Von Braun Center

Von Braun Center
VBC
Former names	Huntsville Civic Center (project name) Von Braun Civic Center (1975–1997)
Location	700 Monroe Street Huntsville, Alabama 35801
Broke ground	February 23, 1973
Opened	March 14, 1975
Owner	Von Braun Center Board of Control
Operator	Von Braun Center Board of Control
Surface	200' x 85' (hockey)
Construction cost	$15 million ($61.2 million in 2012 dollars)
Architect	Booz-Allen-Hamilton
Capacity	6,602 (hockey) 7,198 (basketball) 13,760 (concert events)
Tenants
UAH Chargers (NCAA hockey) (1979–present) Alabama Hammers (SIFL) (2011-present) Alabama Vipers (AFL) (2000–2010) Dixie Derby Girls (WFTDA) (2004–present) Huntsville Havoc (SPHL) (2004–present) Huntsville Flight (NBDL) (2001–2005)

The Von Braun Center (VBC), known as the Von Braun Civic Center (VBCC) until 1997, is a multi-purpose indoor arena, meeting, and performing arts complex, with a maximum arena seating capacity of 10,000, located in Huntsville, Alabama. The original facility debuted in 1975 and has undergone several significant expansions since opening.

The VBC, in addition to the arena, features multiple exhibit halls, a concert hall, a playhouse and many other facilities, for meetings and exhibits.

History

It is named in honor of Dr. Wernher von Braun, a former German rocket scientist who, after World War II, was brought to the United States Army's Redstone Arsenal and along with many of his colleagues, laid the foundation for the United States space program, which was deemed to have put Huntsville "on the map" in the mind of many of its citizens.

Sports

Over the years it has hosted NBDL basketball, with the former Huntsville Flight; UAH Chargers ice hockey (CHA); Oakwood University's Alumni Celebration, Huntsville Blast and Huntsville Channel Cats ice hockey, and Alabama Vipers arena football. Currently, it is the home of the Huntsville Havoc of the Southern Professional Hockey League and the Alabama Hammers of the Southern Indoor Football League among other events.

It was there that the UAH Chargers ice hockey team won two Division II hockey championships before their transition to Division I. On February 10, 2007, the Huntsville Havoc beat the Knoxville Ice Bears 7-6, in front of the largest crowd for a sporting event in the VBC's history, with 7,083 fans, in standing room only.^{[citation needed]}

It was the site of the first-ever Total Nonstop Action Wrestling card, which featured in-ring cameos by Toby Keith and Sterling Marlin.

Expansion

On October 23, 2008, it was announced that the VBC Arena would undergo a massive $15M renovation and would be renamed the Propst Arena, after the family that donated $5M to the city for the expansion. On Friday, February 5, 2010 a groundbreaking ceremony was held marking further renovations to what is now known as the Mark C. Smith Concert Hall.

External links

• Von Braun Center official website
• "Von Braun Center History: Our First 25 Years". Von Brain Center. http://www.vonbrauncenter.com/pages/facility_information/fi_history.html. Retrieved August 31, 2011. 

Preceded by first arena

Home of the Alabama Vipers 2000 – 2010

Succeeded by Gwinnett Arena as Georgia Force