Verizon Wireless Center

Not to be confused with Verizon Wireless Arena.

Verizon Wireless Center
Former names	Mankato Civic Center, Midwest Wireless Civic Center, Alltel Center
Location	1 Civic Center Plaza Mankato, MN 56001
Opened	February 3, 1995
Owner	City of Mankato
Operator	City of Mankato
Surface	200' x 100' (hockey)
Capacity	5,280 (ice hockey) 8,200 (concerts)
Tenants
Minnesota State University Mavericks (Ice Hockey) Minnesota Purple Rage (IFL) (2000)

The Verizon Wireless Center is a 5,280-seat (8,200 for concerts) multi-purpose arena, in Mankato, Minnesota, built in 1995.

It is home to the Minnesota State University Mavericks ice hockey team and hosts musical performances and other events.

Prior to the building of the arena, MSU played their home games at All Seasons Arena, built in 1974, which is now their main practice facility.

The arena's naming sponsor is Verizon Wireless, one of America's major wireless phone companies.

In 1998, locally headquartered phone company Midwest Wireless purchased naming rights to the Civic Center. With Alltel's acquisition of Midwest Wireless, the facility's name was officially changed in July 2007.^[1] Alltel paid $110,000 per year for naming rights.^[2] The name changed in 2009 after Alltel was purchased by Verizon Wireless.^[3]

The south side of the complex incorporates the restored exterior of the First National Bank of Mankato, a 1913 Prairie School building.

Events

Primarily, the Center hosts hockey games, concerts and conventions.

Notable events include the following: KISS, Disturbed, Three Days Grace, Bob Dylan, Jeff Dunham, Jason Aldean, Dierks Bentley, Styx, REO Speedwagon, Weird Al Yankovic, WWE Live, TNA live, Disney Live and Monster Jam, which comes every two years.

References

1. ^ Alltel Press Release. Alltel. July 10, 2007. Accessed July 10, 2007.^{[dead link]}
2. ^ Linehan, Dan (2007-06-25). "Civic center to be Alltel Center". Mankato Free Press. http://www.mankatofreepress.com/local/local_story_177001331.html. Retrieved 2011-08-04. 
3. ^ "Alltel Center to get name change". Mankato Free Press. 2009-07-24. http://mankatofreepress.com/local/x1048526942/Alltel-Center-to-get-name-change. Retrieved 2011-08-04. 

External links

• Verizon Wireless Center - official site

Coordinates: 44°09′58″N 94°00′17″W / 44.166114°N 94.004613°W / 44.166114; -94.004613