Sovereign Center
| Sovereign Center | |
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| Location | 700 Penn Street Reading, PA 19602 |
| Coordinates | 40°20′05″N 75°55′23″W / 40.334771°N 75.923013°WCoordinates: 40°20′05″N 75°55′23″W / 40.334771°N 75.923013°W |
| Broke ground | June 1999 |
| Opened | September 6, 2001[1] |
| Owner | Berks County Convention Center Authority |
| Operator | SMG |
| Surface | Multi-surface |
| Construction cost | $42.5 million[2] ($55.1 million in 2013 dollars[3]) |
| Architect | STV Architects Inc. PBK Architects Inc. |
| Project manager | Turner Construction[4] |
| General contractor | Schlegel Builders Inc.[5] |
| Capacity | 6,000-9,000 (concerts) 8,000 (basketball) 7,083 (ice hockey) |
| Tenants | |
| Reading Royals (ECHL) (2001–present) Reading Rockets (PLL) (2012-present) Reading Express (IFL) (2006–2012) New York Majesty (LFL) (2009–2010) Reading Railers (PBL) (2008) |
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Sovereign Center is a 7,083-seat multi-purpose arena, in Reading, Pennsylvania. It was built in 2001. The arena sits on the former site of the Astor Theatre; One of several grand movie and theater palaces built in Reading in the early 20th century. Closed in 1975, the theater sat vacant for over two decades. In 1998, the Astor was demolished to make room for the Sovereign Center. Early in construction, steps were taken to retain mementos of the Astor; Including its ornate Art Deco chandelier and gates. These are on display and in use inside the arena corridors, allowing insight into the ambiance of the former movie house.
The Sovereign Center is owned by the Berks County Convention Center Authority and managed by SMG. In 2000, The Rajah Shrine Theater was purchased, and after a thorough restoration and updating of the facilities was renamed the Sovereign Performing Arts Center. The Reading Eagle Theater are part of the complex.
The arena is home to the Reading Royals ice hockey team in the ECHL and the Reading Rockets indoor lacrosse team in the Professional Lacrosse League. It was formerly home to the Reading Railers basketball team, the New York Majesty Lingerie Football League team, and the Reading Express indoor football team.
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[edit] Features
The arena contains 701 club seats and 20 luxury suites.[2]
The arena offers 25,200 square feet of banquet space on the arena floor. With seating for up to 1,200 guests, the Sovereign Center can accommodate large functions as well as smaller ones using the Reading Eagle Theater at the Sovereign Center setup. The Sovereign Center also offers a multipurpose room which measures 4,575 square feet and accommodate functions for up to 200 guests.[6]
[edit] Notable Events
The PBR hosted a Built Ford Tough Series event at this venue in 2006.
Avenged Sevenfold performed here for their first stop of their Nightmare After X-Mas tour on January 20, 2011.
The arena has hosted Slayer, Rob Zombie, Neil Diamond, Friday/Saturday Night Fights, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Godsmack, Blue Man Group, Kenny Chesney, Matchbox Twenty, American Idols LIVE Tour, WWE, Cher, Elton John, Champions on Ice, Rod Stewart, Sting, Kid Rock, multiple Disney on Ice shows, Andre Rieu, Evanescence, Barry Manilow, Eric Church, Cradle of Filth Bill Cosby, Steve Miller Band, Kid Rock, Straight No Chaser, Elton John, Dolly Parton, Carrie Underwood, Jerry Seinfeld, and Van Halen, Three Days Grace, Stone Sour, Breaking Benjamin, New Medicine, Suicide Silence, Flyleaf (band), Hollywood Undead, Asking Alexandria, Exodus (band), Disturbed (band), Chimaira, Lacuna Coil, Killswitch Engage, Godsmack, Papa Roach, We Came As Romans, Staind, Seether, P.O.D, Red (band), All That Remains (band)
[edit] References
- ^ Spatz, Don (September 7, 2001). "Officials, Community Christen New Facility". Reading Eagle. Retrieved September 23, 2011.
- ^ a b "Sovereign Center". SportsBusiness Journal. November 19, 2001. Retrieved May 16, 2012.
- ^ Staff. Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–2012. Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved March 31, 2013.
- ^ Mitchell, Eric (May 31, 1999). "Powerful TM4000, at Home on the Catwalk, Raises the Light Standard". SportsBusiness Journal. Retrieved September 23, 2011.
- ^ "What's on Deck?". SportsBusiness Journal. July 30, 2001. Retrieved September 23, 2011.
- ^ Sovereign Center - Facility Information
[edit] External links
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- Indoor arenas in the United States
- Sports venues in Pennsylvania
- Indoor ice hockey venues in the United States
- Sports in Reading, Pennsylvania
- Arena football venues
- Basketball venues in Pennsylvania
- Indoor lacrosse venues in the United States
- Legends Football League venues
- Visitor attractions in Reading, Pennsylvania
