964)
Denver Rockets/Nuggets (ABA) (1967–1975)
Denver Spurs (WHL/CHL) (1968–1975)
Denver/Colorado Rangers (IHL) (1987–1989)
Denver Pioneers (NCAA) (1997–1999)
Colorado Wildcats (PIFL) (1998)
Denver Aviators (NIFL) (2007)
Denver Cutthroats (CHL) (2012–2014)
Colorado Blizzard (M2) (2017–2018)

Denver Coliseum is an indoor arena, owned by the City and County of Denver, operated by its Denver Arts & Venues and located in Denver, Colorado. The arena has a capacity of 10,200 people and was built from 1949 to 1951. The coliseum is located in Denver's Elyria-Swansea neighborhood. It sits where the Denver Pacific Railway broke ground on its Cheyenne line in 1868.

Contents

Opening on November 8, 1951, with a six-day run of Shipstads & Johnson Ice Follies, [2] today the Denver Coliseum is an integral venue of the National Western Stock Show and hosts a multitude of other events including: commencement ceremonies, rodeos, ice shows, motor shows, circuses, concerts, motivational seminars, dances, exhibits and trade shows. Notables include: CHSAA high school volleyball, spirit and basketball playoffs and championships, Disney on Ice, The Denver March Pow Wow, Rocky Mountain Percussion Association State Championship Finals, The Denver Coliseum Mineral, Fossil, Gem, and Jewelry Show, cheerleading competitions and roller derby.

After McNichols Sports Arena (MSA) opened in 1975, the coliseum continued on as an alternate venue to the larger arena for events requiring less seating or overall space. This continues today after the Pepsi Center (now Ball Arena) opened in 1999, and the subsequent demolition of MSA in 2000.

History

On January 10, 1952, June Haver and Walter O'Keefe hosted the official dedication of the Coliseum on the eve of the first stock show in the arena and over the years the Coliseum hosted many celebrities and artists including: Elvis Presley (April 8, 1956 – 2 shows, November 17, 1970, April 30, 1973); The Grateful Dead (November 20 and 21, 1973); The Who (December 4 and 5, 1971); Frank Sinatra (May 1, 1975); The Rolling Stones (November 29, 1965; June 16, 1972); Led Zeppelin (March 25, 1970, June 21, 1972, May 25, 1973); Stevie Wonder (opening for the Rolling Stones on June 16, 1972, November 3, 1974); The Lovin' Spoonful; The Monkees; Cream; Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (November 26, 1969, May 12, 1970); Ike & Tina Turner; The Jackson 5 (August 20, 1971) and (February 23, 1974); Black Sabbath (February 27 and October 18, 1971); The Moody Blues; Pink Floyd (April 17, 1975); Neil Diamond (May 8, 1971); Santana; Jethro Tull; Yes; Eagles (August 2, 1972); Bob Dylan; Eric Clapton; Rage Against the Machine (November 1999); Rammstein (May 20, 2012), Bassnectar (June 10, 2019) and many more.

The arena has been home ice to several hockey teams from various leagues including the Denver Cutthroats (2012–2014), the Denver/Colorado Rangers (1987–1989), the Denver Spurs (1968–1975), the Denver Invaders (1963–64) and the Denver Mavericks (1959). The University of Denver Pioneers college hockey team played many of its home games at the Coliseum during the renovation of the University of Denver Arena in 1972–73, and when the current Magness Arena was under construction, between 1997 and 1999. The USA Curling Men's and Women's National Championships [3] were held at the Denver Coliseum during February 5–11, 2023.

The coliseum was an annual stop for the historic Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus and, starting in 2024 will begin hosting Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey presents The Greatest Show On Earth. The venue also hosted the WCW's Spring Stampede (1998) and the Colorado Wildcats of the Professional Indoor Football League.

President Dwight Eisenhower stopped in Denver on his tour of western states in support of Republican candidates on October 8, 1962. In 1976, a planned Marvin Gaye concert was canceled after learning that Gaye was at his home in Los Angeles sleeping, led to rioting at the coliseum, a series of lawsuits for fraud and deceiving ticket buyers, and giving the media a field day as the top story. [4] On April 5, 2005, after a women's boxing match held at the coliseum, boxer Becky Zerlentes died of her injuries following a third-round knockout loss to Heather Schmitz. [5] Santana played the Denver Coliseum six times, securing the title of "House Band".

