Toledo Sports Arena
Encyclopedia
The Toledo Sports Arena was a 5,230-seat multi-purpose arena
, at 1 Main Street, Toledo, Ohio
. It was built in 1947 and razed in 2007.
As a concert
venue, it seated 6,500, for theater concerts and stage shows, 4,400 and for boxing
and wrestling
, 8,250; also, the arena was 33-2/3 feet tall. Attached to the arena was an exhibit hall that accommodated 30000 square feet (2,787.1 m²) of space; when combined with the 20000 square feet (1,858.1 m²) of arena floor space, a total of 50000 square feet (4,645.2 m²) of exhibit and trade show space. The exhibit hall accommodated up to 2,500, for concerts and meetings and 1,800, for banquets. In addition, there were three meeting rooms, totaling 5000 square feet (464.5 m²) of space.
The Sports Arena had been home to the following ice hockey teams:
The arena played host to the politically-motivated Vote for Change
Tour on October 2, 2004, featuring performances by Gob Roberts
, Death Cab for Cutie
and Pearl Jam
(with special guests Peter Frampton
, Pegi Young and Neil Young
).
It held its final event on April 28, 2007, an extreme toughman event, much like the UFC. The new arena, Huntington Center (see Lucas County Arena), was completed in October 2009, on the opposite side of the Maumee River
, placing it in the center of downtown Toledo. Demolition took place in August 2007.
Arena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
, at 1 Main Street, Toledo, Ohio
Toledo, Ohio
Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan...
. It was built in 1947 and razed in 2007.
As a 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...
venue, it seated 6,500, for theater concerts and stage shows, 4,400 and for boxing
Boxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
and wrestling
Wrestling
Wrestling is a form of grappling type techniques such as clinch fighting, throws and takedowns, joint locks, pins and other grappling holds. A wrestling bout is a physical competition, between two competitors or sparring partners, who attempt to gain and maintain a superior position...
, 8,250; also, the arena was 33-2/3 feet tall. Attached to the arena was an exhibit hall that accommodated 30000 square feet (2,787.1 m²) of space; when combined with the 20000 square feet (1,858.1 m²) of arena floor space, a total of 50000 square feet (4,645.2 m²) of exhibit and trade show space. The exhibit hall accommodated up to 2,500, for concerts and meetings and 1,800, for banquets. In addition, there were three meeting rooms, totaling 5000 square feet (464.5 m²) of space.
The Sports Arena had been home to the following ice hockey teams:
- Toledo MercurysToledo MercurysThe Toledo Mercurys are a defunct International Hockey League franchise from Toledo, Ohio. The Toledo Franchise was the first IHL franchise to be granted outside of the Windsor-Detroit area, for the cost of $1000.00 to Virgil Gladeaux of Toledo. The Mercurys existed 15 seasons in total from 1947 to...
(1947–1962) - Toledo BladesToledo BladesThe Toledo Blades were the International Hockey League franchise of Toledo, Ohio from 1963 to 1970. The team name was changed to Hornets in 1970. The storied franchise left Toledo after the 1974–75 season for Lansing, Michigan, where they became the Lansing Lancers. The Blades were the Regular...
(1963–1970) - Toledo Hornets (1970–1974)
- Toledo GoaldiggersToledo GoaldiggersThe Toledo Goaldiggers was an International Hockey League franchise that played in Toledo, Ohio from 1974 to 1986. Prior to the Goaldiggers, the city's hockey team was the Toledo Blades, which played under that name from its founding in 1963 until 1970, when it changed its name to the Toledo...
(1974–1986) - Toledo StormToledo StormThe Toledo Storm was a minor league professional ice hockey team in the ECHL from 1991 to 2007. The Storm played their home games at the venerable Toledo Sports Arena along the southern banks of the Maumee River in Toledo, Ohio. The team colors were red and white, similar to the Detroit Red Wings,...
(1991–2007)
The arena played host to the politically-motivated Vote for Change
Vote for Change
The Vote for Change tour was a politically-motivated American popular music concert tour that took place in October 2004. The tour was presented by MoveOn.org to benefit America Coming Together. The tour was held in swing states and was designed to encourage people to register and vote...
Tour on October 2, 2004, featuring performances by Gob Roberts
Gob Roberts
Gob Roberts is Tim Robbins' punk rock cover band during the Vote for Change tour in 2004. After the announcement of the tour, Tim Robbins' band joined the bill with Pearl Jam and Death Cab for Cutie to trek across swing states. At each of these shows, a minor skit with the help of Eddie Vedder...
, Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie
Death Cab for Cutie is an American alternative rock band formed in Bellingham, Washington in 1997. The band consists of Ben Gibbard , Chris Walla , Nick Harmer and Jason McGerr ....
and Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam
Pearl Jam is an American rock band that formed in Seattle, Washington, in 1990. Since its inception, the band's line-up has included Eddie Vedder , Jeff Ament , Stone Gossard , and Mike McCready...
(with special guests Peter Frampton
Peter Frampton
Peter Kenneth Frampton is an English musician, singer, producer, guitarist and multi-instrumentalist. He was previously associated with the bands Humble Pie and The Herd. Frampton's international breakthrough album was his live release, Frampton Comes Alive!. The album sold over 6 million copies...
, Pegi Young and Neil Young
Neil Young
Neil Percival Young, OC, OM is a Canadian singer-songwriter who is widely regarded as one of the most influential musicians of his generation...
).
It held its final event on April 28, 2007, an extreme toughman event, much like the UFC. The new arena, Huntington Center (see Lucas County Arena), was completed in October 2009, on the opposite side of the Maumee River
Maumee River
The Maumee River is a river in northwestern Ohio and northeastern Indiana in the United States. It is formed at Fort Wayne, Indiana by the confluence of the St. Joseph and St. Marys rivers, and meanders northeastwardly for through an agricultural region of glacial moraines before flowing into the...
, placing it in the center of downtown Toledo. Demolition took place in August 2007.