The Show Place Arena
Encyclopedia
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 Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Upper Marlboro, Maryland
Upper Marlboro is a town in and the county seat of Prince George's County, Maryland, United States. The live-in population of the town core proper was only 648 at the 2000 census, although Greater Upper Marlboro is many times larger....
, which is used for sporting events, concerts, boxing and professional wrestling events, consumer shows, trade shows, religious services, graduations and other events. The Show Place Arena contains a 35,360-square-foot (136' by 260') floor allowing it to be used for various events such as concerts and trade shows. There are telescopic bleachers which can be placed in an open position to allow more permanent seating for events. In addition, equestrian, rodeo and other events use the arena with 6-8 inches of stonedust on the concrete floor to provide the preferred footing for equestrian events.
The arena is currently home to horse shows, computer shows, train shows, concerts, religious events, cultural festivals, trade shows and graduations. The facility has also been the venue of the 2004-2005 season of the American Basketball Association
American Basketball Association (21st century)
The American Basketball Association, often abbreviated as ABA, is a semi-professional men's basketball league that was founded in 1999. The current ABA has no affiliation with the original American Basketball Association that merged with the National Basketball Association in 1976...
Maryland Nighthawks
Maryland Nighthawks
The Washington GreenHawks were a team of the Atlantic Coast Professional Basketball League based in Washington, D.C.. As the Maryland Nighthawks they were formerly part of the American Basketball Association and a founding member of the Premier Basketball League , in which they later played as...
as well as home of the Patriot League Men's and Women's Basketball Championship in 2002-2004, the Chesapeake Icebreakers
Chesapeake Icebreakers
The Chesapeake Icebreakers are a defunct minor league ice hockey team that played in the East Coast Hockey League from 1997-1999. The Icebreakers were an expansion team that was granted to Upper Marlboro, Maryland for the start of the 1997–98 ECHL season.Home games were played at a converted...
minor league hockey team and the 2009 season of the Maryland Maniacs indoor football team
Team
A team comprises a group of people or animals linked in a common purpose. Teams are especially appropriate for conducting tasks that are high in complexity and have many interdependent subtasks.A group in itself does not necessarily constitute a team...
. It also hosted the 2010 Atlantic 10 Conference Women's Basketball Tournament.
The arena has two Daktronics message/scoreboards and the floor to ceiling height measures 40 feet. There are three spotlights in the arena and a portable stage. The arena also contains two backstage ramps and two permanent concession stands plus a full-service bar. The arena also features ten handicapped-accessible restrooms and five private suites. There are three meeting rooms measuring a total of 7000 square feet (650.3 m²). Seating capacities are 3,000 for rodeos and horse shows, 5,500 for hockey and basketball, 5,200 for boxing and wrestling and up to 4,700 for concerts. A clock tower is located near the main entrance. There are 2,500 parking spaces at the complex with another 3,000 within walking distance.