Tacoma Dome

Tacoma Dome

The Tacoma Dome from the north
Location	2727 East D Street Tacoma, Washington 98421
Coordinates	47°14′12″N 122°25′36″W
Public transit	Tacoma Dome Station Tacoma Station
Owner	City of Tacoma
Operator	City of Tacoma
Capacity	5,000 – 23,000 20,824 – Indoor soccer 20,722 – Basketball 19,106 - Hockey 10,000 – American football
Construction
Broke ground	July 1, 1981
Opened	April 21, 1983 (1983-04-21)
Renovated	2018
Construction cost	$44 million ($135 million in 2023 dollars)
Architect	McGranahan Messenger Associates
General contractor	Merit Co.
Tenants
Tacoma Stars (MISL) (1983–1992) Tacoma Rockets (WHL) (1991–1995) Seattle SuperSonics (NBA) (1994–1995) Tacoma Sabercats (WCHL) (1997–2002) NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship (1989–1990) Seattle Sounders (USL First Division) (1994) WIAA state football tournament (1995–present) WIAA boys' state basketball tournament (2001–present) partial schedule

The Tacoma Dome is a multi-purpose arena in the northwest United States, located in Tacoma, Washington, approximately thirty miles (50 km) south of Seattle, and adjacent to Interstate 5.

History

Upon winning an international design competition, local architects McGranahan and Messenger completed the Tacoma Dome for $44 million; it opened 41 years ago on April 21, 1983. The arena seats 20,722 for basketball; 530 feet (160 m) in diameter and 152 feet (46 m) in height, it is able to seat 23,000, and is the largest arena with a wooden dome in the world by volume.

The wood used to make the roof came from trees that were downed in the 1980 eruption of Mount St. Helens. (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.) 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 host American football, albeit with seating reduced to 10,000.

The dome's first event was a concert by British musician David Bowie as part of his Serious Moonlight Tour on August 11, 1983.

It was Seattle SuperSonics' home floor for the 1994–95 season while the Seattle Center Coliseum was renovated into KeyArena, as well as various regular-season Sonics games during other seasons. It also hosted the Tacoma Rockets (WHL) from 1991 to 1995, the Tacoma Sabercats (WCHL) from 1997 to 2002, the Tacoma Stars indoor soccer team of the MISL from 1983 to 1992, gymnastics and figure skating events during the 1990 Goodwill Games, and numerous other minor-league ice hockey and indoor soccer teams. The dome also hosted the NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship in back-to-back years (1989–1990). It was the site of the NCAA Division I-AA football championship game in 1985 and 1986.

The Tacoma Dome hosted National Hockey League preseason exhibition games in 1983, 1984, 1988, 1992, and 1996.

Michael Jackson was scheduled to perform three concerts on October 31 and November 1 and 2, 1988, during his Bad Tour. Although all the shows sold out, the concerts were cancelled because of the performer's serious health problems.

Also in the dome's first year, Billy Graham hosted one of his crusades. He returned to the Tacoma Dome in 1991. In both crusades, Graham averaged 30,000 spectators every night.

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

World Championship Wrestling held their Spring Stampede pay-per-view at the dome on April 11, 1999. Diamond Dallas Page defeated WCW World Heavyweight Champion Ric Flair, Hollywood Hogan and Sting (with Randy Savage as special guest referee) in a Four Corners match to win the title.

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. 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 for entering the venue at the 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.

In November 2016, the City of Tacoma approved a two-year, $21.3 million renovation project. The renovations took place over the summer of 2018, with the cost rising to $30 million. The renovations were completed on October 8, 2018.

The venue hosted WWE's Stomping Grounds pay-per-view event on Sunday, June 23, 2019, the first professional wrestling pay per view since Spring Stampede 20 years earlier. In addition, the eleventh season of American Ninja Warrior qualifiers took place at that venue.

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.