Denver Department of Public Health & Environment utilized the Coliseum as a shelter for people experiencing homelessness from 2020 to 2021 to provide safe distancing which existing shelters could not provide in response to COVID-19, as a warming shelter [6] for two nights of extreme cold [7] during December 21 [8] –23, 2022.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lakewood Church Central Campus</span> Formerly a sports arena and now the main facility of a megachurch in Houston, Texas, U.S.

The Lakewood Church Central Campus is the main facility of Lakewood Church, a megachurch in Houston, Texas, five miles southwest of Downtown Houston and next to Greenway Plaza.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nassau Coliseum</span> Multi-purpose indoor arena in Uniondale, New York, U.S.

Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum is a multi-purpose indoor arena in Uniondale, New York, east of New York City. The Long Island venue is approximately 7 miles (11 km) east of the eastern limits of the New York City Borough of Queens, and is also next to the Meadowbrook Parkway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus</span> Traveling circus company

The Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, also known as the Ringling Bros. Circus, Ringling Bros., the Barnum & Bailey Circus, Barnum & Bailey, or simply Ringling, is an American traveling circus company billed as The Greatest Show on Earth. It and its predecessor have run shows from 1871, with a hiatus from 2017 to 2023. They operate as Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey. The circus started in 1919 when the Barnum & Bailey's Greatest Show on Earth, a circus created by P. T. Barnum and James Anthony Bailey, was merged with the Ringling Bros. World's Greatest Shows. The Ringling brothers purchased Barnum & Bailey Ltd. in 1907 following Bailey's death in 1906, but ran the circuses separately until they were merged in 1919.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oakland Arena</span> Indoor arena in California, U.S.

Oakland Arena is an indoor arena located in Oakland, California, United States. From its opening in 1966 until 1996, it was known as the Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena. After a major renovation completed in 1997, the arena was renamed The Arena in Oakland until 2005 and Oracle Arena from 2006 to 2019. It is often referred to as the Oakland Coliseum Arena as it is part of the Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Complex with the adjacent Oakland Coliseum. Oakland Arena seats 19,596 fans for basketball.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">TD Place Arena</span> Architectural structure at Lansdowne Park in Ottawa

TD Place Arena, originally the Ottawa Civic Centre, is an indoor arena located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The arena can seat 5,500 people, and with the upper bowl open it can hold 8,585 people. Opened in December 1967, it is used primarily for sports, including curling, figure skating, ice hockey, and lacrosse. The arena has hosted Canadian and world championships in figure skating, curling, and ice hockey, including the first women's world ice hockey championship in 1990. It is also used for concerts and conventions such as Ottawa SuperEX.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cow Palace</span> Indoor arena in Daly City, California, U.S

The Cow Palace is an indoor arena located in Daly City, California, situated on the city's northern border with neighboring San Francisco. Because the border passes through the property, a portion of the upper parking lot is in San Francisco.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pacific Coliseum</span> Indoor arena in Vancouver, Canada

Pacific Coliseum, known to locals as "The Coliseum" or the "Rink on Renfrew," is an indoor arena located at Hastings Park in Vancouver, British Columbia. Its main use has been for ice hockey and the arena has been the home for several ice hockey teams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">International Amphitheatre</span> Arena in Chicago, Illinois, United States

The International Amphitheatre was an indoor arena located in Chicago, Illinois, that opened in 1934 and was demolished in 1999. It was located on the west side of Halsted Street, at 42nd Street, on the city's south side, in the Canaryville neighborhood, adjacent to the Union Stock Yards.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Amica Mutual Pavilion</span> Indoor arena in Providence, Rhode Island

The Amica Mutual Pavilion is an indoor arena located in downtown Providence, Rhode Island. It was built in 1972, as a home court for the Providence College Friars men's basketball program, due to the high demand for tickets to their games in Alumni Hall, as well as for a home arena for the then–Providence Reds, who played in the nearly 50-year-old Rhode Island Auditorium. Current tenants include the Providence Bruins ice hockey team, of the American Hockey League (AHL) and the Providence College Friars men's basketball team, of the Big East Conference. The center is operated by the Rhode Island Convention Center Authority, which also operates the Rhode Island Convention Center and Veterans Memorial Auditorium.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Indiana Farmers Coliseum</span> Indoor arena in Indianapolis, Indiana, U.S.

