Tacoma Dome

Tacoma Dome
Location	2727 East D Street Tacoma, Washington 98421
Coordinates	47°14′12″N 122°25′36″W
Broke ground	July 1, 1981
Opened	April 21, 1983
Owner	City of Tacoma
Operator	City of Tacoma
Construction cost	$44 million ($103 million in 2012 dollars)
Architect	McGranahan Messenger Associates
General Contractor	Merit Co.
Capacity	5,000 – 23,000 20,824 Indoor Soccer 17,100 Basketball
Tenants
Tacoma Stars (MISL) (1983–1992) Tacoma Express (MLFS) (1990) Seattle Sounders (USL) (1994) Tacoma Rockets (WHL) (1991–1995) Seattle SuperSonics (NBA) (1994–1995) Tacoma Sabercats (WCHL) (1997–2002)

The Tacoma Dome (constructed by Tacoma Dome Associates, led by McGranahan Messenger Architects, a design build entity) is an indoor arena located in Tacoma, Washington, USA, approximately 30 miles south of Seattle.

History

Upon winning an international design competition, local architects McGranahan and Messenger completed the Tacoma Dome in 1983 for $44 million which opened on April 21, the arena seats 17,100 for basketball. It is the world's largest arena with a wooden dome in terms of total volume and seating capacity (23,000), with a diameter of 530 feet (160 m) and a height of 152 feet (46 m). The Superior Dome in Marquette, MI is larger in diameter at 536 feet (163 m), but is only 143 feet (44 m) high and only seats a maximum of 16,000. The Superior Dome is also not a geodesic dome; it is a planar radian structure of glue-laminated beams.^{[citation needed]} Unlike most other arenas of its size, the arena contains little in the way of fixed seating so as to maximize the flexibility of the seating arrangements and of the shape of the playing field. It can even host American football, albeit with seating reduced to only 10,000.

The arena hosted the Seattle SuperSonics from 1994-1995 while the Seattle Center Coliseum was being renovated into the venue now known as KeyArena as well as various regular season Sonics games during other seasons. It also hosted the Tacoma Rockets Western Hockey League team from 1991 to 1995, the Tacoma Sabercats of the West Coast Hockey League from 1997 to 2002, The Tacoma Stars indoor soccer team of the MISL from 1984 to 1992, gymnastics events during the 1990 Goodwill Games, numerous other minor league ice hockey and indoor soccer teams. The Dome also hosted the NCAA Women's Final Four in back to back years (1989-1990).

The Tacoma Dome hosted NHL preseason exhibition games in 1983, 1984, 1988, and 1992, and has been mentioned as a possible venue for a relocated NHL franchise.

The Professional Bull Riders hosted a Built Ford Tough Series bull riding event at the Dome annually between 2003 and 2009.

The first concert in the Tacoma Dome was David Bowie, with The Tubes as his opening act.

Art

The Tacoma Dome is also known for its controversial neon art. In 1984 the Stephen Antonakos piece displayed inside the dome was the subject of intense debate over public funding of artworks for public works projects.^{[citation needed]}

External links

• Tacoma Dome
• Shanaman Sports Museum of Tacoma-Pierce County

Preceded by Johnson Hagood Stadium	Host of the NCAA Division I-AA National Championship Game 1985–1986	Succeeded by Mini Dome
Preceded by Seattle Center Coliseum	Home of the Seattle SuperSonics 1994–1995	Succeeded by KeyArena