Greensboro Coliseum
Encyclopedia
The Greensboro Coliseum Complex is an entertainment complex located in College Hill
College Hill, Greensboro, North Carolina
College Hill is a neighborhood in the west central section of the United States city of Greensboro, North Carolina. College Hill has the distinction of being Greensboro’s first neighborhood. The narrow streets lined with Queen Anne mansions and humble bungalows are enhanced by offbeat boutiques and...

 neighborhood
Greensboro neighborhoods
The following is a list of neighborhoods, districts, and other places located in the city of Greensboro, North Carolina. The list is organized by broad geographical section within the city...

 of Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro, North Carolina
Greensboro is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the third-largest city by population in North Carolina and the largest city in Guilford County and the surrounding Piedmont Triad metropolitan region. According to the 2010 U.S...

. Opening in 1959, the arena was one of the largest venues in the South, with a seating capacity of over 7,000. The complex holds nine venues that includes an amphitheater, arena, aquatic center, banquet hall, convention center, museum, performing arts center, theatre and an indoor pavilion. It is presently the home of the UNC Greensboro Spartans
UNC Greensboro Spartans men's basketball
The UNCG Spartans men's basketball team represents the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in NCAA Division I. The school's team currently competes in the Southern Conference.-Program history:...

 men's basketball team, as well as the 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
ACC Men's Basketball Tournament
The ACC Men's Basketball Tournament is the conference championship tournament in basketball for the Atlantic Coast Conference . The tournament has been held every year since 1954, one year after the conference's creation. It is a single-elimination tournament and seeding is based on regular season...

 and Women's
ACC Women's Basketball Tournament
The ACC Women's Basketball Tournament is the conference championship tournament in basketball for the Atlantic Coast Conference . The tournament has been held every year since 1978, several years before the first NCAA championships for women. It is a single-elimination tournament and seeding is...

 Basketball Tournament.

It has hosted the Men's ACC Tournament 23 times since 1967 and the Women's ACC Tournament 12 times since 2000. The coliseum is contracted to host both tournaments until 2015. Other notable sporting events include the NCAA Men's Final Four
1974 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1974 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 25 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It was the first tournament to officially be designated as a Division I championship—previously, NCAA member...

 in 1974 and the East Regionals in 1976, 1979 and 1998. It is also the former home of several EHL hockey teams including the Greensboro Generals, Greensboro Monarchs
Greensboro Monarchs
The Greensboro Monarchs were a professional ice hockey team based in Greensboro, NC. The Monarchs joined the East Coast Hockey League as an expansion franchise prior to the start of the 1989-90 season and surrendered the franchise to the league when the Monarchs joined the AHL at the conclusion of...

 and the Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...

.

The complex has hosted the "Central Carolina Fair" since 1999. It is the largest arena in the The South
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...

. For the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

, it is tied for second with the United Center
United Center
The United Center is an indoor sports arena located in Chicago. It is named after its corporate sponsor, United Airlines. The United Center is home to both the Chicago Bulls of the National Basketball Association and the Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League...

.

History

The complex was first proposed in 1944 by the city's mayor. The idea was to create a war memorial
War memorial
A war memorial is a building, monument, statue or other edifice to celebrate a war or victory, or to commemorate those who died or were injured in war.-Historic usage:...

 to honor veterans of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...

 and World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. The building was approved by city officials in 1956, followed by a groundbreaking in January 1958. With its opening in 1959, the complex held four venues: War Memorial Auditorium, Town Hall Auditorium, The Blue Room and the Greensboro Memorial Coliseum. The complex opened on October 29, 1959 for historic show, "Holiday on Ice
Holiday on Ice
Holiday on Ice is an ice show currently produced by Joop van den Ende's Stage Entertainment Group with its headquarters in Amsterdam, Netherlands...

". Shortly after its opening, the coliseum began to scout for a hockey team. Partnering with the EHL
Eastern Hockey League
-Eastern Amateur Hockey League :The league was founded in 1933 as the Eastern Amateur Hockey League . The league was founded by Thomas Lockhart, who served as its commissioner from 1933 to 1972...

, the city formed the "Greensboro Generals". The teams first match was November 11, 1959 against the Washington Presidents. The Generals won the game 4-1. The Generals would go on the win the EHL Championships.

Over the years, the complex hosted several conventions, sporting and musical events. To meet demands, the coliseum expands its seating to 15,000 in 1972. Six years later, the complex expanded to include an exhibition center, known at the time as the Greensboro Coliseum Complex Exhibition Building (shortened to Exhibition Building). The building's first event was "Super Flea", an flea market
Flea market
A flea market or swap meet is a type of bazaar where inexpensive or secondhand goods are sold or bartered. It may be indoors, such as in a warehouse or school gymnasium; or it may be outdoors, such as in a field or under a tent...

 for the Triad area
Piedmont Triad
The Piedmont Triad, or Triad, is a north-central region of the U.S. state of North Carolina that consists of the area within and surrounding the three major cities of Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and High Point. This close group or "triad" of cities lies in the Piedmont geographical region of the...

