Cow Palace

Cow Palace

Former names	California State Livestock Pavilion
Location	2600 Geneva Avenue, Daly City, California 94117
Coordinates	37°42′24″N 122°25′7″W
Owner	California Department of Food and Agriculture
Capacity	Basketball: 12,953 Ice hockey: 11,089
Opened	April, 1941
Tenants
San Jose Wolves (AIFA) (2010–present) San Francisco Warriors (NBA) (1962–1964), (1966–1971) San Francisco Seals (WHL) (1961–1967) San Jose Sharks (NHL) (1991–1993) San Francisco Spiders (IHL) (1995–1996) Grand National Rodeo (1941–present) 1960 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament San Francisco Fog (MISL) (1980–1981)

The Cow Palace (originally known as the California State Livestock Pavilion) is an indoor arena in Daly City, California, situated on the city's border with neighboring San Francisco.

History

Completed in 1941 it hosted the San Francisco Warriors of the NBA from 1962 to 1964 and again from 1966 to 1971. The Warriors temporarily returned to the Cow Palace to host the 1975 NBA Finals due to the fact that the Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena was booked for an Ice Follies performance. It was the site of both the 1956 Republican National Convention, and the 1964 Republican National Convention. It also hosted the San Jose Sharks of the NHL from 1991 to 1993 until the San Jose Arena was built. During the 1960s and 1970s, the SF Examiner Games, a world-class indoor track and field meet, was held annually at the Cow Palace. Additionally it hosted the Bay Bombers of the Roller Derby; the Derby's world championship playoffs were held at the Cow Palace every fall beginning from 1959 through 1973, when the organization was disbanded. The arena seats 11,089 for ice hockey and 12,953 for basketball. It has also been the home of the annual Grand National Rodeo, Horse & Stock Show since 1941 (except for a break from 1942 to 1945 due to World War II). The venue hosted the 1960 men's NCAA basketball Final Four and the 1967 NBA All-Star Game.

Behind the name

The idea for the arena was originally conceived as the result of the popularity of the livestock pavilion at the 1915 Panama-Pacific International Exposition. Newspaper records show that the name "Cow Palace" was used as early as May 1935. One story for how the current name came about tells of a newspaper editorial that wondered aloud "Why, when people are starving, should money be spent on a "palace for cows?" Thus, the Cow Palace was born.

During World War II

The arena opened in April, 1941. During World War II, though, the arena was used for processing soldiers bound for the Pacific Theater. In the following years, it hosted innumerable hockey and basketball games, wrestling and boxing matches, concerts, Roller derby and political events, most notably the 1956 and 1964 Republican National Conventions. The arena is still used for the Grand National Rodeo today and other events.

Sports

The San Francisco Warriors of the National Basketball Association called the Cow Palace home from 1962-1964 and from 1966-1971. The franchise then moved across the bay to the new Oakland Coliseum Arena and changed their moniker to "Golden State Warriors."

The Warriors lost to the Boston Celtics in the 1964 NBA Finals. The 1967 NBA Finals between Golden State and the Philadelphia 76ers saw three games held at the Cow Palace. The two NBA Finals games hosted by the Warriors in their 1974-75 championship season, because of other events at the Oakland Coliseum, were also held at the Cow Palace.

The Major Indoor Soccer League came to the Cow Palace for the 1980-81 season, when David Schoenstadt relocated his Detroit Lightning there, renaming them the San Francisco Fog. After a dismal season with an 11-29 record and less than a thousand fans per game, Schoenstadt moved the franchise again, this time to Kemper Arena, where the team flourished as the Kansas City Comets.

More recently, the NHL's San Jose Sharks played their first two seasons of existence at the Cow Palace, although the NHL had previously rejected the building in 1967 as a home for the expansion California Seals franchise. From 1991 to 1993, the Sharks sold out every game played at the building, although its capacity for hockey games was just over 11,000. It was one of the last buildings to house a smaller than NHL-standard rink.

San Jose lost their first game at the Cow Palace to the Vancouver Canucks 5-2 on October 5, 1991. Wayne Presley scored the first Sharks goal at the arena. Three nights later, San Jose won their first game in franchise history there, a 4-3 win over the Calgary Flames.

The Sharks second season in the Cow Palace was highlighted by a 17 game losing streak and a league record 71 losses. The Sharks ended their run at the Cow Palace at the conclusion of the 1992-93 season with a 3-2 loss to eventual Campbell Conference champion Los Angeles on April 10, 1993. The team moved to the new San Jose Arena to start 1993-94 after going 22-56-4 at their first home.

