Dow Event Center
Encyclopedia
The Dow Event Center is located in downtown
Saginaw, Michigan
. The center consists of three parts: Heritage Theater, a meeting facility formerly known as Unity Hall, and Wendler Arena, an ice rink. It also houses the OHL
junior ice hockey
team named Saginaw Spirit
. In 2008 served its first year as host to the Ultimate Indoor Football League
's Saginaw Sting
. The facility has housed a number of hockey teams in the past, such as the Saginaw LumberKings
, Saginaw Wheels
and both the IHL
and UHL
incarnations of the Saginaw Gears.
Wendler Arena has a capacity of 7,600 people for concert
s (without the ice), and 5,500 for hockey games. Heritage Theater has a capacity of 2,276 people.
Originally built in 1972 as part of an urban development program, the center is the only existing structure left. Most of the other buildings were razed in the 1980s due to many problems, including health risks and foreclosure
/bankruptcy
.
For a time in the 1990s, the facility nearly faced foreclosure
and bankruptcy
due to lack of funds provided by the city. The facility underwent a series of much-needed renovations in early 2000s, mainly in hopes for a better facility to host their newly-acquired hockey team. The naming rights of the facility were transferred in September 2004 to The Dow Chemical Company http://www.dow.com/dow_news/manufacturing/2004/20040915a.htm, headquartered in nearby Midland
. The center was used two times during the summer of 2004 as a center for Republican
political rallies in support for the re-election of U.S.
President
George W. Bush
.
Voters transferred the ownership from the City of Saginaw to Saginaw County on May 8, 2001. The city then closed the facility on June 30, 2001, and the county reopened it on July 1. The county then appointed SMG Worldwide to manage the facility, and started updating and renovating the building. The total cost of the renovations was tagged at $17 million, and they were completed in 2003.
Currently, the center houses the Spirit, and hosts many events, concerts, political rallies, and even graduations. Trade shows also take place here; the complex has 25000 square feet (2,322.6 m²) of space at Wendler Arena.
It hosted the third WWF
In Your House
pay-per-view on September 24, 1995
.
Jehovah's Witnesses
District Conventions are held annually at the Dow Event Center. Starting in mid-June, and ending in early July, 3 day conventions held on every weekend in that time will occur. The Jehovah's Witnesses first started using the building in 2005, after rumors of demolition for the Pontiac Silverdome
raised concern over where meetings would be held, as the Silverdome was the previous venue.
Central business district
A central business district is the commercial and often geographic heart of a city. In North America this part of a city is commonly referred to as "downtown" or "city center"...
Saginaw, Michigan
Saginaw, Michigan
Saginaw is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and the seat of Saginaw County. The city of Saginaw was once a thriving lumber town and manufacturing center. Saginaw and Saginaw County lie in the Flint/Tri-Cities region of Michigan...
. The center consists of three parts: Heritage Theater, a meeting facility formerly known as Unity Hall, and Wendler Arena, an ice rink. It also houses the OHL
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
junior ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team named Saginaw Spirit
Saginaw Spirit
The Saginaw Spirit is a major junior ice hockey team based in Saginaw, Michigan. They are members of the West Division of the Western Conference of the Ontario Hockey League , one of the Major Junior leagues of the Canadian Hockey League ....
. In 2008 served its first year as host to the Ultimate Indoor Football League
Ultimate Indoor Football League
The Ultimate Indoor Football League is a regional professional indoor football league that began its inaugural season on February 18, 2011.-History:...
's Saginaw Sting
Saginaw Sting
The Saginaw Sting are a team in the Continental Indoor Football League that began play as a 2008 expansion franchise in the Continental Indoor Football League and then moved to the Indoor Football League for the 2009 season and then suspended operations after the season...
. The facility has housed a number of hockey teams in the past, such as the Saginaw LumberKings
Saginaw Gears (UHL)
The Saginaw Gears were a minor-league ice hockey franchise that played in the United Hockey League . The Gears existed one season and part of another, from 1998 to December 19, 1999. On December 20, 1999, the team left Saginaw, Michigan in the middle of the night and moved to Massillon, Ohio to...