. In 1991, the coliseum's manager (Jim Evans) proposed an additional expansion of the complex. This expansion would raise the seating capacity of the coliseum an additional 8,000 (adding a third tier) to 23,000. It would also see The Blue Room demolished to make way for a small arena in the Exhibition Hall (now called the Special Events Center).

The venue reopened in December 28, 1993 for the "Reunion Classic, a men's basketball game against the UCLA Bruins
UCLA Bruins men's basketball
The UCLA Bruins men's basketball program, established in 1920, owns a record 11 Division I NCAA championships. UCLA teams coached by John Wooden won 10 national titles in 12 seasons from 1964 to 1975, including 7 straight from 1967 to 1973. UCLA went undefeated a record 4 times, in 1964, 1967,...

 and NC State Wolfpack
NC State Wolfpack men's basketball
The NC State Wolfpack men's basketball team represents North Carolina State University in NCAA Division I men's basketball competition. The Wolfpack currently competes in the Atlantic Coast Conference, of which it was a founding member....

. This game was met with controversy as the coliseum was not fully complete at the time of the game. City officials paid $200,000 to have firefighters on stand by during the game. The coliseum and the newly expanded exhibition hall did not meet state and city building codes nor fire regulations. Additionally, the coliseum did not hold the permits to host the event. This irrational decision resulted in city council firing both the coliseum manager and its contractors, Huber, Hunt and Nichols, Inc. (known for the Time Warner Cable Arena, BankAtlantic Center
BankAtlantic Center
The BankAtlantic Center is an indoor arena located in Sunrise, Florida, a suburb of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and adjacent to the popular Sawgrass Mills Mall.The arena features 70 suites & 2,623 club seats.The arena is directly accessible from the Sawgrass Expressway...

 and the Consol Energy Center). It was later determined it would take an additional ten months to have the complex comply with regulations. The city added in additional $20 million dollars to the budget to renovate the coliseum and the auditorium.

Additional expansions came in 2003 when the complex added the 30,000 sqft Pavilion (also called the GCC Pavilion). Two years later, the complex would renovated the old Town Hall Auditorium into the smaller Odeon Theatre. In 2011, the complex added three additional venues: the White Oak Amphitheatre, the Greensboro Aquatic Center and the ACC Hall of Champions. Since its opening, the complex has been visited by nearly 57 million people and hosts over 800 events per year.

Facilities

Seating Capacity
Greensboro Coliseum 23,500
War Memorial Auditorium 2,460
East Wing (S.E.C.) 5,100
Odeon Theatre 302
White Oak Amphitheatre 7,688
Greensboro Aquatic Center 2,500
The Terrace 800

Greensboro Coliseum
One of the original four buildings of the complex, the Coliseum (also called Coliseum Arena) is one of the oldest buildings on the property. Construction began on the venue in 1958 and was completed in September 1959. Known originally as the Greensboro Memorial Coliseum (until 1980), the arena hosted its first event on October 29, 1959. At the time, the coliseum held 7,100 seats, becoming one of the largest arenas on the East Coast. Less than one year after its opening, the coliseum was about to be visited by presidential nominee Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...

. Nixon obtained a knee injury while campaigning in Greensboro, causing him to stop his campaign tour. Although the tour continued in late August 1960, Nixon still suffered pain from the injury. In September, the first debate between John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....

 and Nixon aired on television, with Nixon appearing to look "sickly". Nixon lost the debate and would go on to lose the presidential race. Nixon later stated the knee injury at the coliseum resulted in him losing the race.

Through the years, the coliseum has hosted several sporting events, most notably basketball (see below). The coliseum has also hosted concerts for over 40 years. During the 1960s and 70s, the coliseum was frequented by rock and R&B performers. The first major concert held at the coliseum was by The Monkees
The Monkees
The Monkees are an American pop rock group. Assembled in Los Angeles in 1966 by Robert "Bob" Rafelson and Bert Schneider for the American television series The Monkees, which aired from 1966 to 1968, the musical acting quartet was composed of Americans Micky Dolenz, Michael Nesmith and Peter Tork,...

. The venue would go on to host concerts by Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses
Guns N' Roses is an American hard rock band, formed in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, in 1985. The band has released six studio albums, three EPs, and one live album...

, Cher
Cher
Cher is an American recording artist, television personality, actress, director, record producer and philanthropist. Referred to as the Goddess of Pop, she has won an Academy Award, a Grammy Award, an Emmy Award, three Golden Globes and a Cannes Film Festival Award among others for her work in...

, The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5
The Jackson 5 , later known as The Jacksons, were an American popular music family group from Gary, Indiana...

, Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...

, Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...

, Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin were an English rock band, active in the late 1960s and throughout the 1970s. Formed in 1968, they consisted of guitarist Jimmy Page, singer Robert Plant, bassist/keyboardist John Paul Jones, and drummer John Bonham...

