Greensboro Coliseum Complex

Greensboro Coliseum Complex
	File:Gborocoliseum2.jpg
Location	Greensboro, North Carolina
Owner	City of Greensboro
Operator	City of Greensboro
Capacity	Basketball: 23,500; Hockey: 21,273
Construction
Broke ground	1959
Opened	1959
Tenants
	Greensboro Revolution (NIFL) (2006-present) ; Carolina Hurricanes (NHL) (1997-1999) ; Greensboro Generals (ECHL) (1999-2004) ; Greensboro Monarchs (ECHL) (1989-1995) ; Greensboro Prowlers (af2) (2000-2003) ; Carolina Monarchs (AHL) (1995-1997)

The Greensboro Coliseum complex is an indoor arena in Greensboro, North Carolina. The arena was the home of the Carolina Hurricanes from 1997-1999 and the long-time home of the ACC Men's Basketball tournament (which has begun to rotate arenas in recent years) and hosted the 1974 NCAA Men's Final Four. Originally built in 1959, the arena was heavily renovated in 1993. At the time of construction, it was one of the largest arenas in the country. Today, the arena seats 21,273 for ice hockey, and close to 23,500 for basketball. In addition to the main arena, it also has a 180,000 square foot special events center, a pavilion, and a 2,300 seat Auditorium.

Hockey

The hockey history of Greensboro actually begins in 1959, when the Greensboro Generals of the Eastern Hockey League set up shop and played until the league folded in 1973; the team jumped to the Southern Hockey League for four seasons until that league too ceased operations in January 1977. Greensboro hockey's modern era began with the Greensboro Monarchs of the East Coast Hockey League, who played there from 1989-90 to 1994-1995. When American Hockey League expanded southward in 1995, it invited Greensboro to join; the new team took the Monarchs nickname, but attempted to draw a more regional fan base by labeling themselves the Carolina Monarchs. When the Carolina Hurricanes announced their move from Hartford, Connecticut in 1997, they leased the Coliseum for two years while waiting for the Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena in Raleigh, NC to be completed. Subjected to their second major ticket price hike in three years, Greensboro hockey fans rarely sold the Coliseum out for the Hurricanes; In the 1998-99 season, the team actually curtained off most of the upper deck for home games in an effort to artificially create scarcity in the ticket market, force would-be attendees to purchase higher-priced tickets, and hide what national media mocked as "Green Acres" of empty seats.

Once the Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena (now the RBC Center) was completed and the Hurricanes moved out, the plan was that the Monarchs, who spent those two years in New Haven, Connecticut as the Beast of New Haven, would move back into the Coliseum as a Hurricanes affiliate. However, Monarchs owner Bill Black had a different idea; he briefly explored the possibility of selling shares of the Monarchs to the public. After that fell through, he exercised the option to sell the team to the Hurricanes, who promptly folded the deal, as well as the team.

Rather than leave the coliseum without a hockey team for the first time in over 10 years, a new hockey team would be born, returning the city to the East Coast Hockey League. The new team would be called the Greensboro Generals. They played in the arena until 2004, when they were terminated by the ECHL due to poor performance and lackluster support from the community.

There are plans by some local investors to consider a new ECHL team in 2007-08.

Basketball

The Carolina Cougars of the American Basketball Association played some but not all of their games in the Greensboro Coliseum during their tenure in North Carolina from 1969 to 1974.

The Greensboro Coliseum has played host to many basketball tournaments, including twenty men's ACC tournaments, the 1974 NCAA Final Four and several Eastern Regionals, as well as other basketball events, such as college basketball, NBA basketball, high school basketball, and even the Harlem Globetrotters. The coliseum remains the home for the ACC women's tournament, which continues to grow in fan numbers and revenue every year. It played host to the ACC men's tournament in 2006, and will do so again in 2010, 2011, and 2013-15. The Coliseum also served as a first and second round site for the NCAA Tournament in 2006, and will serve as the home of the Greensboro Regional in the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament. It is the first arena to host three basketball tournaments in consecutive weeks.

Arena Football

The coliseum first saw an Arena Football team when the Greensboro Prowlers of the Af2 league played in the coliseum from 1999 until 2004. The team folded due to problems that were similar to that of the Greensboro Generals; a losing streak, poor management, and lack of fan support. However, despite the problems with the Prowlers, it was recently announced that a new football team will play in the coliseum; this one belonging to the National Indoor Football League. The Greensboro Revolution has begun its first season.

Entertainment

The coliseum has hosted many events over time, including Monster Jam monster Truck racing, Arenacross, the Professional Bull Riders invitational, circus shows, large-scale religious gatherings, and other large scale events such as four WCW Starrcades, part of the NWA's The Great American Bash in 1986, Wrestle War 1990, WWE Unforgiven 1998, King of the Ring in 1999, and Survivor Series 2001. In addition, its neighboring Auditorium and special events center have hosted concerts, trade shows, Broadway shows, and similar events. The auditorium, which wasn't included in the 1993 renovation of the complex, will soon be renovated to include a banquet hall and will attract more "upscale" shows to the auditorium. Some controversy exists in this plan; middle-class residents feel it will attract the rich, while the rest of the community is edged out.

Concerts

The Coliseum's large size makes it an ideal location for concerts. Some performers who have come to the coliseum include:

Other uses

In 2005, the Coliseum was expected to house as many as 500 New Orleans evacuees following the overflow of evacuees from Raleigh. However, the evacuees didn't come as expected, which cost the city and surrounding areas an unknown amount of money.

The coliseum is no stranger to the show American Idol; in fact, it hosted a party for Fantasia Barrino during the finale of Season 3 of the show, which was seen nationwide. It was also the site for the premiere auditions of season 5.

The coliseum has been a frequent stop on figure skating tours such as Stars on Ice.

It is also a prominent as a convention center in the Piedmont Triad area, used for conventions, trade shows, and other special events.

References

History of Greensboro's Hockey programs

External links

Official site

Preceded by Hartford Civic Center 1980–1997	Home of the Carolina Hurricanes 1997–1999	Succeeded by Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena 1999–present

v t e National Indoor Football League
Indoor Bowl
Seasons	2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007