Bangor Auditorium
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Bangor Auditorium is a 5,948 seat multipurpose arena located in downtown Bangor, Maine. It opened in 1955 and is used for concerts (maximum capacity 6,000), sporting events, circus performances, political rallies, as well as trade shows with 16,000 square feet (1500 m²) of space. It shares the same complex as the Bangor Civic Center. For decades, it has hosted the Maine Principals' Association basketball tournament each February, as well as the graduation ceremonies for Bangor High School in June. It also served as the home of the University of Maine Men's and Women's basketball teams until 1992. The V-shape style of the building gives it the look of giant wings and adds to the atmosphere. A statue of Paul Bunyan towers outside.
The auditorium and civic center share its campus with Bass Park, home of the Bangor State Fair as well as Bangor Raceway, one of the oldest harness racing facilities in New England.
Over the past few years, the city has discussed significantly renovating or replacing the aging auditorium with a state-of-the-art venue. Poor ventilation and HVAC systems as well as substandard handicap accessibility have been cited as primary reasons for this.
Bangor Auditorium has hosted several major musical acts and has been a stop for World Wrestling Entertainment house shows for many years.
