Allen County War Memorial Coliseum

Allen County War Memorial Coliseum
Construction
Memorial Coliseum, Fort Wayne Coliseum, The Jungle


Former names	War Memorial Coliseum
Address	4000 Parnell Avenue
Location	Fort Wayne, Indiana
Coordinates	41°6′56″N 85°7′28″W / 41.11556°N 85.12444°W / 41.11556; -85.12444Coordinates: 41°6′56″N 85°7′28″W / 41.11556°N 85.12444°W / 41.11556; -85.12444
Owner	Allen County
Operator	Allen County
Capacity	Ice hockey / Concert: 10,480 Basketball: 13,000
Surface	200x85 ft (hockey)
Broke ground	January 24, 1950
Opened	September 28, 1952
Construction cost	1952: $2,647,390 ($23.6 million in 2016 dollars^[1]) 1989: $26 million 2002: $35 million 2013: $3.96 million
Architect	A.M. Strauss
General contractor	Hagerman Construction Corp.
Tenants
Fort Wayne Komets (ECHL) (1952–present) Fort Wayne Pistons (NBA) (1952–1957) Fort Wayne Flames (AISA) (1986–1989) Indiana Kick (AISA) (1989–1990) Fort Wayne Fury (CBA) (1991–2001) IPFW Mastodons (NCAA) (2001–2013) Fort Wayne Freedom (NIFL / UIF / CIFL) (2003–2006, 2008–2009) Fort Wayne Fusion (AF2) (2007) Fort Wayne Mad Ants (NBA D-League) (2007–present) Fort Wayne Firehawks (CIFL) (2010)

Allen County War Memorial Coliseum is a 13,000-seat multi-purpose arena located in Fort Wayne, Indiana, near present-day Johnny Appleseed Park. It opened in 1952 with a construction cost of nearly $3 million. The Allen County War Memorial Coliseum was originally designed to seat 8,103 for hockey or 10,240 for basketball. Opened in 1989, the Coliseum's $26 million Exposition Center contains 108,000-ft² (0.100-km²) devoted to hosting substantial trade shows and other events with seating for 7,500.

In 2002, an extensive $35 million renovation and expansion raised the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum's roof by 41 feet (12 m), thus increasing the arena's seating capacity to 10,500 for hockey or music concerts and 13,000 for basketball. The structure was designed by A.M. Strauss Architects.

Sports

The Allen County War Memorial Coliseum is the current home of:

the Fort Wayne Komets of the ECHL ice hockey league,
the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA Development League, and
the Fort Wayne Derby Girls of the Women's Flat Track Derby Association Division 2.

Major events

In basketball, Allen County War Memorial Coliseum has hosted the 1955 and 1956 NBA Finals, the 1953 NBA All-Star Game, and the 2014 and 2015 NBA D-League Finals.^[2] Memorial Coliseum has also hosted several NCAA events, including the 2000, 2001, and 2002 Mid-Continent Conference Men's Basketball Tournaments and the 1988, 1994, and 2000 NCAA Final Four Men's Division I Volleyball Championships. Most recently, the University of Notre Dame hosted the 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey Tournament Midwest Regional at Memorial Coliseum.^[3] It also hosted several live events by World Wrestling Entertainment as well as the sectional, regional and semistate championships of the IHSAA Boys basketball tournament during the one-class era.

Related facilities

The Allen County War Memorial Coliseum complex includes the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Exposition Center and Holiday Inn, managed in cooperation with IPFW.

Exposition Center

Within the same complex as the arena, the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Exposition Center contains 108,000-ft² (0.100-km²) devoted to hosting substantial trade shows, banquets, graduation ceremonies, concerts, truck and tractor pulls, and wrestling matches, with the capability of seating 7,500 guests.^[4] When no events are scheduled for the arena, the Exposition Center's capacity can extend to a total of 175,000-ft² (0.162-km²). The Exposition Center was added in the $26 million renovation and expansion of the complex, completed in 1989.

The arena during a Komets hockey game.

