Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse
Encyclopedia
The Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse is a 8,500-seat (6,500 for basketball) multi-purpose arena
in Huntington, West Virginia
. It was built in 1950. Prior to the completion of the Huntington Civic Center (now known as Big Sandy Superstore Arena
) in 1976, it was the only large arena in the city.
The Fieldhouse was the home of the Marshall University
basketball teams until the completion of the Cam Henderson Center
in 1981. It also hosted the West Virginia public high school championships on a rotating basis with Charleston
and Morgantown
between 1962 and 1970, and the state Catholic
championships every year from 1950 until the public and Catholic leagues were merged in 1977.
The arena was home to the International Hockey League's short-lived Huntington Hornets
for the league's 1956–57 season, which was not successful, as the team went 26–30–4 for the season.
It was the home of all high schools in the city until 1990 and was the home of St. Joseph Catholic High School until 2011. It was the home of the Huntington Heroes
American Indoor Football League
team in 2005-06 before they moved to Big Sandy Superstore Arena. In addition, the venue also hosts several high school athletic events, including wrestling and basketball matches.
In the aftermath of the November 14, 1970 Marshall University air tragedy, which claimed the lives of 75 Marshall University football team members, coaches, support staff, boosters and Southern Airways flight crew, the Fieldhouse was the site of a community memorial service on Sunday evening, November 15, 1970 that attracted an estimated 7,000 mourners to the arena.
Since the completion of the two more modern facilities, the Fieldhouse had been the home of smaller concert events. The facility was built in an era when boxing
was more popular and thus was designed around that sport and remained an excellent venue for boxing and professional wrestling
.
After Marshall moved out, the Fieldhouse started to fall into a state of disrepair. As of 2011, the aging struture was in need of significant roof repairs and interior renovations and had become a financial burden for its owner/operator, the Greater Huntington Park and Recreation District, which operates the arena at a financial loss annually.
In April, 2011, the Greater Huntington Park and Recreation District board voted unanimously to transfer the Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse property to Marshall University, which will redevelop the site as part of a $30 million athletic facilities project approved by the Marshall University Board of Governors. The only condition of the transfer was that the area be known as the "Veterans Memorial" area.
The Huntington Herald-Dispatch reported April 29, 2011 that Marshall University will spend $5.4 million on the Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse phase of the facilities project, which will include demolition of the 61-year old venue and construction of a new soccer stadium complex and veteran's memorial park on the site. To allow for the project, the university agreed to allow St. Joseph Catholic High School to move their home games to the Henderson Center.
After discussions with the park board, it was decided that the final event at the Fieldhouse would be held on February 29, 2012, after which contractors will begin demolition of the building.
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...
in Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington, West Virginia
Huntington is a city in Cabell and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of West Virginia, along the Ohio River. Most of the city is in Cabell County, for which it is the county seat. A small portion of the city, mainly the neighborhood of Westmoreland, is in Wayne County. Its population was 49,138 at...
. It was built in 1950. Prior to the completion of the Huntington Civic Center (now known as Big Sandy Superstore Arena
Big Sandy Superstore Arena
The Big Sandy Superstore Arena, originally known as the Huntington Civic Center and later as the Huntington Civic Arena, is a municipal complex located in the downtown area of Huntington, West Virginia one block west of Pullman Square. The Big Sandy Superstore Arena consists of a 9,000-seat...
) in 1976, it was the only large arena in the city.
The Fieldhouse was the home of the Marshall University
Marshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....
basketball teams until the completion of the Cam Henderson Center
Cam Henderson Center
The Cam Henderson Center is the primary indoor athletics complex at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, USA. The first basketball game played in the facility was a varsity match between Marshall and Army on November 27, 1981...
in 1981. It also hosted the West Virginia public high school championships on a rotating basis with Charleston
Charleston, West Virginia
Charleston is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of West Virginia. It is located at the confluence of the Elk and Kanawha Rivers in Kanawha County. As of the 2010 census, it has a population of 51,400, and its metropolitan area 304,214. It is the county seat of Kanawha County.Early...
and Morgantown
Morgantown, West Virginia
Morgantown is a city in Monongalia County, West Virginia. It is the county seat of Monongalia County. Placed along the banks of the Monongahela River, Morgantown is the largest city in North-Central West Virginia, and the base of the Morgantown metropolitan area...
between 1962 and 1970, and the state Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
championships every year from 1950 until the public and Catholic leagues were merged in 1977.
The arena was home to the International Hockey League's short-lived Huntington Hornets
Huntington Hornets
The Huntington Hornets were a professional ice hockey team that played in Huntington, West Virginia as a member of the International Hockey League during the 1956–57 season. The team was relocated to Huntington from Grand Rapids, Michigan where they played as the Grand Rapids Rockets. The...
for the league's 1956–57 season, which was not successful, as the team went 26–30–4 for the season.
It was the home of all high schools in the city until 1990 and was the home of St. Joseph Catholic High School until 2011. It was the home of the Huntington Heroes
Huntington Heroes
The Huntington Heroes were a professional indoor football franchise and member of the American Indoor Football Association. The Heroes played their home games during their inaugural 2006 season at the Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse in Huntington, West Virginia before moving to the larger Big Sandy...
American Indoor Football League
American Indoor Football League
American Indoor Football is a professional indoor football league that has gone through various incarnations since 2005.The AIFL began as a regional league with six franchises on the East Coast of the United States in 2005; after a rapid, and largely failed, expansion effort in 2006, most of the...
team in 2005-06 before they moved to Big Sandy Superstore Arena. In addition, the venue also hosts several high school athletic events, including wrestling and basketball matches.
In the aftermath of the November 14, 1970 Marshall University air tragedy, which claimed the lives of 75 Marshall University football team members, coaches, support staff, boosters and Southern Airways flight crew, the Fieldhouse was the site of a community memorial service on Sunday evening, November 15, 1970 that attracted an estimated 7,000 mourners to the arena.
Since the completion of the two more modern facilities, the Fieldhouse had been the home of smaller concert events. The facility was built in an era when 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...
was more popular and thus was designed around that sport and remained an excellent venue for boxing and professional wrestling
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
.
After Marshall moved out, the Fieldhouse started to fall into a state of disrepair. As of 2011, the aging struture was in need of significant roof repairs and interior renovations and had become a financial burden for its owner/operator, the Greater Huntington Park and Recreation District, which operates the arena at a financial loss annually.
In April, 2011, the Greater Huntington Park and Recreation District board voted unanimously to transfer the Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse property to Marshall University, which will redevelop the site as part of a $30 million athletic facilities project approved by the Marshall University Board of Governors. The only condition of the transfer was that the area be known as the "Veterans Memorial" area.
The Huntington Herald-Dispatch reported April 29, 2011 that Marshall University will spend $5.4 million on the Veterans Memorial Fieldhouse phase of the facilities project, which will include demolition of the 61-year old venue and construction of a new soccer stadium complex and veteran's memorial park on the site. To allow for the project, the university agreed to allow St. Joseph Catholic High School to move their home games to the Henderson Center.
After discussions with the park board, it was decided that the final event at the Fieldhouse would be held on February 29, 2012, after which contractors will begin demolition of the building.