, Saginaw Wheels
Saginaw Gears (UHL)
The Saginaw Gears were a minor-league ice hockey franchise that played in the United Hockey League . The Gears existed one season and part of another, from 1998 to December 19, 1999. On December 20, 1999, the team left Saginaw, Michigan in the middle of the night and moved to Massillon, Ohio to...
and both the IHL
Saginaw Gears (IHL)
The Saginaw Gears were a minor-league ice hockey franchise that played in the defunct International Hockey League . The Gears existed from 1972 to 1983...
and UHL
Saginaw Gears (UHL)
The Saginaw Gears were a minor-league ice hockey franchise that played in the United Hockey League . The Gears existed one season and part of another, from 1998 to December 19, 1999. On December 20, 1999, the team left Saginaw, Michigan in the middle of the night and moved to Massillon, Ohio to...
incarnations of the Saginaw Gears.
Wendler Arena has a capacity of 7,600 people for concert
Concert
A concert is a live performance before an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, a choir, or a musical band...
s (without the ice), and 5,500 for hockey games. Heritage Theater has a capacity of 2,276 people.
Originally built in 1972 as part of an urban development program, the center is the only existing structure left. Most of the other buildings were razed in the 1980s due to many problems, including health risks and foreclosure
Foreclosure
Foreclosure is the legal process by which a mortgage lender , or other lien holder, obtains a termination of a mortgage borrower 's equitable right of redemption, either by court order or by operation of law...
/bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
.
For a time in the 1990s, the facility nearly faced foreclosure
Foreclosure
Foreclosure is the legal process by which a mortgage lender , or other lien holder, obtains a termination of a mortgage borrower 's equitable right of redemption, either by court order or by operation of law...
and bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
due to lack of funds provided by the city. The facility underwent a series of much-needed renovations in early 2000s, mainly in hopes for a better facility to host their newly-acquired hockey team. The naming rights of the facility were transferred in September 2004 to The Dow Chemical Company http://www.dow.com/dow_news/manufacturing/2004/20040915a.htm, headquartered in nearby Midland
Midland, Michigan
Midland is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan in the Tri-Cities region of the state. It is the county seat of Midland County. The city's population was 41,863 as of the 2010 census. It is the principal city of the Midland Micropolitan Statistical Area....
. The center was used two times during the summer of 2004 as a center for Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
political rallies in support for the re-election of U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
.
Voters transferred the ownership from the City of Saginaw to Saginaw County on May 8, 2001. The city then closed the facility on June 30, 2001, and the county reopened it on July 1. The county then appointed SMG Worldwide to manage the facility, and started updating and renovating the building. The total cost of the renovations was tagged at $17 million, and they were completed in 2003.
Currently, the center houses the Spirit, and hosts many events, concerts, political rallies, and even graduations. Trade shows also take place here; the complex has 25000 square feet (2,322.6 m²) of space at Wendler Arena.
It hosted the third WWF
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
In Your House
In Your House
In Your House was a pay-per-view series created by the World Wrestling Federation . The original concept was that, in months when the WWF was not holding one of its major PPV events , they would offer a two-hour PPV, priced at $14.95...
pay-per-view on September 24, 1995
In Your House 3
In Your House 3 was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation , which took place on September 24, 1995 at the Saginaw Civic Center in Saginaw, Michigan...
.
Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses
Jehovah's Witnesses is a millenarian restorationist Christian denomination with nontrinitarian beliefs distinct from mainstream Christianity. The religion reports worldwide membership of over 7 million adherents involved in evangelism, convention attendance of over 12 million, and annual...
District Conventions are held annually at the Dow Event Center. Starting in mid-June, and ending in early July, 3 day conventions held on every weekend in that time will occur. The Jehovah's Witnesses first started using the building in 2005, after rumors of demolition for the Pontiac Silverdome
Pontiac Silverdome
The Silverdome is a domed stadium located in the city of Pontiac, Michigan, USA, which sits on . It was the largest stadium in the National Football League until FedEx Field in suburban Washington, D.C...
raised concern over where meetings would be held, as the Silverdome was the previous venue.