Grounds

The grounds immediately surrounding the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum display the anchor from World War II's USS Indiana battleship. South and east of the central complex is an expansive parking lot, containing 4,500 available parking spaces.^[5] To the south and west along the St. Joseph River, lies Johnny Appleseed Park, containing the gravesite of American folklore figure John Chapman. To the north and northeast is the IPFW campus, especially the portion of the IPFW campus located on the western bank of the St. Joseph, on which a 151-room Holiday Inn is located.^[6]

Recent construction

In 2013, a $3.96 million renovation and expansion of the 200 Level was completed. The project included upgraded restrooms with LED lighting, no-touch sinks, no-touch toilets, and no-touch urinals, and the addition of two food courts with three new vendors. Other restrooms throughout the Memorial Coliseum were upgraded in 2014.^[7] The ribbon cutting ceremony was October 11, 2013.

Other Events

The Rumble in Fort Wayne

The Rumble in Fort Wayne is an indoor midget car racing event held every year, on a 1/6th mile flat oval in the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Exposition Center, since its inception in 1998. Taking place at the end of the year, and after most major racing series seasons have ended, has allowed drivers from major racing series to participate: Dave Darland, Tracy Hines, J. J. Yeley, Bryan Clauson, Sammy Swindell; with NASCAR, USAC, and IndyCar champion Tony Stewart having the most feature wins at 9.^[8]

Politics

On May 1, 2016, Donald Trump held a campaign rally ahead of the Indiana Primary election at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. Over 12,500 were in attendance.

References

↑ Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis Community Development Project. "Consumer Price Index (estimate) 1800–". Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis. Retrieved October 21, 2016.
↑ NBA All-Star Games - Names and Numbers. Basketball Digest, (March, 2002). Retrieved on May 16, 2008.
↑ "Fort Wayne bids to bring NCAA Championships to town". Visit Fort Wayne.
↑ Who We Are. Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. Retrieved on July 24, 2008.
↑ Our Facility - Parking. Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. Retrieved on July 24, 2008.
↑ Glenn, Jenni, (July 21, 2008).A fresh image for Holiday Inn; City hotel first in state with new logo, amenities. The Journal Gazette. Retrieved on July 25, 2008.
↑ Leininger, Kevin (2013-04-20). "New food courts, restrooms coming to Memorial Coliseum". The News-Sentinel. Retrieved 2013-10-16.
↑ "Rumble in Fort Wayne Midget Records prior to 2013 event" (PDF). Rumbleseries.com. Retrieved April 20, 2015.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.

Events and tenants
Preceded by North Side High School Gym	Home of the Fort Wayne Pistons 1952 – 1957	Succeeded by Olympia Coliseum
Preceded by Boston Garden	Host of the NBA All-Star Game 1953	Succeeded by Madison Square Garden

Current arenas in the ECHL

Eastern Conference	Amway Center (Orlando, FL) Bon Secours Wellness Arena (Greenville, SC) First Arena (Elmira, NY) Germain Arena (Estero, FL) Glens Falls Civic Center (Glens Falls, NY) Infinite Energy Arena (Duluth, GA) Norfolk Scope (Norfolk, VA) North Charleston Coliseum (North Charleston, SC) Powerade Centre (Brampton, ON) Santander Arena (Reading, PA) U.S. Bank Arena (Cincinnati, OH) SNHU Arena (Manchester, NH) WesBanco Arena (Wheeling, WV)

Western Conference	Allen County War Memorial Coliseum (Fort Wayne, IN) Allen Event Center (Allen, TX) BOK Center (Tulsa, OK) Budweiser Events Center (Loveland, CO) CenturyLink Arena (Boise, ID) Huntington Center (Toledo, OH) Indiana Farmers Coliseum (Indianapolis, IN) Intrust Bank Arena (Wichita, KS) iWireless Center (Moline, IL) Maverik Center (West Valley City, UT) Rushmore Plaza Civic Center (Rapid City, SD) Silverstein Eye Centers Arena (Independence, MO) Sullivan Arena (Anchorage, AK) Wings Event Center (Kalamazoo, MI)

Current arenas in the NBA Development League

Atlantic Division	Barclays Center Bob Carpenter Center Erie Insurance Arena Greensboro Coliseum Pavilion Portland Exposition Building Westchester County Center

Central Division	Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Canton Memorial Civic Center DeltaPlex Arena Hershey Centre Sears Centre Arena

