Talk:Hollywood Sportatorium

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[edit] Personal Accounts at the Hollywood Sportatorium

Please put your personal accounts of the Sportatorium here so you can have a discussion and share you experiences.

I was a student at U. Miami in 1971 - 75 and, while it's blurry now (and then, probably), I ended up getting a job as a security guy at the Sportatorium. I had a Triumph 650 Bonneville motorcycle and would drive up many times from the apt I lived in near the south side of the airport (corner of NW57 Ave and what is now the 836). I remember Joe Cocker and other concerts (American Pie guy), but it's a long time ago. Lately I've been watching The Band, MLK speeches, and other things from the 60s and 70s on Youtube.com and have loved being taken back to that much simpler time. I remember standing on the left side of the stage, the gravel parking lot, how dark it was outside, and how amazing it was. Lary.--Liturgical01 07:03, 15 January 2007 (UTC)

I was at the Billy Joel concert in 1987 when he said, "The traffic getting to this place sucks." Pretty sure it was his limo I followed in with its hazzards flashing- passing miles of traffic on the side of the road. The accoustics did suck but the place was still great.

The OLD Sportatorium was bulit in the 60's. That one was torn down circa 1973 and the NEW "Sporto" was built and finished in 1975. I know this because I worked there from 1975 until 1983. I was a full time employee and was there just about every day. I had full access to all areas including stage and backstage. It was without a doubt the best times of my life. Dangerous Danny C.

The Grateful dead played at the Sportatorium 2 times: on May 22, 1977 and on July 07, 1984 I was lucky enough to see them both times. A lot of nostalgic memories from this place...The atmosphere was incomparable to any other auditorium or arena; It was a lot more laid back but then again, those were different times. Peace, Louis

Wow!!! What memories. 35 Cent Ice Cream sandwiches. I SOLD them, eventually they sold for 75 cents. But it didn't matter, they were a munchie fix. I can recall many many bands. being there to work the show nearly every week-end. Boston incredible, Satana (Moonflower) with Bootsy collins opening the show, ELO,Blue Oyster Cult, How about Earth , Wind and Fire? I almost didn't go to work wasn't into that music much. But I tell you they were great, after the show I realized why there were so many cars parked all along Hoolywood Blvd (now pines). I even got see Jimmy Connors versus John McEnroe back in the day. Lynyrd Skynyrd next to last Concert with Ronnie. Elvis In his final days. Even got to work the drag races next door. Those were the days Jefthro Bodine (The Ice Cream Man)

I attended many great concerts in the sportatorium in the 70's, including J Geils, ZZ Top, Humble Pie, Grand Funk Railroad, Jeff Beck, geez, you name it!..Great place, I used to stand in front of the stage at all shows..terrible traffic, but we didn't care either.

My brother got to see AC/DC there in 1981 but I was too young to go. I had to stay in the car with my mother. We went to some mall and ate pizza and "bonded." Later, I got to see the Cars there. How lame is that? I really wanted to see AC/DC. It's no wonder I'm in therapy. Cheers! Mark S.

The first time I went to the Sportatorium was 1981. Some of the bands I saw there were Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Ozzy, U2, and Genesis. I also got to see Van Halen on the 1984 tour. Back when they ruled the world. I used to love going there. The place may have been a dump, but it was our dump. The best part was that only real fans would go there. Sure the air-conditioner would leak water onto seats on the floor, the bathrooms were disgusting, and the place had mediocre sound at best, but you didn't have to pay for parking, there were no corporate boxes, t-shirts were actually afforadble, you could rush the stage, and the place would acquire a wonderfully sweet perfumy smell before the bands would gone that would help you enjoy the show. And who could forget the beach ball bouncing around. I also loved how it was in, what I rememeber as, "the middle of nowhere". It was a great escape. That was the last place in South Florida that was really Rock-n-Roll. The first time I saw a show that wasn't at the Hollywood Sportatorium securty made everybody sit down after the opening song, no one was allowed to smoke, and all beach balls were confiscated. "Rest in Peace Sportatorium" ------Eddie G.

I was at the Bad Company concert on the Fourth of July, probably circa 1980. A few songs into the set people started throwing lit fireworks up on the stage. The lead singer warned, "If you guys keep throwing fireworks at us, we're leaving!" Of course, the stoned crowd just threw even more fireworks at them. The band stopped playing and walked off the stage. When the lights came on announcing that the concert was prematurely over, there was a near riot! I'm very surprised that I was never injured there, despite all the rowdy crowds. - JD