Allen County War Memorial Coliseum
| Memorial Coliseum, Fort Wayne Coliseum, The Jungle | |
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| Former names | War Memorial Coliseum |
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| Location | 4000 Parnell Avenue Fort Wayne, Indiana 46805 USA |
| Coordinates | Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. |
| Owner | Allen County |
| Operator | Allen County |
| Capacity | Ice hockey / Concert: 10,480 Basketball: 13,000 |
| Surface | 200x85 ft (hockey) |
| Construction | |
| Broke ground | January 24, 1950 |
| Opened | September 28, 1952 |
| Construction cost | 1952: $2,647,390 ($23.6 million in 2024 dollars[1]) 1989: $26 million 2002: $35 million 2013: $3.96 million |
| Architect | A.M. Strauss |
| General contractor | Hagerman Construction Corp. |
| Tenants | |
| Fort Wayne Komets (ECHL) (1952–present) Fort Wayne Pistons (NBA) (1952–1957) Fort Wayne Flames (AISA) (1986–1989) Indiana Kick (AISA) (1989–1990) Fort Wayne Fury (CBA) (1991–2001) IPFW Mastodons (NCAA) (2001–2013) Fort Wayne Freedom (NIFL / UIF / CIFL) (2003–2006, 2008–2009) Fort Wayne Fusion (AF2) (2007) Fort Wayne Mad Ants (NBA D-League) (2007–present) Fort Wayne Firehawks (CIFL) (2010) |
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Allen County War Memorial Coliseum is a 13,000-seat multi-purpose arena located in Fort Wayne, Indiana, near present-day Johnny Appleseed Park. It opened in 1952 with a construction cost of nearly $3 million. The Allen County War Memorial Coliseum was originally designed to seat 8,103 for hockey or 10,240 for basketball. Opened in 1989, the Coliseum's $26 million Exposition Center contains 108,000-ft² (0.100-km²) devoted to hosting substantial trade shows and other events with seating for 7,500.
In 2002, an extensive $35 million renovation and expansion raised the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum's roof by 41 feet (12 m), thus increasing the arena's seating capacity to 10,500 for hockey or music concerts and 13,000 for basketball. The structure was designed by A.M. Strauss Architects.
Contents
Sports
The Allen County War Memorial Coliseum is the current home of:
- the Fort Wayne Komets of the ECHL ice hockey league,
- the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA Development League, and
- the Fort Wayne Derby Girls of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association Division 2.
Major events
In basketball, Allen County War Memorial Coliseum has hosted the 1955 and 1956 NBA Finals, the 1953 NBA All-Star Game, and the 2014 and 2015 NBA D-League Finals.[2] Memorial Coliseum has also hosted several NCAA events, including the 2000, 2001, and 2002 Mid-Continent Conference Men's Basketball Tournaments and the 1988, 1994, and 2000 NCAA Final Four Men's Division I Volleyball Championships. Most recently, the University of Notre Dame hosted the 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey Tournament Midwest Regional at Memorial Coliseum.[3] It also hosted several live events by World Wrestling Entertainment as well as the sectional, regional and semistate championships of the IHSAA Boys basketball tournament during the one-class era.
Related facilities
The Allen County War Memorial Coliseum complex includes the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Exposition Center and Holiday Inn, managed in cooperation with IPFW.
Exposition Center
Within the same complex as the arena, the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Exposition Center contains 108,000-ft² (0.100-km²) devoted to hosting substantial trade shows, banquets, graduation ceremonies, concerts, truck and tractor pulls, and wrestling matches, with the capability of seating 7,500 guests.[4] When no events are scheduled for the arena, the Exposition Center's capacity can extend to a total of 175,000-ft² (0.162-km²). The Exposition Center was added in the $26 million renovation and expansion of the complex, completed in 1989.
Grounds
The grounds immediately surrounding the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum display the anchor from World War II's USS Indiana battleship. South and east of the central complex is an expansive parking lot, containing 4,500 available parking spaces.[5] To the south and west along the St. Joseph River, lies Johnny Appleseed Park, containing the gravesite of American folklore figure John Chapman. To the north and northeast is the IPFW campus, especially the portion of the IPFW campus located on the western bank of the St. Joseph, on which a 151-room Holiday Inn is located.[6]
Recent construction
In 2013, a $3.96 million renovation and expansion of the 200 Level was completed. The project included upgraded restrooms with LED lighting, no-touch sinks, no-touch toilets, and no-touch urinals, and the addition of two food courts with three new vendors. Other restrooms throughout the Memorial Coliseum were upgraded in 2014.[7] The ribbon cutting ceremony was October 11, 2013.
Other Events
The Rumble in Fort Wayne
The Rumble in Fort Wayne is an indoor midget car racing event held every year, on a 1/6th mile flat oval in the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Exposition Center, since its inception in 1998. Taking place at the end of the year, and after most major racing series seasons have ended, has allowed drivers from major racing series to participate: Dave Darland, Tracy Hines, J. J. Yeley, Bryan Clauson, Sammy Swindell; with NASCAR, USAC, and IndyCar champion Tony Stewart having the most feature wins at 9. [8]
References
- ↑ 1634 to 1699: Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. 1700-1799: Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found. 1800–present: Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ NBA All-Star Games - Names and Numbers. Basketball Digest, (March, 2002). Retrieved on May 16, 2008.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Who We Are. Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. Retrieved on July 24, 2008.
- ↑ Our Facility - Parking. Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. Retrieved on July 24, 2008.
- ↑ Glenn, Jenni, (July 21, 2008).A fresh image for Holiday Inn; City hotel first in state with new logo, amenities. The Journal Gazette. Retrieved on July 25, 2008.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
- ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. |
- Official site
- Visit Fort Wayne
- Timeline: Important Precedents in Stadium Design by Columbia University
- IPFW Mastodons - Allen County War Memorial Coliseum
| Events and tenants | ||
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| Preceded by | Home of the Fort Wayne Pistons 1952 – 1957 |
Succeeded by Olympia Coliseum |
| Preceded by | Host of the NBA All-Star Game 1953 |
Succeeded by Madison Square Garden |
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City of Fort Wayne
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- Commons category link is defined as the pagename
- College basketball venues in the United States
- Indoor ice hockey venues in the United States
- Indoor soccer venues in the United States
- Basketball venues in Indiana
- Arena football venues
- Convention centers in Indiana
- Defunct National Basketball Association venues
- NBA Development League arenas
- Fort Wayne Mad Ants
- IPFW Mastodons men's basketball
- Sports venues in Fort Wayne, Indiana
- College ice hockey venues in the United States
- Buildings and structures completed in 1952
- 1952 establishments in Indiana