Concerts

List of concerts

• Shania Twain – June 13, 1998, with Leahy, May 3, 2018 Shania Now Tour
• A Perfect Circle – April 9, 2004, with The Mars Volta
• Above & Beyond – March 21, 2015, with Mat Zo, Myon & Shane 54 and 16 Bit Lolitas
• The Acquire the Fire Concert – May 3, 2003 and May 4, 2007
• AC/DC – October 13, 1983, with Fastway and Quiet Riot, August 19, 1986, with Queensrÿche, June 16, 1988, with White Lion, January 16, 1991, with King's X, February 10, 1996, with The Poor, April 20, 2001, with Wide Mouth Mason, November 30, 2008, with The Answer, August 31, 2009, with The Answer, and February 2, 2016 as the opening night of their 2016 North American leg.
• Bryan Adams – August 18, 1985 and May 9, 1992, with The Storm
• Aerosmith – March 14, 1990, with Skid Row, October 25, 1994, with Collective Soul and Pride & Glory, November 12, 2002, Kid Rock & Twisted Brown Trucker and Must and August 8, 2012, with Cheap Trick
• Rhett Akins – November 21, 2003, with Jeff Carson, Daryle Singletary and Chad Brock
• Jason Aldean – September 27, 2013, with Jake Owen and Thomas Rhett
• American Idol Live! – September 2, 2006, July 27, 2007, July 12, 2008 and July 7, 2009
• John Anderson – November 4, 2002
• The Anger Management Tour – November 13, 2000 and August 6, 2002
• Asleep at the Wheel – December 6, 2006
• Avenged Sevenfold – February 7, 2008, with Buckcherry, Papa Roach and Saving Abel
• The Backstreet Boys – October 26, 1999, with Mandy Moore and E.Y.C. and February 25–26, 2001, with Krystal Harris
• Chuck Berry – August 19, 1984, with Jerry Lee Lewis
• Justin Bieber – October 9, 2012, with Carly Rae Jepsen
• The Black Eyed Peas – April 10, 2010, with LMFAO
• Black Sabbath – February 6, 2016
• Blue Öyster Cult – December 31, 1983, with Sammy Hagar and Aldo Nova
• Bon Jovi – May 10, 1989, with Skid Row, March 19, 1993 and October 5, 2013
• Boston – July 31–August 1, 1987, with Farrenheit
• The Boston Pops Orchestra – December 5 and 9, 1999
• David Bowie – August 11, 1983, with The Tubes, May 21, 1990 and October 24, 1995, with Nine Inch Nails and Prick
• Garth Brooks – June 19, 1992, August 3, 1993 and Friday Nov 3rd 2017 to Sunday Nov 5th 2017 ( 5 sold out shows/3 days)
• Brooks & Dunn – November 3, 1995, October 19, 2006, with Sugarland and Jack Ingram and May 1, 2010, with Jason Aldean and Tyler Dickerson
• Jimmy Buffett & The Coral Reefer Band – October 15, 1993, with Todd Snider and The Iguanas and September 30, 1998
• Bush – April 26, 1996, with No Doubt
• Steven Curtis Chapman – November 26, 2000, with Twila Paris, Crystal Lewis, 4HIM and Avalon
• El Chapo de Sinaloa – September 6, 2008, with Tierra Cali and Diana Reyes
• Ray Charles – May 19, 2002
• Cher – August 15, 1990
• Kenny Chesney – June 17, 2004, with The Rascal Flatts and Uncle Kracker, June 25, 2005, with Gretchen Wilson and Blaine Larsen and July 22, 2011, with Billy Currington and Uncle Kracker
• Mark Chesnutt – November 17, 2004
• Chevelle – June 4, 2008, with Candlebox and Another Black Day
• Chicago – April 12, 1985 and September 24, 1988
• Eric Church – March 18, 2017
• Eric Clapton – September 27, 1988, with Buckwheat Zydeco and September 6, 1992, with Curtis Stigers
• Phil Collins – September 14–15, 1990
• El Coyote Y Su Banda Tierra Santa – July 7, 2002
• Crosby, Stills & Nash – September 2, 1988
• Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – February 1, 2000 and April 28, 2002
• Cuisillos de Arturo Macias – April 11, 2010
• Miley Cyrus – September 16, 2009, with Metro Station and February 16, 2014, with Icona Pop and Sky Ferreira
• The Dama Dope Music Festival – December 13, 2014
• Morris Day – December 30, 1985, with André Cymone
• DC Talk – May 12, 1996
• Deep Purple – April 9, 1985, with Girlschool
