Hersheypark Arena
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hersheypark Arena, is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in Hershey, Pennsylvania. Built in 1936, it was originally known as the Hershey Sports Arena. The arena has a seating capacity for hockey of 7,286 people, and in excess of 8,000 including standing room.[1]
It was the first arena in North America that was built primarily to host ice hockey. It was home to the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League, who moved to the GIANT Center in 2002. The Bears still use the arena as their practice facility. The Arena also played host to some National Hockey League exhibition games, and hosted 18 Calder Cup finals, and three American Hockey League All-Star games. Today it is the home rink for the Lebanon Valley College ice hockey team, as well as the Hershey JR Bears, a youth team sponsored by the Bears organization, and on most weekends during the fall and winter months, open to the public for ice skating.
The second sport at the Hersheypark Arena was basketball. On March 2, 1962, Philadelphia Warriors center Wilt Chamberlain recorded a record-setting 100 points in a NBA game against the New York Knicks at the Hersheypark Arena.
It hosted the PIAA basketball and wrestling championships, and it also served as the home of the Hershey Impact, a National Professional Soccer League team from 1988–1991.
Notable concerts held at the Hersheypark Arena include Metallica, Frank Sinatra, Billy Joel, Johnny Cash, Phish, Elton John and Liberace. Annually, it hosts part of the Music in the Parks competition. It has also hosted the Ice Capades, Disney on Ice, professional boxing, tennis competitions, and the fifth WWF In Your House pay-per-view in 1995.
On October 13, 1953, the Arena also hosted an extravagant birthday celebration for then President Dwight D. Eisenhower whose farm and "weekend White House" was located in nearby Gettysburg.
