Portland Exposition Building
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The Portland Exposition Building (or Expo as it is known locally) is located in Portland, Maine. It is the second oldest arena in continuous operation in the United States (behind Matthews Arena in Boston, Massachusetts). Currently, it is the site of Portland High School home basketball games, and high school and middle school indoor track meets. Downstairs, are the locker rooms for Fitzpatrick Stadium and Hadlock Field as well as the Portland High School locker rooms.
Built in 1914, at a cost of $80,944, the Portland Exposition Building was considered a sophisticated facility sure to "put Portland on the map." Its grand opening - a major agricultural show on June 7, 1915, was so captivating, the local daily newspaper dedicated the entire front page to covering the event. In addition to the cavernous first floor arena, the basement level featured the Cafe Dumont. "The Cafe D" was a full service nightspot that offered "Top international entertainment in a classy nightclub atmosphere."
Since 1914, many famous figures have appeared at the Expo including Babe Ruth, Rudolph Valentino, Rocky Marciano, President John F. Kennedy, and Paavo Nurmi. The arena has also hosted significant performances including the first East Coast concert of the Beach Boys (1963), James Brown, Dolly Parton, Janis Joplin, the Sixtieth Anniversary Ball of the Portland Symphony Orchestra , world championship kickboxing, and gala banquets for the Senior's Pro Golf Tournaments featuring Arnold Palmer and Gary Player.
Home to over 185 events per year, the Portland Exposition Building hosts trade shows, concerts, sporting events, conferences, civic meetings, and special events. Nearly 600,000 patrons pass through the Expo's turnstile each year. Bordered by the Portland Ice Arena on the right and Hadlock Field on its left, the Portland Exposition Building is the original centerpiece of the modern sports complex on Park Avenue.
In 2008, a group of local businesspeople signed a deal to bring a NBA Development League team to the Portland Exposition Building as well as renovating the arena's facilities.[1][2]
[edit] References
- ^ Portland could get pro hoops franchise by Jenn Menendez, Portland Press Herald, 24 January 2008
- ^ NBDL team for Portland, Barre Montpelier Times Argus, [9 April]], 2008
[edit] External links
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