Lakeland Center

Lakeland Center
Former names Lakeland Civic Center (November 1974 June 1994)
Location 701 West Lime Street, Lakeland, Florida 33815
Coordinates 28°02′28″N 81°57′49″W / 28.041053°N 81.963619°WCoordinates: 28°02′28″N 81°57′49″W / 28.041053°N 81.963619°W
Capacity Jenkins Arena: 8,178
Youkey Theatre: 2,296
Opened November 1974
Tenants
Tampa Bay Rowdies (1983-84) indoor
Lakeland Loggerheads (WHA2) (2003 2004)
Lakeland Thunderbolts (AIFA) (2005 2007)
Lakeland Raiders (XIFL) (2012 present)

The Lakeland Center (originally Lakeland Civic Center) is an 8,178-seat multi-purpose arena and theatre located in Lakeland, Florida. It opened in November 1974 as the Lakeland Civic Center, and gained its current name in June 1994.

It was home to the Lakeland Loggerheads ice hockey team from 2003 until 2004 and later the Lakeland Thunderbolts indoor football team from 2005 until 2007. Currently, the arena's primary tenant is the Lakeland Raiders of the Xtreme Indoor Football League.

The Tampa Bay Rowdies of the defunct North American Soccer League used the arena for indoor soccer on several occasions including three of their sixteen home games during the 1983-84 indoor season. This would also prove to be the league's final indoor campaign before suspending operations following the 1984 outdoor season.[1]

The arena has hosted many professional wrestling events by WCW and WWE.

It was here where KISS lead guitarist Ace Frehley was nearly electrocuted, during a concert on December 12, 1976.

The Grateful Dead performed at the arena on May 21, 1977. The show makes up half of the archival live album, Dick's Picks Volume 29.

Performances

References

  1. Beard, Randy (November 5, 1983). "Don't hold your breath as Rowdies unveil schedule". Evening Independent. p. 4-C. Retrieved 2012-06-02.

External links