, Kenny Rogers
Kenny Rogers
Kenneth Donald "Kenny" Rogers is an American singer-songwriter, photographer, record producer, actor, and entrepreneur...

, Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...

 and the E Street Band
E Street Band
The E Street Band has been rock musician Bruce Springsteen's primary backing band since 1972.The band has also recorded with a wide range of other artists including Bob Dylan, Meat Loaf, Bonnie Tyler, Air Supply, Dire Straits, David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, Stevie Nicks, Tom Morello, Sting, Ian...

, Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...

 and Tina Turner
Tina Turner
Tina Turner is an American singer and actress whose career has spanned more than 50 years. She has won numerous awards and her achievements in the rock music genre have led many to call her the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll".Turner started out her music career with husband Ike Turner as a member of the...

. Famed rock musician Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....

 played a concert at the coliseum on April 14, 1972. The footage for the concert was used for his final film Elvis on Tour
Elvis on Tour
Elvis on Tour is a Golden Globe Award-winning American musical documentary motion picture released by MGM in 1972. It was the thirty-third and final motion picture to star Elvis Presley before his death in 1977.-Background:...

and an audio album was also released, entitled Elvis Presley – The Greensboro Concert 1972. Presley played the coliseum again in 1977, one of the final venues of his tour before his death in August.

Hard rock
Hard rock
Hard rock is a loosely defined genre of rock music which has its earliest roots in mid-1960s garage rock, blues rock and psychedelic rock...

 band Kiss
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...

 has played ten performances at the coliseum. 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...

 has performed at the venue seven times while Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...

, Aerosmith
Aerosmith
Aerosmith is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "The Bad Boys from Boston" and "America's Greatest Rock and Roll Band". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based hard rock, has come to also incorporate elements of pop, heavy metal, and rhythm and blues, and has inspired many...

 and Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band have played six times at the arena. AC/DC
AC/DC
AC/DC are an Australian rock band, formed in 1973 by brothers Malcolm and Angus Young. Commonly classified as hard rock, they are considered pioneers of heavy metal, though they themselves have always classified their music as simply "rock and roll"...

 and Yes
Yes (band)
Yes are an English rock band who achieved worldwide success with their progressive, art, and symphonic style of rock music. Regarded as one of the pioneers of the progressive genre, Yes are known for their lengthy songs, mystical lyrics, elaborate album art, and live stage sets...

 have performed five times at the coliseum. The arena has also hosted WJMH
WJMH
WJMH is an Entercom-owned mainstream urban FM radio station serving the Piedmont Triad region. It broadcasts at 102.1 MHz with 100,000 watts of power and is licensed to serve Reidsville, North Carolina.-Early history :...

SuperJam
102 JAMZ SuperJam
102 JAMZ' SuperJam is an annual summer concert starring some of the hottest artists in hip hop, hosted by Urban Contemporary radio station WJMH /Greensboro, North Carolina. The show has been held at the 20,000+ seat Greensboro Coliseum each year...

 since 1997. The music festival has featured prominent artists in the hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...

 community including LL Cool J
LL Cool J
James Todd Smith , better known as LL Cool J , is an American rapper, entrepreneur, and actor...

, Soulja Boy
Soulja Boy
DeAndre Cortez Way , better known by his stage name Soulja Boy Tell 'Em, or simply Soulja Boy, is an American rapper, record producer, actor, entrepreneur, and internet personality....

, Ludacris
Ludacris
Christopher Brian Bridges , better known by his stage name Ludacris, is an American rapper and actor. Along with his manager, Chaka Zulu, Ludacris is the co-founder of Disturbing tha Peace, an imprint distributed by Def Jam Recordings...

, Ja Rule
Ja Rule
Jeffrey Atkins , better known by his stage name Ja Rule, is an American rapper, singer, and actor.Born in Hollis, Queens, he began his career in the group Cash Money Click and debuted in 1999 with Venni Vetti Vecci and its single "Holla Holla"...

, Plies
Plies (rapper)
Algernod Lanier Washington , better known by his stage name Plies, is an American rapper and founder of Big Gates Records. Born in Fort Myers, Florida, Washington was a wide receiver on the football team of Miami University in Ohio in 1996 and 1997 before he became a rapper. After dropping out of...

, Nas
Nas
Nasir bin Olu Dara Jones, who performs under the name Nas , formerly Nasty Nas, is an American rapper and actor. He is regarded as one of the most important figures in hip hop and one of the most skilled and influential rappers of all-time...

, Lil Jon & the East Side Boyz, Travis Porter
Travis Porter (group)
Travis Porter is an American hip hop act from Decatur, Georgia. Ali and Quez are step brothers; the two met Strap while attending the same middle school. The three grew up together and in 2006 began exploring music. The group’s biggest hits are "Go Shorty Go","Bananas" "Bring It Back" and "Make...

 and the Ying Yang Twins
Ying Yang Twins
The Ying Yang Twins is an Atlanta-based American crunk rap duo consisting of Kaine and D-Roc . The group debuted in 2000 and rose to mainstream popularity in 2003 collaborating with Lil Jon in his single "Get Low"...