At the Cow Palace, the Sharks recorded the franchise's first win, shutout (Arturs Irbe) and hat trick (Rob Gaudreau). The team also introduced their mascot, SJ Sharkie, on the Cow Palace ice in mid-1992 when he climbed out of the front of a Zamboni. He later bungee jumped from the rafters near the end of the 1st season.

In 1995, the IHL's San Francisco Spiders played their only season at the Cow Palace. Ironically, several players who played for the Sharks during their Cow Palace years suited up for the Spiders that year. Former Shark defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh actually scored the first goal in team history. The team was bounced in the first round of the 1996 Turner Cup Playoffs despite goaltender Stephane Beauregard winning the league's MVP that season. Due to poor attendance, the team ceased operations at the end of the 1995-96 season.

In 2010, the Cow Palace will once again have a regular sports tenant when the American Indoor Football Association's San Jose Wolves kick off.

Notable concerts

During a 1973 concert by The Who, their drummer Keith Moon, passed out from an overdose of horse tranquilizers and a fan of the band Scot Halpin, completed the group's set that evening.

The Allman Brothers Band played there on New Year's Eve, 1973, with The Grateful Dead members sitting in. The Grateful Dead also held a double bill, with Santana, on New Year's Eve, 1976 and released a live CD, titled Live at the Cow Palace: New Year's Eve 1976.

A majority of the songs on the album, Live Rust and the concert film, "Rust Never Sleeps", by Neil Young & Crazy Horse, were recorded during a concert on October 22, 1978.

In February 1979, Neil Diamond fell onstage and couldn't get up. Less than two days later, he underwent 14 hours of delicate surgery, to remove a nonmalignant tumor, located dangerously close to his spine.

The arena hosted Amnesty International's A Conspiracy of Hope benefit concert on June 4, 1986. The show was headlined by U2 & Sting and also featured Bryan Adams, Jackson Browne, Peter Gabriel, Lou Reed, Joan Baez & The Neville Brothers.

Fleetwood Mac filmed both 12-13 December 1987 concerts at the Palace for a DVD, later released in 1988.

Live 105's 10-for-10 (10 bands for 10 bucks) was held there in the 1990s, featuring Beck, Orbital, CAKE & The Chemical Brothers, as well as 6 other bands.

Rodeos and livestock expositions

California Department of Food and Agriculture, Division of Fairs and Expositions

The Cow Palace is officially the 1-A District Agricultural Association, a State agency of the California Department of Food and Agriculture's Division of Fairs and Expositions. It has extensive stable and barn facilities for animal events, which are used for the annual Grand National Rodeo and occasionally for other events.

Recent developments

In the spring of 2008, State Senator Leland Yee advanced legislation to allow Daly City to purchase the Cow Palace from California Department of Food and Agriculture’s Division of Fairs and Expositions in order to develop housing, basic amenities, and possibly a school for the surrounding area. However, the legislation was opposed by groups that regularly use the venue and other California citizens outside Daly City.

On September 9, 2008 Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed this proposed sale of the Cow Palace overflow parking lot. Following the 2008 publicity associated with Leland Yee's failed bill, the Cow Palace board of directors entered exclusive negotiations with Cypress Equities for a 60-year lease to develop the 13 acres (53,000 m²) proposed by Daly City. Due to the lack of progress, this agreement was subsequently terminated and negotiations then commenced with a Marin County based developer in early 2010.

Location

The Cow Palace has a Daly City address, and except for the very northwest corner of the parking lot which is across the San Francisco border, it lies entirely within Daly City.

See also

• List of indoor arenas in the United States
• List of rodeos

External links

• Official website
• Grand National Rodeo, Horse & Stock Show website

Events and tenants
Preceded by Philadelphia Arena War Memorial Gymnasium & San Francisco Civic Auditorium	Home of the San Francisco Warriors 1962 – 64 1966 – 71	Succeeded by War Memorial Gymnasium & San Francisco Civic Auditorium Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum Arena
Preceded by first arena	Home of the San Jose Sharks 1991 – 1993	Succeeded by HP Pavilion
Preceded by Municipal Auditorium International Amphitheatre	Host of the Republican National Convention 1956 1964	Succeeded by International Amphitheatre Miami Beach Convention Center
Preceded by Freedom Hall	NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament Finals Venue 1960	Succeeded by Municipal Auditorium
Preceded by Cincinnati Gardens	Host of the NBA All-Star Game 1967	Succeeded by Madison Square Garden