Charlotte Coliseum
Encyclopedia
The Charlotte Coliseum was a multi-purpose sports and entertainment arena in Charlotte, North Carolina
. It was operated by the Charlotte Coliseum Authority, which also oversees the operation of Bojangles' Coliseum, the Charlotte Convention Center
, and Ovens Auditorium
. It is best known as the home of the NBA's Charlotte Hornets
from 1988–2002, and the Charlotte Bobcats
from 2004–2005.
The Coliseum hosted 364 consecutive NBA sell-outs from December 1988 to November 1997. It hosted its final NBA basketball
game on October 26, 2005, a preseason game between the Charlotte Bobcats
and the Indiana Pacers
.
The city of Charlotte sold the property, and the building was demolished via implosion on June 3, 2007. A mixed-use development was planned for the space, but construction has yet to begin due to the economic downturn.
Construction on the Charlotte Coliseum began in 1986 and was opened on August 11, 1988 with a dedication by the Rev. Billy Graham
. At the time the venue was seen as state-of-the-art, complete with luxury boxes and a large eight-sided video scoreboard. George Shinn
had used the under-construction arena as his hole card to get the NBA to place a team in the city. With almost 24,000 seats, it was not only the largest venue in the league, but the largest basketball-specific arena ever to serve as a full-time home for an NBA team. Some thought the Coliseum was too big, but Shinn believed the area's longstanding support for college basketball
made the Coliseum a more-than-viable home for an NBA team.
The day after the dedication, the United States Olympic basketball team was scheduled to play an exhibition game at the Coliseum. While preparing for the event, the multi-million dollar scoreboard was being repositioned when it struck the ceiling and crashed to the floor, destroying both it and the basketball court it landed on (an alternate floor was brought from Independence Arena in time for the game that night).
The Hornets would go on to lead the NBA in attendance over the course of their first seven seasons playing in "The Hive." At one point, they sold out 364 consecutive games—the equivalent of almost nine consecutive seasons. However, poorly-received decisions made by Shinn, as well as anger over personal scandals involving him, caused fan support to dwindle, and by then the once-sparkling Coliseum was seen by many as outdated and no longer suitable to be the home of a major professional sports team. When the Hornets relocated to New Orleans, Louisiana
in 2002, the Hornets' attendance had dropped to last in the 29-team league. Ironically, one of the Coliseum's last functions before being shuttered was as a shelter for people fleeing New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina
in the fall of 2005.
The arena was also used for a variety of collegiate basketball events. The Coliseum hosted the 1994 Men's Final Four
and the 1996 Women's Final Four (both jointly hosted by Davidson College
and UNC Charlotte
), in addition to many NCAA Tournament
regionals, sub-regionals, eight ACC
men's basketball tournaments and the 1989 Sun Belt Conference
men’s basketball tournament.
It also hosted the 1991 NBA All-Star Game
. It was also the site of WWE
Unforgiven 1999 and Judgment Day 2003
.
The Coliseum was home to filming of the movie Eddie
in 1996.
This was actually the second building to use the name "Charlotte Coliseum"; Bojangles' Coliseum, located on Independence Boulevard, originally opened as the Coliseum, and it shared the same features as the "new" Coliseum, including its famous domed roof.
The Charlotte Sting
of the WNBA began play in the Coliseum upon their inception in 1997, but had moved to Time Warner Cable Arena in 2005. During most Sting games, the upper level and a portion of the lower level were curtained off, reducing capacity to around 10,000. However, during the Sting's unexpected run to the WNBA finals in 2001, they attracted the largest crowd in WNBA history to one playoff game.
The Charlotte 49ers
played in the Coliseum during their final days in the Sun Belt Conference
from 1988 through 1993. However, the 49ers' fan base is considerably smaller than those of the state's four ACC teams, and the Coliseum was also somewhat inconvenient to the school's mostly urban-commuter student body (UNCC is located on the other side of the city). As a result, 49ers games at the Coliseum were usually swallowed up by the environment. The Coliseum also played host to the 1989 Sun Belt Men's Basketball Tournament
, setting a record for attendance.
Two now-defunct Arena Football League teams played in the Coliseum - the Charlotte Rage
(1992–96) and the Carolina Cobras
(2003–04).
When the NBA returned to Charlotte in 2004 with the expansion Charlotte Bobcats
, they played their first season (2004-05) in the Coliseum as the new Time Warner Cable Arena was being built.
