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Tacoma Dome

Coordinates: 47°14′12″N 122°25′36″W / 47.23667°N 122.42667°W / 47.23667; -122.42667
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47°14′12″N 122°25′36″W / 47.23667°N 122.42667°W / 47.23667; -122.42667

Tacoma Dome
The arena viewed from the Bridge of Glass (c. 2006)
Address2727 East D Street
Tacoma, Washington
98421[1]
Public transitAmtrak Amtrak
Sounder commuter rail Sounder commuter rail
Link light rail
at Tacoma Dome Station
OwnerCity of Tacoma
OperatorVenues & Events Department
Capacity21,000
Detailed capacity
  • Indoor Soccer: 20,824
  • Basketball: 20,722
  • Hockey: 19,106
  • Football: 10,000
Construction
Broke groundJuly 1, 1981 (1981-07-01)
OpenedApril 21, 1983 (1983-04-21)
Renovated2018
Construction cost$44 million
($147 million in 2023 dollars[2])
ArchitectMcGranahan Messenger Associates[3]
General contractorMerit Co.[3]
Tenants
Tacoma Stars (MISL) (1983–92)
Tacoma Rockets (WHL) (1991–95)
Seattle SuperSonics (NBA) (1994–95)
Tacoma Sabercats (WCHL) (1997–2002)
NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship (1989–90)
Seattle Sounders (USL First Division) (1994)
WIAA state football tournament (1995–2019)
WIAA boys' state basketball tournament (2001–present, partial schedule)
Website
https://www.tacomadome.org/

Tacoma Dome is an indoor multi-purpose arena in Tacoma, Washington, United States. It is located south of Downtown Tacoma, adjacent to Interstate 5 and Tacoma Dome Station. It is currently used for basketball tournaments by the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA), concerts, and other community events. In its early years, it was primarily used as a venue for minor league ice hockey and indoor soccer, and later temporarily hosted professional teams from Seattle.[4]

History

View of the arena from East D Street, 2009

Upon winning an international design competition, local architects McGranahan and Messenger completed the Tacoma Dome at a cost of $44 million; it opened on April 21, 1983.[5] At 530 feet (160 m) in diameter and 152 feet (46 m) in height, the arena seats 20,722 for basketball games, with a maximum capacity of 21,000. It is the largest arena with a wooden dome in the world by volume[6] (the Superior Dome in Marquette, Michigan, is a larger-diameter geodesic dome at 536 feet (163 m), but is 143 feet (44 m) high and seats a maximum of 16,000).[7]

The wood which was used to make the roof came from trees that were downed in the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. 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 the shape of the playing field. It can also host American football, albeit with seating reduced to 10,000.

The dome's first event was a concert by American singer/actor Rick Nelson and the Stone Canyon Band as part of the Dome's opening festivities, April 24, 1983.[8] It was the Seattle SuperSonics' home floor for the 1994–95 season while the Seattle Center Coliseum was being renovated, and was used for various regular Sonics games during other seasons. It also hosted the Tacoma Rockets of the WHL from 1991 to 1995, the Tacoma Sabercats of the WCHL from 1997 to 2002, and the Tacoma Stars indoor soccer team of the MISL from 1983 to 1992.

The Dome was also the venue of the gymnastics and figure skating events during the 1990 Goodwill Games, and home to numerous other minor-league ice hockey and indoor soccer teams.[9] The dome also hosted the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship in back-to-back years (1989 and 1990). It was the site of the NCAA Division I-AA football championship game in 1985 and 1986. The Tacoma Dome also hosted National Hockey League preseason exhibition games in 1983, 1984, 1988, 1992,[10] and 1996.[11]

During a Monster Jam event at the Tacoma Dome in January 2009, a piece of debris from a truck flew into the stands during a freestyle performance, killing a six-year-old spectator and injuring another spectator.[12] This is so far the only fatality to occur at a Monster Jam event.

On February 2, 2016, the Tacoma Dome started new security procedures in light of its sold-out AC/DC concert. The new enhancements included metal detector wands at each entrance, a bag size restriction, the prohibition of backpacks, and the search of all bags before entry.[13] In November 2016, the City of Tacoma approved a two-year, $21.3 million renovation project.[14] The renovations took place over the summer of 2018, with the cost rising to $30 million,[15] and were completed on October 8, 2018.[16] The renovations cost $32 million; among the new features were wider seats throughout the arena. Showgoers having 6 inches of extra legroom and replacing the bench seating in the upper level.[17]

Art

The Tacoma Dome is also known for its controversial neon art. In 1984, a work by Stephen Antonakos displayed inside the dome became the subject of intense debate over public funding of artworks for public works projects.[18]

References

  1. ^ "Tacoma Dome A to Z Guide". Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  2. ^ 1634–1699: McCusker, J. J. (1997). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States: Addenda et Corrigenda (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1700–1799: McCusker, J. J. (1992). How Much Is That in Real Money? A Historical Price Index for Use as a Deflator of Money Values in the Economy of the United States (PDF). American Antiquarian Society. 1800–present: Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Retrieved February 29, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Tacoma Dome". Columbia.edu. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  4. ^ Ruiz, Don (September 19, 2013). "Can aging Tacoma Dome still provide a fitting home for pro sports?". The News Tribune. Archived from the original on September 27, 2013. Retrieved September 26, 2013.
  5. ^ "Tacoma Dome opens minus team". The Spokesman-Review. Associated Press. April 17, 1983. p. B4.
  6. ^ "HISTORY". Tacoma Dome Official Website. Archived from the original on July 1, 2011. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  7. ^ "Superior Dome". NMU.edu. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  8. ^ Cafazzo, Debbie (January 11, 2016). "Rick Nelson played Tacoma as first rock performer at the Dome". Tacoma News-Tribune. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  9. ^ "Traffic Impacts During the Goodwill Games" (PDF).
  10. ^ "vintage Ice Hockey Programs memorabilia for sale from Gasoline Alley Antiques". GasolineAlleyAntiques.com. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  11. ^ "Canucks 4, Sharks 1". APNewsArchive.com. Associated Press. September 19, 1996. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  12. ^ "Child dies after being struck by flying debris at monster truck show". January 17, 2009.
  13. ^ "Security Update". TacomaDome.org. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  14. ^ Bryant, Tammi (November 30, 2016). "CITY OF TACOMA ANNOUNCES PLANS TO RENOVATE THE TACOMA DOME" (PDF). TacomaDome.org. Retrieved February 6, 2017. Renovations will begin in summer of 2017. New seating will be installed during summer of 2018, with all renovations completed by fall of 2018.
  15. ^ Riedtmulder, Michael (April 17, 2018). "My Favorite Things, Part II". The News Tribune. Retrieved April 18, 2018.
  16. ^ King, Jennifer (October 8, 2018). "Tacoma Dome reopens after $30 million renovation". KING-TV. Retrieved January 5, 2019.
  17. ^ Tacoma Dome returns after $30 million renovation. (2018). Real Estate Monitor Worldwide, pp. Real Estate Monitor Worldwide, 2018-10-29.
  18. ^ "NEON WARS Part 2". Tacoma History. March 1, 2017. Retrieved September 9, 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Tacoma Dome.
Preceded by Host of the NCAA Division I-AA National Championship Game
1985–1986 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Host of the College Cup
1986 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Home of the
Seattle SuperSonics
1994–1995 		Succeeded by
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