• Def Leppard – December 1, 1987, with Tesla and October 27, 1988, with L.A. Guns
• Neil Diamond – October 17–18, 1983 and September 9–10, 1986
• Joe Diffie – November 4, 2005
• Dio – December 31, 1985, with Yngwie Malmsteen
• Celine Dion – October 18, 2008 and April 15, 2020
• The Dixie Chicks – June 10, 2000, with Patty Griffin and November 11, 2006, with Bob Schneider
• The Doobie Brothers – May 30, 1987
• Drake – December 4, 2013, with Miguel and Future and November 1st 2018 with Migos
• Bob Dylan – July 31, 1986, with Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
• The Eagles – January 9–10 and June 10, 1995 and August 25, 2014
• Fall Out Boy – April 8, 2006, with The All-American Rejects, Hawthorne Heights, From First to Last and The Hush Sound
• The Family Values Tour – October 17, 1999 and November 17, 2001
• Vicente Fernández – May 9, 2004, with Diana Reyes
• Fleetwood Mac – October 11, 1997, May 16, 2009, May 20, 2013 and November 20, 2014
• Warren G – August 23, 2003, with Roscoe
• Peter Gabriel – July 17, 1993
• The Gaither Homecoming – May 22, 2004, August 22, 2008 and October 16, 2010
• Genesis – January 10, 1984 and June 15, 1992
• The Pacific Northwest Franklin Graham Festival – November 2–4, 2007
• Amy Grant – November 14, 1985, with Bob Bennett
• The Grateful Dead – August 26, 1988, with Santana
• Green Day – May 1, 2002, with Blink-182 and Jimmy Eat World and September 26, 2005, with Jimmy Eat World
• Guns N' Roses – July 16–17, 1991, with Skid Row and November 8, 2002, with CKY and Mix Master Mike
• Tony Hawk's Boom Boom HuckJam – October 10, 2002 and October 3, 2003
• Highway 101 – November 6, 2000, with Shenandoah
• The Honda Civic Tour – June 27, 2007 and September 5, 2012
• The Hooters – August 8, 1987
• Hootie & the Blowfish – November 24, 1995
• Whitney Houston – August 17, 1994, with Smoothe Sylk
• Los Inquietos del Norte – April 12, 2008 and May 23, 2010
• Iron Maiden – February 10, 1987, with The Vinnie Vincent Invasion, September 19, 2000, with Queensrÿche and Halford, and April 11, 2016 with The Raven Age.
• Alan Jackson & The Strayhorns – March 22, 1995, November 11, 2000, with Brad Paisley & The Drama Kings and May 9, 2008, with Miranda Lambert
• Janet Jackson – June 6–7, 1990, with Chuckii Booker and February 12, 1994, with Tony! Toni! Toné!
• The Jars of Clay – March 22, 1996
• JAY Z – April 21, 1999, with Method Man & Redman and DMX and December 16, 2011, with Kanye West
• Billy Joel – May 8, 1984 and April 15, 1990
• Elton John – August 31, 1984, September 9–10, 1995 and January 24, 2001, with Billy Joel,September 17-18,2019
• The Jonas Brothers – June 28, 2009, with Jordin Sparks, Honor Society and The Wonder Girls
• Journey – August 19, 1983, with Bryan Adams
• Judas Priest – May 26, 1984, with Great White, May 18, 1986, with Dokken and November 22, 2014, with Steel Panther
• The Judds – February 24–25, 2000, with Jo Dee Messina
• The Jurassic 5 – August 24, 2002
• KBKS 106.1 KISS–FM's Jingle Bell Bash – December 21, 2002, December 7, 2003, December 5, 2004, December 4, 2005, December 10, 2006 and December 4, 2007
• Toby Keith – February 8, 2003, with The Rascal Flatts and Amy Dalley, November 13, 2004, with Terri Clark and January 21, 2006, with Joe Nichols and Scotty Emerick
• KISS – August 31, 1996, with Stabbing Westward and February 2, 2019
• KoЯn – April 9, 1999, with Rob Zombie and Videodrone, November 19, 2002, with Disturbed, Trust Company, Earshot and Marz, November 14, 2004, with Chevelle, Breaking Benjamin and Skindred and March 5, 2006, with Mudvayne and 10 Years
• Lady Gaga – August 21, 2010, with Semi Precious Weapons, January 14, 2013, with Lady Starlight and Madeon, and August 5, 2017 to over 19,000 people.