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
. It was operated by the Charlotte Coliseum Authority, which also oversees the operation of Bojangles' Coliseum, the Charlotte Convention Center
Charlotte Convention Center
The Charlotte Convention Center is a Convention Center located in Charlotte, North Carolina. It opened in 1995 and attracts more than half a million visitors each year. It was designed by Thompson, Ventulett, Stainback & Associates ....
, and Ovens Auditorium
Ovens Auditorium
Ovens Auditorium is an auditorium located adjacent to Bojangles' Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina. Opened in 1955, Ovens has a seating capacity of 2,455, and has hosted over 7,500 events...
. It is best known as the home of the NBA's Charlotte Hornets
Charlotte Hornets (NBA)
The Charlotte Hornets was a professional American basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They played in the Atlantic, Midwest, and Central divisions of the National Basketball Association. The Hornets began play during the 1988–89 NBA season as an expansion franchise, along with the...
from 1988–2002, and the Charlotte Bobcats
Charlotte Bobcats
The Charlotte Bobcats is a professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association. The Bobcats were established in 2004 as an expansion team, two seasons after Charlotte's previous NBA...
from 2004–2005.
The Coliseum hosted 364 consecutive NBA sell-outs from December 1988 to November 1997. It hosted its final NBA 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...
game on October 26, 2005, a preseason game between the Charlotte Bobcats
Charlotte Bobcats
The Charlotte Bobcats is a professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association. The Bobcats were established in 2004 as an expansion team, two seasons after Charlotte's previous NBA...
and the Indiana Pacers
Indiana Pacers
The Indiana Pacers are a professional basketball team based in Indianapolis, Indiana. They are members of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association...
.
The city of Charlotte sold the property, and the building was demolished via implosion on June 3, 2007. A mixed-use development was planned for the space, but construction has yet to begin due to the economic downturn.
History
Billy Graham
William Franklin "Billy" Graham, Jr. is an American evangelical Christian evangelist. As of April 25, 2010, when he met with Barack Obama, Graham has spent personal time with twelve United States Presidents dating back to Harry S. Truman, and is number seven on Gallup's list of admired people for...
. At the time the venue was seen as state-of-the-art, complete with luxury boxes and a large eight-sided video scoreboard. George Shinn
George Shinn
George Shinn is the former owner of the Charlotte/New Orleans Hornets as well the Charlotte Knights and Gastonia Rangers minor league baseball teams along with the Raleigh/Durham Skyhawks of the World League of American Football. He purchased the Hornets for $32,500,000 in 1987...
had used the under-construction arena as his hole card to get the NBA to place a team in the city. With almost 24,000 seats, it was not only the largest venue in the league, but the largest basketball-specific arena ever to serve as a full-time home for an NBA team. Some thought the Coliseum was too big, but Shinn believed the area's longstanding support for college basketball
College basketball
College basketball most often refers to the USA basketball competitive governance structure established by the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Basketball in the NCAA is divided into three divisions: Division I, Division II and Division III....
made the Coliseum a more-than-viable home for an NBA team.
The day after the dedication, the United States Olympic basketball team was scheduled to play an exhibition game at the Coliseum. While preparing for the event, the multi-million dollar scoreboard was being repositioned when it struck the ceiling and crashed to the floor, destroying both it and the basketball court it landed on (an alternate floor was brought from Independence Arena in time for the game that night).
The Hornets would go on to lead the NBA in attendance over the course of their first seven seasons playing in "The Hive." At one point, they sold out 364 consecutive games—the equivalent of almost nine consecutive seasons. However, poorly-received decisions made by Shinn, as well as anger over personal scandals involving him, caused fan support to dwindle, and by then the once-sparkling Coliseum was seen by many as outdated and no longer suitable to be the home of a major professional sports team. When the Hornets relocated to New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
in 2002, the Hornets' attendance had dropped to last in the 29-team league. Ironically, one of the Coliseum's last functions before being shuttered was as a shelter for people fleeing New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina of the 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was a powerful Atlantic hurricane. It is the costliest natural disaster, as well as one of the five deadliest hurricanes, in the history of the United States. Among recorded Atlantic hurricanes, it was the sixth strongest overall...
in the fall of 2005.
