Allen County War Memorial Coliseum

Allen County War Memorial Coliseum
Memorial Coliseum, Fort Wayne Coliseum, The Jungle
Former names War Memorial Coliseum
Address 4000 Parnell Avenue
Location Fort Wayne, Indiana
Coordinates 41°6′56″N 85°7′28″W / 41.11556°N 85.12444°W / 41.11556; -85.12444Coordinates: 41°6′56″N 85°7′28″W / 41.11556°N 85.12444°W / 41.11556; -85.12444
Owner Allen County
Operator Allen County
Capacity Ice hockey / Concert: 10,480
Basketball: 13,000
Surface 200x85 ft (hockey)
Construction
Broke ground January 24, 1950
Opened September 28, 1952
Construction cost 1952: $2,647,390
($23.9 million in 2016 dollars[1])
1989: $26 million
2002: $35 million
2013: $3.96 million
Architect A.M. Strauss
General contractor Hagerman Construction Corp.
Tenants
Fort Wayne Komets (ECHL) (1952–present)
Fort Wayne Pistons (NBA) (1952–1957)
Fort Wayne Flames (AISA) (1986–1989)
Indiana Kick (AISA) (1989–1990)
Fort Wayne Fury (CBA) (1991–2001)
Fort Wayne Mastodons (NCAA) (2001–2013, occasional games since)
Fort Wayne Freedom (NIFL / UIF / CIFL) (2003–2006, 2008–2009)
Fort Wayne Fusion (AF2) (2007)
Fort Wayne Mad Ants (NBA G League) (2007–present)
Fort Wayne Firehawks (CIFL) (2010)

Allen County War Memorial Coliseum is a 13,000-seat multi-purpose arena located in Fort Wayne, Indiana, near present-day Johnny Appleseed Park. It opened in 1952 with a construction cost of nearly $3 million. The Allen County War Memorial Coliseum was originally designed to seat 8,103 for hockey or 10,240 for basketball. Opened in 1989, the Coliseum's $26 million Exposition Center contains 108,000-ft² (0.100-km²) devoted to hosting substantial trade shows and other events with seating for 7,500.

In 2002, an extensive $35 million renovation and expansion raised the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum's roof by 41 feet (12 m), thus increasing the arena's seating capacity to 10,500 for hockey or music concerts and 13,000 for basketball. The structure was designed by A.M. Strauss Architects.

Sports

The Allen County War Memorial Coliseum is the current home of:

Major events

In basketball, Allen County War Memorial Coliseum has hosted the 1955 and 1956 NBA Finals, the 1953 NBA All-Star Game, and the 2014 and 2015 NBA D-League Finals.[2] Memorial Coliseum has also hosted several NCAA events, including the 2000, 2001, and 2002 Mid-Continent Conference Men's Basketball Tournaments and the 1988, 1994, and 2000 NCAA Final Four Men's Division I Volleyball Championships. Most recently, the University of Notre Dame hosted the 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey Tournament Midwest Regional at Memorial Coliseum.[3]

It also hosted several live events by World Wrestling Entertainment as well as the sectional, regional and semistate championships of the IHSAA Boys Basketball Tournament during the one-class era.

The Coliseum was selected in April 2017 as one of the sites for the "Sweet 16" round of the 2020 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship and the "Final Four" of the NCAA Men's Division III Basketball Championship in 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022. [4]

The Allen County War Memorial Coliseum complex includes the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Exposition Center and Holiday Inn, managed in cooperation with IPFW.

Exposition Center

Within the same complex as the arena, the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Exposition Center contains 108,000-ft² (0.100-km²) devoted to hosting substantial trade shows, banquets, graduation ceremonies, concerts, truck and tractor pulls, and wrestling matches, with the capability of seating 7,500 guests.[5] When no events are scheduled for the arena, the Exposition Center's capacity can extend to a total of 175,000-ft² (0.162-km²). The Exposition Center was added in the $26 million renovation and expansion of the complex, completed in 1989.

The arena during a Komets hockey game.

Grounds

The grounds immediately surrounding the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum display the anchor from World War II's USS Indiana battleship. South and east of the central complex is an expansive parking lot, containing 4,500 available parking spaces.[6] To the south and west along the St. Joseph River, lies Johnny Appleseed Park, containing the gravesite of American folklore figure John Chapman. To the north and northeast is the IPFW campus, especially the portion of the IPFW campus located on the western bank of the St. Joseph, on which a 151-room Holiday Inn is located.[7]

Recent construction

In 2013, a $3.96 million renovation and expansion of the 200 Level was completed. The project included upgraded restrooms with LED lighting, no-touch sinks, no-touch toilets, and no-touch urinals, and the addition of two food courts with three new vendors. Other restrooms throughout the Memorial Coliseum were upgraded in 2014.[8] The ribbon cutting ceremony was October 11, 2013.

Other events

The Rumble in Fort Wayne

The Rumble in Fort Wayne is an indoor midget car racing event held every year, on a 1/6th mile flat oval in the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Exposition Center, since its inception in 1998. Taking place at the end of the year, and after most major racing series seasons have ended, has allowed drivers from major racing series to participate: Dave Darland, Tracy Hines, J. J. Yeley, Bryan Clauson, Sammy Swindell; with NASCAR, USAC, and IndyCar champion Tony Stewart having the most feature wins at 9.[9]

Politics

On May 1, 2016, Donald Trump held a campaign rally ahead of the Indiana Primary election at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. Over 12,500 were in attendance.

References

  1. ↑ Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Community Development Project. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved January 2, 2017.
  2. ↑ NBA All-Star Games - Names and Numbers. Basketball Digest, (March, 2002). Retrieved on May 16, 2008.
  3. ↑ "Fort Wayne bids to bring NCAA Championships to town". Visit Fort Wayne.
  4. ↑ http://www.wpta21.com/story/35180205/fort-wayne-to-host-5-upcoming-ncaa-basketball-championship-events
  5. ↑ Who We Are Archived 2008-05-11 at the Wayback Machine.. Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. Retrieved on July 24, 2008.
  6. ↑ Our Facility - Parking Archived 2008-07-20 at the Wayback Machine.. Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. Retrieved on July 24, 2008.
  7. ↑ Glenn, Jenni, (July 21, 2008).A fresh image for Holiday Inn; City hotel first in state with new logo, amenities. The Journal Gazette. Retrieved on July 25, 2008.
  8. ↑ Leininger, Kevin (2013-04-20). "New food courts, restrooms coming to Memorial Coliseum". The News-Sentinel. Retrieved 2013-10-16.
  9. ↑ "Rumble in Fort Wayne Midget Records prior to 2013 event" (PDF). Rumbleseries.com. Retrieved April 20, 2015.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.
Events and tenants
Preceded by
North Side High School Gym		 Home of the
Fort Wayne Pistons
1952–1957 		Succeeded by
Olympia Coliseum
Preceded by
Boston Garden		 Host of the
NBA All-Star Game
1953 		Succeeded by
Madison Square Garden
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