Mellon Arena
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Mellon Arena | |
|---|---|
| The Igloo | |
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| Location | 66 Mario Lemieux Place, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15219 |
| Broke ground | March 12, 1957 |
| Opened | September 19, 1961 |
| Closed | Open |
| Demolished | N/A |
| Owner | City of Pittsburgh |
| Surface | Ice Parquet/AstroTurf |
| Construction cost | $22 million (USD) |
| Architect | Mitchell and Ritchey |
| Former names | |
| Pitsburgh Civic Arena (1961-1999) | |
| Tenants | |
| Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL) (1967-Present) Pittsburgh Spirit (MISL) (1978-1980; 1981-1986) Pittsburgh CrosseFire (NLL) (2000) Pittsburgh Gladiators (AFL) (1987-1992) Pittsburgh Phantoms (RHI) (1994) Pittsburgh Triangles (World TeamTennis) (1974-76) Pittsburgh Bulls (MILL) (1990-93) Pittsburgh Stingers (CISL) (1994-95) Pittsburgh Xplosion (CBA) (2005-Present) Pittsburgh Pipers/Condors (ABA) (1967-1973) Pittsburgh Rens (American Basketball League) (1961-63) |
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| Seats | |
| 17,537 (hockey & basketball) 15,924 (arena football) 15,788 (circus) 16,882 (ice skating) 17,740 (concert end stage) 18,039 (concert center stage) |
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The Mellon Arena (known as Pittsburgh Civic Arena from 1961-1999, also informally known as "The Igloo") is an indoor arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is home to the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League and was formerly home to the Pittsburgh Hornets of the AHL, Pittsburgh Pipers and Pittsburgh Condors of the ABA and Pittsburgh Spirit of the MISL, among others. The arena currently seats 16,958 for ice hockey, standing room only of 17,138, with 56 luxury suites and 1,696 club seats.
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[edit] History
The arena is currently the oldest one in use in the NHL, completed in 1961 at a cost of $22 million. Oddly enough, the stadium was not originally intended for sports, but primarily to host the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera, which had previously performed at Pitt Stadium, but had tired of having performances rained out. The building was - and remains - unique, and well ahead of its time. It was built with a retractable dome made of six stainless steel panels, five of which would shift under the sixth in two and a half minutes when the weather was sufficiently pleasant.
The Civic Light Opera did not stay in the building long, however, as it became clear that the acoustics were too poor for its use, and it left by 1968. The AHL's Hornets were replaced by the expansion Penguins in 1967. The stadium was gradually expanded, with renovations in 1975 and 1993 adding balconies at each end and building luxury suites and club seating, increasing the overall seating from 12,000 to over 17,000. The 1995 addition of a new scoreboard, though, robbed the stadium of its signature element - the roof can no longer be opened and closed completely.
That same year, the facility hosted the World Wrestling Federation's (WWF; became WWE; World Wrestling Entertainment in 2002) SummerSlam. Mellon Arena has gone on to host other WWF/WWE Pay-Per-View events, including King of the Ring in 1998 (responsible for a Hell in a Cell match that is frequently cited as one of the WWF's greatest), Unforgiven in 2001, and No Way Out in 2005, with plans to host the WWE Armageddon pay-per-view in 2007. The WWE's visits over the years resulted in a record attendance for Mellon Arena, 18,150.
[edit] Problems with age and replacement
In recent years, the age of the arena has been a problem. Any visitor to the arena soon realizes that the old building has seen its better years. Over the years, additions and renovations to the arena not initially envisioned have contributed to the arena's unusual layout. In either "end zone" of the arena, the lower level seats furthest from the floor have their views obstructed by the overhanging upper level. This requires the aid of television monitors installed in the ceiling to see the action. Furthermore, various seats in the arena must be covered with a tarp.
The old arena is costly and does not produce enough revenue to keep the NHL's Penguins profitable. The arena has also been unable to attract other events, such as music concerts, to Pittsburgh due to the poor wiring and electrical capability of the dated facility. The Penguins are currently in danger of moving the franchise from Pittsburgh if a new arena cannot be built before the team's lease with the arena expires. The chances of the city keeping its hockey franchise hinge on a gambling proposition by Isle of Capri Casinos. The plan proposes the company, if awarded a license to build slots in the city of Pittsburgh, would contribute an estimated $290 million towards building a new arena. However, both the city and the Pittsburgh Penguins are working with local and state politicians on a Plan B in case the Isle of Capri plan is not chosen.
[edit] Other events
On New Year's Eve 1976/'77, Elvis Presley performed at the Civic Arena. It would be his last New Year's alive as he died eight months later.
The arena has previously hosted NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament games, six Atlantic Ten Conference men's basketball tournaments (1978-83), and until the construction of the Petersen Events Center, was the alternate home court of the University of Pittsburgh men's basketball teams. From its inception it has been an alternate home court for the Duquesne University men's basketball team, and was used as their primary home from 1965 to 1988. Beginning in November 2005, the Pittsburgh Xplosion basketball team will play at both arenas.
The arena was also the setting for the 1995 Jean Claude Van Damme action film Sudden Death, which was set during a fictional Game 7 Stanley Cup Final. One notable point about the movie is that the climax featured the roof being opened during the hockey game (surprisingly, without any of the fans noticing). However, the roof had been disabled from opening for years. The roof was opened, however, during part of Arena Bowl I, marking the only time in AFL history that a game was played in an open-air environment.
Another movie filmed at Mellon Arena was the 1979 basketball movie, The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh.
[edit] External links
- Google Maps satellite view of Mellon Arena
- Mellon Arena website
- Pittsburgh Heritage- Igloo Facts
- Pittsburgh First
| Preceded by first arena |
Home of the Pittsburgh Penguins 1967–present |
Succeeded by current |
| Current arenas in the Continental Basketball Association |
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| Eastern Conference | Western Conference | |
|---|---|---|
| Anderson High School Wigwam | Mellon Arena | Minot Municipal Auditorium | Washington Avenue Armory | Butte Civic Center | Four Seasons Arena | Salt Lake Community College | Yakima SunDome | |
Categories: Buildings and structures in Pennsylvania | College basketball venues | 1961 establishments | Indoor arenas in the United States | Indoor ice hockey venues in the United States | Indoor lacrosse venues in the United States | National Hockey League venues | Pittsburgh Hornets | Pittsburgh Penguins | Sports in Pittsburgh | Sports venues in Pennsylvania | Sports venues in Pittsburgh | Basketball in the United States | Professional wrestling venues | Atlantic Ten Conference Men's Basketball Tournament Venues | Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania | Buildings and structures in Pittsburgh | Retractable-roof stadiums