. The coliseum was also the site of reality show American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...

Season 5
American Idol (season 5)
The fifth season of American Idol began on January 17, 2006 and concluded on May 24, 2006. Randy Jackson, Paula Abdul and Simon Cowell returned to judge, and Ryan Seacrest returned to host. It is the most successful season to date ratings-wise and also with 18 contestants getting record deals -...

 tryouts.

War Memorial Auditorium
One of the original four buildings of the complex, the War Memorial Auditorium is one of the oldest buildings on the property. Along with the original concept, the venue opened in 1959 to house performing arts events. Playing predominately to an African American
African American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...

 audience, the auditorium became a notable venue on the chitlin' circuit
Chitlin' circuit
The "Chitlin' Circuit" was the collective name given to the string of performance venues throughout the eastern and southern United States that were safe and acceptable for African-American musicians, comedians, and other entertainers to perform during the age of racial segregation in the United...

. James Brown
James Brown
James Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...

, Ray Charles
Ray Charles
Ray Charles Robinson , known by his shortened stage name Ray Charles, was an American musician. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records...

 and Aretha Franklin
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Although known for her soul recordings and referred to as The Queen of Soul, Franklin is also adept at jazz, blues, R&B, gospel music, and rock. Rolling Stone magazine ranked her atop its list of The Greatest Singers of All...

 were among the many performers who played the auditorium during the 60s. Its first popular concert was by the Rolling Stones during their 1965 Tour. Over the years, the venue has been primarily used for town meetings, theatrical events, religious meetings and concerts. 2008 presidential candidate Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...

 held a town hall meeting
Town hall meeting
A town hall meeting is an American English term given to an informal public meeting. Everybody in a town community is invited to attend, not always to voice their opinions, but to hear the responses from public figures and elected officials about shared subjects of interest. Attendees rarely voted...

 on March 26, 2008 to a full house. American
Americans
The people of the United States, also known as simply Americans or American people, are the inhabitants or citizens of the United States. The United States is a multi-ethnic nation, home to people of different ethnic and national backgrounds...

 vocalist Jill Scott
Jill Scott
Jill Scott is an American soul and R&B singer-songwriter, poet, and actress. In 2007, Scott made her cinematic debut in the films Hounddog and in Tyler Perry's feature film, Why Did I Get Married? That year, her third studio album, The Real Thing: Words and Sounds Vol. 3, was released on...

 has performed at the auditorium four times. Guilford County
Guilford County, North Carolina
Guilford County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. In 2010, the Census Bureau estimated the county's population to be 491,230. Its seat is Greensboro. Since 1938, an additional county court has been located in High Point, North Carolina, making Guilford one of only a handful...

 native Fantasia Barrino
Fantasia Barrino
Fantasia Monique Barrino commonly known as Fantasia, is an American R&B singer, Broadway and television actress who rose to fame as the winner of the third season of the reality television series American Idol in 2004. Following her victory, she released her debut single, "I Believe", which...

 gave her first concert performance in her home state in 2010 for her Back to Me Tour
Back to Me Tour
The Back to Me Tour is the first headlining concert tour by American recording artist, Fantasia Barrino. Primarily visiting North America, the tour will support her third studio album, Back to Me. Previously, Fantasia toured with Kanye West on his "Touch The Sky Tour" in 2005...

.

Greensboro Coliseum Special Events Center
Originally known as the Greensboro Coliseum Complex Exhibition Building, the exhibition center opened in 1978. Its purpose was to host business conferences and conventions. The venue was primarily used by "Super Flea", the flea market for the Triad area. In 1993, the center was expanded, converting the old Blue Room into a mid-sized arena
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...

 known as Hall C or the East Wing. In its current state, the center has three exhibition halls, an arena and nine meeting rooms. The arena is often used for musical performances during the Central Carolina Fair. It is also utilized by Greensboro College
Greensboro College
Greensboro College is a four-year, independent, coeducational liberal-arts college, also offering four master's degrees, located in Greensboro, North Carolina, and affiliated with the United Methodist Church. It was founded in 1838...

 men's and women's basketball home games. Other sporting events such as 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...

, 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...

 and UFC matches
Ultimate Fighting Championship
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is the largest mixed martial arts promotion company in the world that hosts most of the top-ranked fighters in the sport...

. The arena will often host concerts and comedy shows.

Odeon Theatre
Opening in 1958 as the Town Hall Auditorium, the Odeon Theatre is a small venue primarily used for community events. The original auditorium housed 1,000 seats. In 2004, the auditorium was converted to the smaller theatre and reopened in March 2005.

