Carolina Coliseum
Encyclopedia
The Carolina Coliseum is a 12,401 seat multi-purpose arena
(for hockey, 6,231 seats as end seats are not used and seats are removed for the hockey surface) in Columbia, South Carolina
. It was the home of the University of South Carolina
men's and women's basketball
teams and Columbia's main events venue until 2002, when the Colonial Center, now Colonial Life Arena, opened. It was home to the Columbia Inferno
of the ECHL
until poor ticket sales caused the Inferno to leave the Coliseum.
The facility is also home to classrooms at the university, with active classrooms used in the lower levels, and high school commencement ceremonies in the metropolitan region, as many school venues are too small for such ceremonies.
The arena, opened in 1968, was not designed for hockey, but as a result, the small rink (about 175 feet by 75 feet, 25 feet shorter and 10 feet narrower than regulation) has created an atmosphere which many ECHL coaches have called the toughest rink in the ECHL.
Prior to the building of the Coliseum, the Gamecocks had played in Carolina Fieldhouse
from 1927 until it burned in 1968, and the Carolina Gymnasium (now a theater) prior to that.
The Coliseum was the host of the NCAA
Basketball Tournament East Regional in 1970. Until 2002, when Greenville's Bi-Lo Center
was a host, it was the only time the tournament was played in South Carolina. The Metro Conference
men's basketball tournament was held here in 1989.
In 1977, the Arena of the Carolina Coliseum was named "The Frank McGuire Arena" in honor of the University of South Carolina Head Basketball Coach, Frank J. McGuire
after his induction in the Basketball Hall of Fame.
The coliseum has hosted concerts by such artists as Rod Stewart
, Van Halen
, Bon Jovi
, Def Leppard
, Metallica
, and many others over the years of its operation.
With the exit of Inferno hockey the Coliseum now returns to serve the community and hosts various events. Recently (2009–2010) the Coliseum has been used as a tour rehearsal space for acts such as Elton John, John Mayer and Billy Joel. Because of the buildings many positive technical attributes it has become a desirable venue for tour rehearsals.
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...
(for hockey, 6,231 seats as end seats are not used and seats are removed for the hockey surface) in Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
. It was the home of the University of South Carolina
University of South Carolina
The University of South Carolina is a public, co-educational research university located in Columbia, South Carolina, United States, with 7 surrounding satellite campuses. Its historic campus covers over in downtown Columbia not far from the South Carolina State House...
men's and women's basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
teams and Columbia's main events venue until 2002, when the Colonial Center, now Colonial Life Arena, opened. It was home to the Columbia Inferno
Columbia Inferno
The Columbia Inferno are an ECHL team based in Columbia, South Carolina. The team is currently on voluntary suspension awaiting construction of a new arena in suburban Lexington County. They played their home games at the Carolina Coliseum. They planned on playing in a new arena during the...
of the ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
until poor ticket sales caused the Inferno to leave the Coliseum.
The facility is also home to classrooms at the university, with active classrooms used in the lower levels, and high school commencement ceremonies in the metropolitan region, as many school venues are too small for such ceremonies.
The arena, opened in 1968, was not designed for hockey, but as a result, the small rink (about 175 feet by 75 feet, 25 feet shorter and 10 feet narrower than regulation) has created an atmosphere which many ECHL coaches have called the toughest rink in the ECHL.
Prior to the building of the Coliseum, the Gamecocks had played in Carolina Fieldhouse
Carolina Fieldhouse
Carolina Fieldhouse was a 3,200 seat multi-purpose arena in Columbia, South Carolina. It opened in 1927. It was home to the University of South Carolina Gamecocks basketball teams until the Carolina Coliseum opened in 1968....
from 1927 until it burned in 1968, and the Carolina Gymnasium (now a theater) prior to that.
The Coliseum was the host of the NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
Basketball Tournament East Regional in 1970. Until 2002, when Greenville's Bi-Lo Center
Bi-Lo Center
The BI-LO Center is an arena located in downtown Greenville, South Carolina, that is used for concerts, football, and hockey. The arena is currently used by the Greenville Force of the Southern Indoor Football League and the Greenville Road Warriors of the ECHL.- History :The BI-LO Center was...
was a host, it was the only time the tournament was played in South Carolina. The Metro Conference
Metro Conference
The Metropolitan Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, popularly known as the Metro Conference, was an NCAA Division I athletics conference, so named because all of its charter members were in urban metropolitan areas in, or at least on the fringes of, the Southern United States...
men's basketball tournament was held here in 1989.
In 1977, the Arena of the Carolina Coliseum was named "The Frank McGuire Arena" in honor of the University of South Carolina Head Basketball Coach, Frank J. McGuire
Frank McGuire
Frank Joseph McGuire was an American athletic coach who gained his greatest renown in collegiate basketball....
after his induction in the Basketball Hall of Fame.
The coliseum has hosted concerts by such artists as Rod Stewart
Rod Stewart
Roderick David "Rod" Stewart, CBE is a British singer-songwriter and musician, born and raised in North London, England and currently residing in Epping. He is of Scottish and English ancestry....
, Van Halen
Van Halen
Van Halen is an American hard rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1972. The band has enjoyed success since the release of its debut album, Van Halen, . As of 2007 Van Halen has sold 80 million albums worldwide and has had the most #1 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart...
, Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi is an American rock band from Sayreville, New Jersey. Formed in 1983, Bon Jovi consists of lead singer and namesake Jon Bon Jovi , guitarist Richie Sambora, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, as well as current bassist Hugh McDonald...
, Def Leppard
Def Leppard
Def Leppard are an English rock band formed in 1977 in Sheffield as part of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal movement. Since 1992, the band have consisted of Joe Elliott , Rick Savage , Rick Allen , Phil Collen , and Vivian Campbell...
, Metallica
Metallica
Metallica is an American heavy metal band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1981 when James Hetfield responded to an advertisement that drummer Lars Ulrich had posted in a local newspaper. The current line-up features long-time lead guitarist Kirk Hammett and bassist Robert Trujillo ...
, and many others over the years of its operation.
With the exit of Inferno hockey the Coliseum now returns to serve the community and hosts various events. Recently (2009–2010) the Coliseum has been used as a tour rehearsal space for acts such as Elton John, John Mayer and Billy Joel. Because of the buildings many positive technical attributes it has become a desirable venue for tour rehearsals.