Southwest Division	Cox Convention Center Dr Pepper Arena H-E-B Center at Cedar Park Sanford Pentagon State Farm Arena Wells Fargo Arena

West Division	Kaiser Permanente Arena Lifetime Activities Center-Bruin Arena Prescott Valley Event Center Reno Events Center Toyota Sports Center

Future arenas	Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum (to be used when arena renovations are complete)

City of Fort Wayne

Economy

Largest employers	General Motors Lincoln Financial Group BFGoodrich BAE Systems Frontier Communications Raytheon Systems Harris Corporation Norfolk Southern Parker Hannifin Dana Air National Guard Station

Headquarters	Do it Best Franklin Electric Genteq Indiana Michigan Power K&K Insurance MedPro Group North American Van Lines Rea Magnet Wire Steel Dynamics Sweetwater Sound Vera Bradley

Attractions

Venues	Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Embassy Theatre Grand Wayne Convention Center Hefner Soccer Complex Hilliard Gates Sports Center Mastodon Field Parkview Field

Education

Public schools	East Allen Fort Wayne Community Northwest Allen Southwest Allen

Colleges and universities	Concordia Theological Seminary Crossroads Bible Grace Harrison Huntington Indiana Tech IPFW Indiana Wesleyan International Business Ivy Tech Manchester Trine St. Francis

Private schools	Lutheran Schools of Indiana Roman Catholic Diocese of Fort Wayne–South Bend

Healthcare

Lutheran Health Network Dupont Lutheran St. Joseph Parkview Health System Randallia Regional Medical Center

Sports

History Derby Girls Komets Mad Ants TinCaps IPFW Mastodons Indiana Tech Warriors St. Francis Cougars

Transportation

Airport Expressway Baker Street Station Citilink International Airport Rivergreenway Smith Field I-69 I-469 US 24 US 27 US 30 US 33 SR 1 SR 3 SR 14 SR 37 SR 930

Category
Commons

Detroit Pistons

Founded in 1941 Formerly the Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons (1941–1948) and the Fort Wayne Pistons (1948–1957) Based in Auburn Hills, Michigan

Franchise	Franchise All-time roster Seasons Draft history Head coaches Current season

Arenas	North Side High School Gym Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Olympia Stadium Memorial Building Grosse Pointe High School Cobo Arena Pontiac Silverdome Joe Louis Arena The Palace of Auburn Hills Little Caesars Arena

D-League affiliate	Grand Rapids Drive

Retired numbers	Bill Davidson Jack McCloskey 1 2 3 4 10 11 15 16 21 40

Hall of Famers	Walt Bellamy Dave Bing Larry Brown Chuck Daly Adrian Dantley Dave DeBusschere Joe Dumars Harry Gallatin Bob Houbregs Bailey Howell Bob Lanier Earl Lloyd Bob McAdoo Bobby McDermott Dick McGuire Andy Phillip Dennis Rodman Isiah Thomas George Yardley Fred Zollner

NBA Championships (3)	1989 1990 2004

Conference Championships (7)	1955 1956 1988 1989 1990 2004 2005

Culture and lore	Hooper Jordan Rules John Mason Pacers–Pistons brawl

Rivals	Chicago Bulls Boston Celtics Los Angeles Lakers

Broadcasters	TV Fox Sports Detroit Radio WMGC-FM Announcers George Blaha Greg Kelser Mark Champion Rick Mahorn Jake Chapman

IPFW Mastodons men's basketball

Venues	Allen County War Memorial Coliseum (2001–2013; select games 2014–present) Hilliard Gates Sports Center (1981–2001, 2013–present)

Culture & lore	History

People	Head coaches

Seasons	1973–74 1974–75 1975–76 1976–77 1977–78 1978–79 1979–80 1980–81 1981–82 1982–83 1983–84 1984–85 1985–86 1986–87 1987–88 1988–89 1989–90 1990–91 1991–92 1992–93 1993–94 1994–95 1995–96 1996–97 1997–98 1998–99 1999–00 2000–01 2001–02 2002–03 2003–04 2004–05 2005–06 2006–07 2007–08 2008–09 2009–10 2010–11 2011–12 2012–13 2013–14 2014–15 2015–16 2016–17

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