White Oak Amphitheatre
The newest contribution to the complex, the White Oak Amphitheatre is the first outdoor venue for the Triad area. The venue was originally proposed in 2007 along with the aquatic center. The city purchased the nearby Canada Dry
Canada Dry
Canada Dry is a brand of soft drinks owned since 2008 by the Texas-based Dr Pepper Snapple Group. For over a century Canada Dry has been known for its ginger ale, though the company also manufactures a number of other soft drinks and mixers...

 bottling plant to allow space for the amphitheatre. Construction began in 2010 and was completed in June 2011. The first concert for the venue was by the The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys
The Beach Boys are an American rock band, formed in 1961 in Hawthorne, California. The group was initially composed of brothers Brian, Dennis and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and friend Al Jardine. Managed by the Wilsons' father Murry, The Beach Boys signed to Capitol Records in 1962...

 on June 5, 2011 to a crowd of 4,000 spectators. The amphitheatre is expected to operate from April to October, hosting community, comedy and musical events. The project cost $946,000 to construct.

Pavilion
Known simply by one name (although acknowledged as Greensboro Coliseum Pavilion or Pavilion at the Coliseum), the Pavilion is a standalone exhibition hall adjacent to the Special Events Center. The 30,000 sq ft space is used monthly by the Super Flea Market. It also is used frequently by Guildford County Schools and the Central Carolina Fair. The pavilion opened in March 2003. The project was designed by Sutton-Kennerly Associates and cost $625,606.

Greensboro Aquatic Center
Another expansion project for the complex is the new aquatic center. The center will feature three main pools including a warm-up and training pool. The main pool will be used for events by nearby high schools and colleges and can hold eight 50-meter lanes. The facility will also have a classroom and a 24'×19' video screen. The venue will house events in competitive swimming
Swimming (sport)
Swimming is a sport governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation .-History: Competitive swimming in Europe began around 1800 BCE, mostly in the form of the freestyle. In 1873 Steve Bowyer introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native...

 and diving
Diving
Diving is the sport of jumping or falling into water from a platform or springboard, sometimes while performing acrobatics. Diving is an internationally-recognized sport that is part of the Olympic Games. In addition, unstructured and non-competitive diving is a recreational pastime.Diving is one...

, synchronized swimming
Synchronized swimming
Synchronized swImming is a hybrid form of swimming, dance and gymnastics, consisting of swimmers performing a synchronized routine of elaborate moves in the water, accompanied by music....

 and water polo
Water polo
Water polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...

. The project began in 2010 along with the amphitheatre and cost $18.8 million to build. The City of Greensboro provided a live cam feed to watch the progress of the construction. The venue is expected to open in August 2011. The venue will host the 2012 U.S. Masters Swimming Spring National Championship.

ACC Hall of Champions
To commemorate its legacy with the ACC Tournaments, the complex opened a museum in 2011 to show the history of the ACC. The venue will celebrate the past, present and future of the ACC. It features numerous exhibits including an interactive broadcast booth, memorabilia, a video globe and school mascots. The venue opened in March 2011.

The Terrace
Opened in March 2011, The Terrace is one of new expansions for the complex. Its main purpose is a banquet hall and will be used for speaking events as well as weddings. The Terrace is an open-air venue located in between the auditorium and coliseum.

Sports

Tenants
Spring National Championship USMS
United States Masters Swimming
Masters swimming is an organized program of swimming for adults. U.S. Masters Swimming, founded in 1970, is a non-profit membership national governing body. The program began when the first National Masters Swimming Championships were held on May 2, 1970 at the Amarillo Aquatic Club pool. Captain...

2012
UNC Greensboro
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
The University of North Carolina at Greensboro , also known as UNC Greensboro, is a public university in Greensboro, North Carolina, United States and is a constituent institution of the University of North Carolina system. The university offers more than 100 undergraduate, 61 master's and 26...

SoCon
Southern Conference
The Southern Conference is a Division I college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision . Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North...

2009–Present
Greensboro Revolution
Greensboro Revolution
The Greensboro Revolution was a team in the National Indoor Football League that began play as a 2006 expansion team. They played their home games at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina....

NIFL
National Indoor Football League
National Indoor Football League was a professional indoor football league in the United States. For their first six years, the league had teams in markets not covered by either the Arena Football League or its developmental league, af2, however, that changed briefly with their expansion into AFL...

2006–2008
Greensboro Prowlers
Greensboro Prowlers
The Greensboro Prowlers is a now-defunct af2 franchise that was one of the league's charter members. The Prowlers had three mediocre seasons before finally getting a decent winning record in their final year...

AF2
AF2
AF2 was the name of the Arena Football League's developmental league; it was founded in 1999 and played its first season in 2000. Like parent AFL, the AF2 played using the same arena football rules and style of play. League seasons ran from April through July with the postseason and ArenaCup...

2000–2003
Atlantic Coast Conference Women 2000–Present
Greensboro Generals
Greensboro Generals
The Greensboro Generals were an ECHL team that existed from 1999-2004. The franchise replaced the Greensboro Monarchs, who called the city home from 1989-1995....

ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...

1999–2004
Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...

NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...

