McNichols Sports Arena

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McNichols Sports Arena (AKA Big Mac) was an indoor arena in Denver, Colorado adjacent to Mile High Stadium. Completed in 1975 at a cost of $10 million, it sat 16,061 for hockey games, 17,171 for basketball games and contained 27 luxury suites. The arena was largely shuttered after the Nuggets and Avalanche moved to the Pepsi Center and was razed in 1999 to make space for a parking lot surrounding INVESCO Field at Mile High.

[edit] Sports connections

"Big Mac" was the home of the Denver Spurs of the WHA from 1975 to 1976, the Colorado Rockies of the NHL from 1976 to 1982, the Colorado Flames of the CHL from 1982 to 1984, the Denver Nuggets of the NBA from 1975 to 1999 and the Colorado Avalanche of the NHL from 1995 to 1999.

McNichols hosted the NCAA Final Four in 1990, won by UNLV over Duke University and the West Regional Semifinal in 1996. It was also host to the 1984 NBA All-Star Game. It also hosted games one and two of the Stanley Cup Finals in 1996, where the Colorado Avalanche defeated the Florida Panthers in four games to bring the Mile High City its first major sports championship.

McNichols also hosted the first event of the Ultimate Fighting Championship in 1993.

The arena was the site of the largest crowd ever to see an NCAA college ice hockey game in the State of Colorado, as the University of Denver defeated Colorado College, 3-2, for the Denver Cup championship in 1995, with over 16,000 fans in attendance.

[edit] Concert arena

When not being used for athletic events, the venue was frequently used for music concerts including performances by Neil Diamond, Steven Curtis Chapman, Beastie Boys, Guns N' Roses, Grateful Dead and Phish. ZZ Top performed at the venue's final concert September 12, 1999.

Def Leppard's live concert video, In the Round, In Your Face (filmed over two nights) is from two concerts performed by the band there in 1988 on their Hysteria tour. Parts of U2's half live rockumentary Rattle and Hum came from one concert filmed in the arena on the third leg of the band's 1987 Joshua Tree Tour, including Bono's famous "Fuck the revolution!" speech during Sunday Bloody Sunday.

Preceded by: Denver Arena Auditorium 1967–1975

Home of the Denver Nuggets 1975–1999

Succeeded by: Pepsi Center 1999–present

Preceded by: Kemper Arena 1974–1976

Home of the Colorado Rockies 1976–1982

Succeeded by: Brendan Byrne Arena 1982–present

Preceded by: Quebec Coliseum 1972–1995

Home of the Colorado Avalanche 1995–1999

Succeeded by: Pepsi Center 1999–present