The arena was also used for a variety of collegiate basketball events. The Coliseum hosted the 1994 Men's Final Four
Final four
Final Four isa sports term that is commonly applied to the last four teams remaining in a playoff tournament, most notably NCAA Division I college basketball tournaments. The term usually refers to the four teams who compete in the two games of a single-elimination tournament's semi-final round...
and the 1996 Women's Final Four (both jointly hosted by Davidson College
Davidson College
Davidson College is a private liberal arts college in Davidson, North Carolina. The college has graduated 23 Rhodes Scholars and is consistently ranked in the top ten liberal arts colleges in the country by U.S. News and World Report magazine, although it has recently dropped to 11th in U.S. News...
and UNC Charlotte
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
The University of North Carolina at Charlotte , also known as UNC Charlotte or simply Charlotte, is a public research university located in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States...
), in addition to many NCAA Tournament
NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship
The NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship is a single-elimination tournament held each spring in the United States, featuring 68 college basketball teams, to determine the national championship in the top tier of college basketball...
regionals, sub-regionals, eight ACC
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
men's basketball tournaments and the 1989 Sun Belt Conference
Sun Belt Conference
The Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...
men’s basketball tournament.
It also hosted the 1991 NBA All-Star Game
1991 NBA All-Star Game
The 1991 NBA All-Star Game was an exhibition basketball game between players selected from the National Basketball Association's Western Conference and the Eastern Conference that was played on February 10, 1991 at the Charlotte Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina, United States...
. It was also the site of WWE
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...
Unforgiven 1999 and Judgment Day 2003
Judgment Day (2003)
Judgment Day was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment that took place on May 18, 2003, at the Charlotte Coliseum in Charlotte, North Carolina...
.
The Coliseum was home to filming of the movie Eddie
Eddie (film)
Eddie is a 1996 comedy film starring Whoopi Goldberg and Frank Langella. It was a moderate success, grossing $31,387,164 in the US.The film was directed by Steve Rash.- Plot summary :...
in 1996.
This was actually the second building to use the name "Charlotte Coliseum"; Bojangles' Coliseum, located on Independence Boulevard, originally opened as the Coliseum, and it shared the same features as the "new" Coliseum, including its famous domed roof.
Tenants
Although the Hornets were the best-known tenants of the Coliseum, many other teams called The Hive home.The Charlotte Sting
Charlotte Sting
The Charlotte Sting was a Women's National Basketball Association franchise based in Charlotte, North Carolina and it was one of the league's eight original teams. The team folded on January 3, 2007....
of the WNBA began play in the Coliseum upon their inception in 1997, but had moved to Time Warner Cable Arena in 2005. During most Sting games, the upper level and a portion of the lower level were curtained off, reducing capacity to around 10,000. However, during the Sting's unexpected run to the WNBA finals in 2001, they attracted the largest crowd in WNBA history to one playoff game.
The Charlotte 49ers
Charlotte 49ers
The Charlotte 49ers represent the NCAA Division I sports teams of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Charlotte joined the Atlantic 10 in 2005. The 49ers field 16 teams, 8 men and 8 women....
played in the Coliseum during their final days in the Sun Belt Conference
Sun Belt Conference
The Sun Belt Conference is a college athletic conference that has been affiliated with the NCAA's Division I since 1976. Its football teams participate in the Division I Football Bowl Subdivision , the higher of two levels of Division I football competition . The Sun Belt has member institutions...
from 1988 through 1993. However, the 49ers' fan base is considerably smaller than those of the state's four ACC teams, and the Coliseum was also somewhat inconvenient to the school's mostly urban-commuter student body (UNCC is located on the other side of the city). As a result, 49ers games at the Coliseum were usually swallowed up by the environment. The Coliseum also played host to the 1989 Sun Belt Men's Basketball Tournament
Sun Belt Men's Basketball Tournament
The Sun Belt Conference Men's Basketball Tournament has been played every year since the formation of the Sun Belt Conference for the 1976–77 academic year...
, setting a record for attendance.
Two now-defunct Arena Football League teams played in the Coliseum - the Charlotte Rage
Charlotte Rage
The Charlotte Rage was a team in the Arena Football League.-History:They competed in the 1992-1996 seasons. They played their home games at the Charlotte Coliseum, then also home of the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association....
(1992–96) and the Carolina Cobras
Carolina Cobras
Not to be confused with the Los Angeles Cobras, who played in the 1988 AFL season.The Carolina Cobras were an expansion franchise in the Arena Football League...
(2003–04).
When the NBA returned to Charlotte in 2004 with the expansion Charlotte Bobcats
Charlotte Bobcats
The Charlotte Bobcats is a professional basketball team based in Charlotte, North Carolina. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association. The Bobcats were established in 2004 as an expansion team, two seasons after Charlotte's previous NBA...
, they played their first season (2004-05) in the Coliseum as the new Time Warner Cable Arena was being built.