• Kendrick Lamar – August 1, 2017, with Travis Scott and DRAM (rapper)
• Miranda Lambert – February 13, 2015, with Justin Moore, RaeLynn and Jukebox Mafia
• Avril Lavigne – April 28, 2003, with Simple Plan and Gob
• Huey Lewis and the News – February 8, 1985
• Lil' Flip – May 13, 2006, with Chamillionaire
• Linkin Park – February 13, 2004, with P.O.D., Hoobastank and The Story of the Year
• The Little River Band – May 9, 2003, with Sixwire
• Loverboy – April 19, 1986, with The Hooters and May 13, 2005
• Lynyrd Skynyrd – September 18, 1987, with The Rossington Band
• Mannheim Steamroller – December 10, 2004
• Maroon 5 – October 12, 2010, with OneRepublic and Bruno Mars & The Hooligans and March 28, 2015, with MAGIC! and Rozzi Crane
• Bruno Mars – July 24, 2017, with Camila Cabello
• Ricky Martin – July 26, 2000
• The Masquerade Concert – February 28, 2004
• Dave Matthews Band – November 4, 1998, with Maktub
• Paul McCartney – October 19, 2002
• Tim McGraw & Faith Hill – August 12, 2000 and June 14, 2007, with Halfway to Hazard and Lori McKenna
• Megadeth – November 28, 1987
• Metallica – June 29, 1987, with Anthrax and Metal Church
• George Michael – September 23, 1988 and October 9, 1991
• Eddie Money – May 16, 2002
• Mötley Crüe – November 22, 1985, with Autograph, October 15, 1987, with Whitesnake, June 8, 1990, with Tesla, August 12, 2011, with Poison and The New York Dolls, and July 24, 2015 with Alice Cooper.
• Willie Nelson & Family – March 12, 1985, with Merle Haggard & The Strangers and Waylon Jennings
• New Kids on the Block – November 22, 2008, with Natasha Bedingfield and Lady Gaga and July 9, 2013, with Boyz II Men and 98 Degrees
• The Newsboys – May 13, 2000 and October 28–29, 2005, with Brad Stine
• Nickelback – February 20, 2007, with Three Days Grace and Breaking Benjamin, May 7, 2010, with Breaking Benjamin, Shinedown and Sick Puppies and June 23, 2012, with Bush, Seether and My Darkest Days
• NKOTBSB – July 8, 2011, with Matthew Morrison
• NSYNC – April 23, 1999, with Divine and Tatyana Ali, June 13, 2000, with Sisqó and P!nk and March 4, 2002, with Ginuwine
• Don Omar – September 26, 2008
• Oro Solido – February 15, 2009
• Gerardo Ortíz – July 28, 2013, with Julión Álvarez Y Su Norteño Banda
• Ozzy Osbourne – November 2, 1995, with Fear Factory, February 22, 1996, with KoЯn, The Deftones and Life of Agony and February 5, 2011, with Slash
• Ozzfest – October 18, 1996
• Page & Plant – May 25, 1995, with The Tragically Hip
• Brad Paisley & The Drama Kings – February 28, 2009, with Dierks Bentley and Crystal Shawanda and February 11, 2012, with The Band Perry and Scotty McCreery
• Pantera – July 25, 2001, with Slayer, Static-X, Skrape and Morbid Angel
• Katy Perry – September 13, 2014, with Tegan and Sara and Ferras; February 3, 2018
• Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers – November 9, 2002, with Jackson Browne
• Robert Plant – June 11, 1985
• Poco – May 29, 1993 and November 19, 1996, with Steppenwolf
• The Police – September 1, 1983, with The Fixx and The Thompson Twins
• Poison – March 28, 1989, with Tesla
• Prince – February 14–15, 1985, with The Revolution, Apollonia 6 and Sheila E. and December 19, 2011, with The New Power Generation
• Bonnie Raitt – October 15, 1991
• Rammstein – May 15, 2011, with Combichrist and May 14, 2012 and DJ Joe Letz
• The Rascal Flatts – March 4 and April 7, 2007, with Jason Aldean, April 5, 2008, with Taylor Swift, October 29, 2009, with Cledus T. Judd and Darius Rucker and September 22, 2012, with Little Big Town, The Eli Young Band and Edens Edge
• RBD – May 7, 2006
• Lionel Richie – December 14, 1986, with Sheila E.
• Jenni Rivera – September 24, 2011
• The Rock & Worship Roadshow – March 25, 2010 and January 12, 2014