1997–1999
Carolina Monarchs
Carolina Monarchs
The Carolina Monarchs were a short-lived ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Greensboro, North Carolina, at the Greensboro Coliseum....

AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...

1995–1997
Greensboro City Gators GBA
Global Basketball Association
The Global Basketball Association was a minor league with various franchises in the United States. Teams were located throughout the South and Midwest...

1991–1992
Greensboro Monarchs
Greensboro Monarchs
The Greensboro Monarchs were a professional ice hockey team based in Greensboro, NC. The Monarchs joined the East Coast Hockey League as an expansion franchise prior to the start of the 1989-90 season and surrendered the franchise to the league when the Monarchs joined the AHL at the conclusion of...

ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...

1989–1995
NCAA Final Four
1974 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1974 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 25 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It was the first tournament to officially be designated as a Division I championship—previously, NCAA member...

NCAA 1974
Carolina Cougars
Carolina Cougars
Carolina Cougars was a basketball franchise in the former American Basketball Association that existed from late 1969 through 1974. The Cougars were originally a charter member of the ABA as the Houston Mavericks in 1967. The Mavericks moved to North Carolina in late 1969 after two unsuccessful...

ABA
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...

1969–1974
Atlantic Coast Conference
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 1967–Present
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Originally, Wake Forest's athletic teams were known as the Fighting Baptists, due to its association with the Baptist Convention...

ACC 1959–1989
Greensboro Generals EHL
Eastern Hockey League
-Eastern Amateur Hockey League :The league was founded in 1933 as the Eastern Amateur Hockey League . The league was founded by Thomas Lockhart, who served as its commissioner from 1933 to 1972...

 / SHL
1959–1973


Hockey
The hockey history of Greensboro began in 1959, when the Greensboro Generals of the Eastern Hockey League arrived and competed until the league folded in 1973. The team moved to the Southern Hockey League for four seasons until it too ceased operations in January 1977. Greensboro hockey's modern era began with the establishment of the Greensboro Monarchs
Greensboro Monarchs
The Greensboro Monarchs were a professional ice hockey team based in Greensboro, NC. The Monarchs joined the East Coast Hockey League as an expansion franchise prior to the start of the 1989-90 season and surrendered the franchise to the league when the Monarchs joined the AHL at the conclusion of...

 of the East Coast Hockey League, who played from 1989–90 to 1994–95. When the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...

 expanded southward in 1995, it invited Greensboro to join; the new team took the Monarchs nickname, but attempted to draw a more regional fan base by labeling themselves the Carolina Monarchs
Carolina Monarchs
The Carolina Monarchs were a short-lived ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Greensboro, North Carolina, at the Greensboro Coliseum....

. When the Carolina Hurricanes
Carolina Hurricanes
The Carolina Hurricanes are a professional ice hockey team based in Raleigh, North Carolina, USA. They are members of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League , and play their home games at the 18,680-seat RBC Center...

 announced their move from Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...

 in 1997 (when they were known as the Hartford Whalers
Hartford Whalers
The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A.. The club played in the World Hockey Association from 1972–79 and in the National Hockey League from 1979–97...

), they leased the coliseum for two years while waiting for the Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena in Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...

 to be completed. Subjected to ticket price increases and unwilling to support a team that was destined for Raleigh, Greensboro hockey fans rarely filled the arena for Hurricane games. Meanwhile, Triangle fans were unwilling to make the hour-long drive across Interstate 40
Interstate 40
Interstate 40 is the third-longest major east–west Interstate Highway in the United States, after I-90 and I-80. Its western end is at Interstate 15 in Barstow, California; its eastern end is at a concurrency of U.S. Route 117 and North Carolina Highway 132 in Wilmington, North Carolina...

 to Greensboro. As a result, the Hurricanes played in front of some of the smallest NHL crowds since the 1950s. During the 1998–99 season, the team curtained off most of the upper deck for home games in an effort to artificially create scarcity in the ticket market, force would-be attendees to purchase higher-priced tickets, and hide what national media mocked as "green acres" of empty seats.

Once the Raleigh Entertainment and Sports Arena (now the RBC Center) was completed and the Hurricanes moved out, the plan was that the Monarchs, who spent those two years in New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...

 as the Beast of New Haven
Beast of New Haven
The Beast of New Haven were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League in the 1997–98 and 1998–99 seasons. The team was based in New Haven, Connecticut, and played at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum, which was demolished in 2007. The Beast were affiliated with the Carolina Hurricanes and the...

, would move back into the venue as a Hurricanes affiliate. However, Monarchs owner Bill Black had a different idea; he briefly explored the possibility of selling shares of the Monarchs to the public. After that fell through, he exercised the option to sell the team to the Hurricanes, who promptly folded the deal, as well as the team.

Rather than leave the coliseum without a hockey team for the first time in over 10 years, a new hockey team was founded, the Greensboro Generals
Greensboro Generals
The Greensboro Generals were an ECHL team that existed from 1999-2004. The franchise replaced the Greensboro Monarchs, who called the city home from 1989-1995....

