Birch Run Expo Center
Encyclopedia
The Birch Run Expo Center is a 2,500 seat multi-purpose arena
in Birch Run, Michigan
. Prior to 2002, it was the first NHL Skate center. Due to lack of interest, it was converted into its present form. It was also the home of the Great Lakes Storm
from 2002 to 2005.
It is now used for trade shows, conventions and other events, such as gun and knife shows and the annual music festival, Dirt Fest.
arenas on September 11, 1997 to help promote interest in skating and hockey. Built by SAI Structural, the original facility included two hockey rinks, eight themed locker rooms, family attractions, a food court, and a NHL FANtasy Zone. By mid-1998, the facility in Birch Run had seen nearly a quarter of a million people since the grand opening. However, by late 1999 the center and the whole "NHL Skate" concept was facing financial difficulties and closed in 2000.
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 Birch Run, Michigan
Birch Run, Michigan
Birch Run is a village in Saginaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 1,653 at the 2000 census. The 2009 Census Bureau estimate places the population at 1,642. The village is located within Birch Run Township....
. Prior to 2002, it was the first NHL Skate center. Due to lack of interest, it was converted into its present form. It was also the home of the Great Lakes Storm
Great Lakes Storm
The Great Lakes Storm was a basketball team that played in the Continental Basketball Association for three seasons, beginning in 2002 and ending in 2005. They were based in Birch Run, Michigan, a small town between Flint and Saginaw. The Storm played at the Birch Run Expo Center. The original...
from 2002 to 2005.
It is now used for trade shows, conventions and other events, such as gun and knife shows and the annual music festival, Dirt Fest.
History
Built in 1997, the NHL opened the first of 100 planned local hockeyHockey
Hockey is a family of sports in which two teams play against each other by trying to maneuver a ball or a puck into the opponent's goal using a hockey stick.-Etymology:...
arenas on September 11, 1997 to help promote interest in skating and hockey. Built by SAI Structural, the original facility included two hockey rinks, eight themed locker rooms, family attractions, a food court, and a NHL FANtasy Zone. By mid-1998, the facility in Birch Run had seen nearly a quarter of a million people since the grand opening. However, by late 1999 the center and the whole "NHL Skate" concept was facing financial difficulties and closed in 2000.