The Indiana Farmers Coliseum is a 6,500-seat indoor multi-use arena, located on the Indiana State Fairgrounds in Indianapolis. The Indiana Farmers Coliseum is home to both the Indy Fuel of the ECHL and the IUPUI Jaguars of the NCAA.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lubbock Municipal Coliseum</span> Former arena in Lubbock, Texas, US

Lubbock Municipal Coliseum was an 8,344-seat multi-purpose arena in Lubbock, Texas. Although the arena was located on the campus of Texas Tech University, it was owned and operated by the City of Lubbock until 2018.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ford Idaho Center</span>

The Ford Idaho Center is a complex of sports and entertainment venues in Nampa, Idaho, approximately 15 miles (24 km) west of Boise.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue Arena</span>

The Blue Arena is a multi-purpose arena in Loveland, Colorado, 55 mi (89 km) northeast of Denver. It has 24 luxury suites, 777 club seats and 6,800 general admission seats. The arena is located on The Ranch Events Complex and is owned by Larimer County, Colorado. The facility and ticket sales are managed by OVG360. It is home to the AHL Colorado Eagles ice hockey team and is the former home of the Colorado Lightning indoor soccer team, the Colorado Chill women's basketball team, and the Denver Dream women's football team. It was also home to the Colorado Ice/Crush indoor football team from 2007 until 2017 and will serve as home of the Colorado Spartans starting in 2024.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Big E Coliseum</span> Arena in West Springfield, Massachusetts, US

The Eastern States Coliseum, better known as the Big E Coliseum, is a 5,900-seat multi-purpose arena in West Springfield, Massachusetts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jacksonville Coliseum</span> Arena in Jacksonville, Florida, United States from 1960 to 2003

The Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Coliseum was a multi-purpose arena located in Jacksonville, Florida. Built in 1960 and known as "northern Florida's most historic concert venue", it was home to most of the city's indoor professional sports teams and it hosted various concerts, circuses, and other events. It was demolished in 2003 and replaced with the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tucson Convention Center</span> Convention center in Arizona

The Tucson Convention Center is a multi-purpose convention center located in downtown Tucson, Arizona. Built in 1971, the location includes an 8,962-seat indoor arena, two performing arts venues, and 205,000 square feet (19,000 m2) of meeting space. The complex was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sam Houston Coliseum</span> Arena in Texas, United States

Sam Houston Coliseum was an indoor arena located in Houston, Texas.

Fair Park Coliseum was a 7,200-seat, covered, open-sided, multi-purpose arena in Beaumont, Texas. It hosted local sporting events and concerts. It was opened in 1978. At the time of its opening the Fair Park Coliseum was the primary concert venue in the Beaumont area; within a decade, however, demand for concert tickets proved so high that the much larger Montagne Center was built in 1984, only six years after the Coliseum had opened. The Coliseum would then become the Beaumont home of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Circus, Disney on Ice, and Champions on Ice until Ford Arena was built. After significant damage to the coliseum from Hurricane Rita and acquisition of the surrounding property by the Beaumont Housing Authority, the coliseum was demolished. The City of Beaumont awarded a contract for demolition on November 6, 2007.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Feld Entertainment</span> American live show production company

Feld Entertainment Inc. is an American live show production company which owns a number of traveling shows. The company began with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus then expanded into additional live events, including Disney on Ice, Monster Jam, Monster Energy AMA Supercross, and Sesame Street Live. The company is family owned.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">CN Centre</span> Multi-use indoor arena in Prince George, British Columbia

The CN Centre is a 5,971-seat multi-purpose arena, in Prince George, British Columbia, Canada. It was designed by PBK Architects, opened in 1995 and is owned by the City of Prince George. There are 14 luxury suites. In 2005, Canadian National Railway purchased the naming rights to the building.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "The Historic Denver Coliseum Venue Guide" (PDF). Denver Coliseum. 2011. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
  2. ↑ "Denver Coliseum's glorious history spans music, rodeos, sports and much, much more". The Denver Post. 2017-03-09. Retrieved 2018-11-30.
  3. ↑ "DENVER SET TO HOST 2023 USA CURLING MEN'S AND WOMEN'S NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS". USA CURLING. Retrieved 2023-01-12.
  4. ↑ "The KDKO Story"
  5. ↑ Sink, Mindy (2005-04-06). "Female Boxer Injured in Fight Dies Afterward". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 2018-02-12.
  6. ↑ "Mayor: City at "breaking point" - The Denver Post". edition.pagesuite.com. Retrieved 2023-01-12.
  7. ↑ "Denver will open Coliseum as emergency shelter ahead of dangerous arctic cold coming Wednesday". The Denver Post. 2022-12-19. Retrieved 2023-01-12.
  8. ↑ "Just how cold did it get? The lowest temperatures recorded in Colorado on Dec. 22, 2022". The Denver Post. 2022-12-22. Retrieved 2023-01-12.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.