, returning the city to the East Coast Hockey League. The Generals competed in the arena until 2004, when they were terminated by the ECHL due to poor performance and lackluster support from the community. Increased operating expenses from the ECHL Players Union and overhead costs as a result of recent coliseum renovations significantly affected the Generals' ability to promote within the community. It was revealed that after the team folded, nearly all of the money used to support the team over and above ticket revenues, could have been covered by coliseum advertising revenue that was purchased as a direct result of the hockey team's presence. After the team folded, the complex saw a significant revenue drop in local advertising and to this day, the coliseum operations must be supplemented with nearly $2 million a year from the city government.

Basketball
The Carolina Cougars
Carolina Cougars
Carolina Cougars was a basketball franchise in the former American Basketball Association that existed from late 1969 through 1974. The Cougars were originally a charter member of the ABA as the Houston Mavericks in 1967. The Mavericks moved to North Carolina in late 1969 after two unsuccessful...

 of the American Basketball Association played a majority of their home games at the Greensboro Coliseum during their tenure in North Carolina from 1969 to 1974, before moving to St. Louis
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...

 and becoming the Spirits of St. Louis
Spirits of St. Louis
The Spirits of St. Louis were one of two teams still in existence at the end of the American Basketball Association that did not survive the ABA-NBA merger. They were a member of the ABA in its last two seasons, 1974–75 and 1975–76, while playing their home games at the St...

. The Greensboro City Gaters played their first and only season as a charter franchise of the Global Basketball Association
Global Basketball Association
The Global Basketball Association was a minor league with various franchises in the United States. Teams were located throughout the South and Midwest...

 minor league in 1991-1992 in the Greensboro Coliseum.

The Greensboro Coliseum has played host to many college basketball tournaments. The Atlantic Coast Conference has held their men's basketball tournament at the coliseum 23 times since 1967, the most of any venue. This is in part because the arena was within seven hours' drive of the conference's original footprint, and is within an hour of most of the fanbases of the conference's heartland in North Carolina. The coliseum most recently hosted the 2010 and 2011 men's tournament, and is slated to host four more ACC men's tournaments in 2013, 2014, & 2015. It has also hosted the MEAC Men's Basketball Tournament ten times.

In 1974 the coliseum hosted the NCAA Men's Final Four. It was the host of the Southern Conference
Southern Conference
The Southern Conference is a Division I college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision . Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North...

 men's basketball tournament from 1996–1999. The coliseum has been the home for the ACC Women's Basketball Tournament
ACC Women's Basketball Tournament
The ACC Women's Basketball Tournament is the conference championship tournament in basketball for the Atlantic Coast Conference . The tournament has been held every year since 1978, several years before the first NCAA championships for women. It is a single-elimination tournament and seeding is...

 since 2000, and is contracted through 2015. It has played host to 12 Men's NCAA Tournaments
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...

, most notably the 1974 Final Four. It hosted the NCAA Tournament in 2006 and 2009, when it served as a first and second round site. It hosted the Greensboro Regional in the Women's NCAA Tournament in 2007 and 2008. The coliseum is the first arena to host three basketball tournaments in consecutive weeks. The coliseum has also hosted NBA basketball, high school basketball, and the Harlem Globetrotters
Harlem Globetrotters
The Harlem Globetrotters are an exhibition basketball team that combines athleticism, theater and comedy. The executive offices for the team are currently in downtown Phoenix, Arizona; the team is owned by Shamrock Holdings, which oversees the various investments of the Roy E. Disney family.Over...

.

From 1959 to 1989, the Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Wake Forest Demon Deacons
Originally, Wake Forest's athletic teams were known as the Fighting Baptists, due to its association with the Baptist Convention...

 basketball team played a portion of its home schedule there—usually games against popular opponents that could not be accommodated in the smaller Winston-Salem Memorial Coliseum
Winston-Salem Memorial Coliseum
Winston–Salem Memorial Coliseum was a multi-purpose arena in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. The arena, which opened in 1955, held 8,500 people and was eventually replaced by the Lawrence Joel Veterans Memorial Coliseum in 1989...

. The arena has also served as an alternate home floor for the UNC Greensboro Spartans
UNC Greensboro Spartans
The intercollegiate athletics program at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro reaches as far back as the late 1940s during the days of the WCUNC, with students participating in national golf tournaments in 1948 and the school hosting the national tournaments for women's golf and tennis...

 men's basketball team, such as on December 31, 2005, when UNCG hosted top-ranked Duke at the Greensboro Coliseum in front of a near-record crowd of 21,124. Beginning with the 2009–2010 season, UNCG men's basketball team moved all its home games there from the cramped Fleming Gymnasium
Fleming Gymnasium
The Michael B. Fleming Gymnasium is a 2,320-seat multi-purpose arena in Greensboro, North Carolina. It is located in the Health and Human Performance Building, a $16.2 million facility that opened on the University of North Carolina at Greensboro's campus in June 1989.It is home to the University...

 on campus, which had been its home court since 1989.