• Kenny Rogers – January 13 and April 14, 1985, with Dolly Parton and Sawyer Brown and January 23, 1986
• The Rolling Stones – November 6, 2002, with Sheryl Crow
• Run–D.M.C. – December 31, 1986, with Bobby Brown and El DeBarge
• Rush – May 18, 1984, with The Gary Moore Band
• Santana – October 25, 2000, with Everlast and November 15, 2003
• Scorpions – August 29, 1985, with Ratt and Bon Jovi and October 12, 1988, with Winger
• Joan Sebastian – June 22, 2003, June 20, 2004, with Marc Anthony and September 5, 2010
• Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band – March 29, 2013, with Joe Walsh
• Ed Sheeran – July 29, 2017
• Blake Shelton – November 11, 2005, with The Rascal Flatts and Keith Anderson and September 19, 2014, with Neal McCoy, The Band Perry and Dan + Shay
• Paul Simon – January 2, 1991
• Frank Sinatra – April 4, 1986
• Slayer – August 8, 1988, with Danzig
• Slipknot – September 26, 2001, with System of a Down, No One, American Head Charge and Rammstein and April 16, 2005, with Lamb of God and Shadows Fall
• Michael W. Smith – May 21, 2003, with Third Day
• Britney Spears – May 29, 2002, with Nikka Costa and 3rd Faze, April 9, 2009, with The Pussycat Dolls and June 29, 2011, with Nicki Minaj, Jessie & The Toy Boys and NERVO
• Spice Girls – August 8, 1998
• Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band – October 17 and 19, 1984, May 5–6, 1988, October 13, 1992 (without The E Street Band), April 4, 2000 and August 21, 2002
• Stellar Kart – May 3, 2008
• Rod Stewart – July 8, 1984, December 10, 1991 and December 15, 1993
• Stone Temple Pilots – November 17, 2001
• George Strait & The Ace in the Hole Band – April 13, 1996, January 27, 2007, with Ronnie Milsap and Taylor Swift, March 27, 2010, with Reba McEntire and Lee Ann Womack and April 12, 2014, with Chris Young
• Johann Strauss Orchestra – June 13, 2009
• Los Super Reyes – March 21, 2010
• Taylor Swift – September 7, 2011, with NEEDTOBREATHE and Josh Kelley and August 31, 2013, with Ed Sheeran and Casey James
• Roberto Tapia – September 3, 2011, with El Komander and Los Acosta
• Los Temerarios – May 21, 2011
• Three Dog Night – June 30, 1993
• Los Tigres del Norte – August 25, 2002, August 30, 2008, with Lupillo Rivera, August 15, 2009 and August 13, 2011, with Grupo Montéz de Durango and Larry Hernandez
• Justin Timberlake – June 8, 2003, with Christina Aguilera and The Black Eyed Peas and September 8, 2007, with Good Charlotte and Timbaland
• Tool – November 8, 2001, with Tricky
• The Marshall Tucker Band – May 7, 2004
• Tina Turner – September 29, 1984, September 29, 1985, with John Parr, October 4, 1987 and May 12, 2000, with Lionel Richie and Janice Robinson
• Conway Twitty – April 7, 1992, with George Jones and Vince Gill
• U2 – April 20–21, 1992, with The Pixies and April 12, 2001, with PJ Harvey
• The Up in Smoke Tour – August 15, 2000
• Keith Urban – September 12, 2009, with Little Big Town
• Van Halen – November 14, 1991, with Alice in Chains, January 22, 1992, with Alice in Chains and May 5, 2012, with Kool & the Gang
• Vans Warped Tour – July 11, 1996
• Roger Waters & The Bleeding Heart Band – December 11, 2010
• The Whiteout 9 Music Festival – November 19, 2011
• The Who – August 16, 1989 and October 14, 1996, with Hovercraft
• The Wiggles – April 8, 2004 (2 shows), April 26, 2005 (2 shows), April 14–15, 2006 (4 shows) and March 21, 2008 (2 shows)
• The Winter Jam Tour Spectacular – November 12, 2011 and November 15, 2014
• Xzibit – September 18, 2004
• ZZ Top – July 25–26, 1986, with The Unforgiven, November 18, 1990, with The Jeff Healey Band and November 24, 1999, with Lynyrd Skynyrd and The Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies

External links

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