Indoor football
The coliseum first saw an Arena Football team when the Greensboro Prowlers
Greensboro Prowlers
The Greensboro Prowlers is a now-defunct af2 franchise that was one of the league's charter members. The Prowlers had three mediocre seasons before finally getting a decent winning record in their final year...

 of the af2
Af2
AF2 was the name of the Arena Football League's developmental league; it was founded in 1999 and played its first season in 2000. Like parent AFL, the AF2 played using the same arena football rules and style of play. League seasons ran from April through July with the postseason and ArenaCup...

 league played in the coliseum from 1999 until 2004. The team folded due to a poor record and lack of fan support. The Greensboro Revolution
Greensboro Revolution
The Greensboro Revolution was a team in the National Indoor Football League that began play as a 2006 expansion team. They played their home games at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina....

 of the National Indoor Football League
National Indoor Football League
National Indoor Football League was a professional indoor football league in the United States. For their first six years, the league had teams in markets not covered by either the Arena Football League or its developmental league, af2, however, that changed briefly with their expansion into AFL...

 played here in 2006 and 2007. The team ceased operations on January 23, 2008.

Entertainment

The Coliseum has hosted many events over time, including Monster Jam
Monster Jam
Monster Jam is a live motorsport event tour and television show operated by Feld Entertainment. The series is sanctioned under the umbrella of the United States Hot Rod Association and takes place primarily in the United States and around the world...

, Arenacross
Supercross
Supercross is a motorcycle racing sport involving off-road motorcycles on an artificially-made dirt tracks consisting of steep jumps and obstacles. Professional supercross contest races are held almost exclusively within professional baseball and football stadiums.-History:Supercross was derived...

, the PBR, High School Musical: The Concert
High School Musical: The Concert
High School Musical: The Concert was a 40-city concert tour based on the popular hit Disney Channel Original Movie, High School Musical, sponsored by AEG Live and presented by Buena Vista Concerts...

, the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus
Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus is an American circus company. The company was started when the circus created by James Anthony Bailey and P. T. Barnum was merged with the Ringling Brothers Circus. The Ringling brothers purchased the Barnum & Bailey Circus in 1907, but ran the circuses...

, and large-scale religious gatherings. The arena's large size makes it a popular location for concerts, hosting famous artists of many different genres. It's also located between and within an hour's drive of North Carolina's five largest cities: Charlotte, Raleigh, Greensboro, Winston-Salem, and Durham.

The Coliseum has hosted many large 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...

 cards. It was one the flagship arenas for Jim Crockett Promotions
Jim Crockett Promotions
Jim Crockett Promotions was a professional wrestling promotion owned by Jim Crockett, Jr. until the late 1980s. It was a member of the National Wrestling Alliance and was the forerunner to World Championship Wrestling .-Early history:...

, which held its annual pay-per-view
Pay-per-view
Pay-per-view provides a service by which a television audience can purchase events to view via private telecast. The broadcaster shows the event at the same time to everyone ordering it...

 event Starrcade
Starrcade
Starrcade was an annual professional wrestling event held from 1983 to 2000 by the National Wrestling Alliance and later World Championship Wrestling as their flagship event equal to WWE's WrestleMania , and featured the largest feuds of the promotion...

 four times at the Coliseum. The Coliseum was also one of the several venues that had welcomed The Great American Bash 1986. After Jim Crockett Promotions became World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling
World Championship Wrestling, Inc. was an American professional wrestling promotion which existed from 1988 to 2001. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, it began as a regional promotion affiliated with the National Wrestling Alliance , named Jim Crockett Promotions until November 1988, when Ted Turner and...

, the Coliseum remained a regular venue in WCW's early years and even hosted WrestleWar 1990. World Wrestling Entertainment
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...

, on the other hand, has used the Coliseum for pay-per-view events Unforgiven: In Your House
Unforgiven: In Your House
Unforgiven: In Your House was the 21st pay-per-view under the In Your House name from the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on April 26, 1998 at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, North Carolina...

 , King of the Ring 1999
King of the Ring (1999)
- Results :-Aftermath:The next night on RAW is War, Mr. McMahon claimed that the show that evening would be "a night never forgotten." Steve Austin announced that while he was CEO he wrote up a new contract for himself and made a few new rules, including the authority to assault Vince McMahon...

, and Survivor Series 2001
Survivor Series (2001)
Survivor Series was the fifteenth annual Survivor Series pay-per-view professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation...

. To this day, the Coliseum continues to be a venue for WWE's television programs.

In addition, its neighboring auditorium and special events center have hosted concerts, trade shows, broadway theatre
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...

 shows, and similar events. The auditorium, which was not included in the 1993 renovation of the complex, will soon be renovated to include a banquet hall. In 2002, the 1st Annual King of the Concrete indoor go-kart race was held at this facility.

External links

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
 
x
OK