Chevrolet Centre

Infobox Stadium
stadium_name=Chevrolet Centre


location=229 East Front Street
Youngstown, OH 44503
broke_ground=February 1998
opened=October 19, 2005
owner=The City of Youngstown, Ohio
construction_cost=$42 million USD
tenants= Youngstown SteelHounds (CHL) (2005-present)
Mahoning Valley Thunder (af2) (2007-present)
seating_capacity=Basketball: 5,900
Arena Football: 5,700

The Chevrolet Centre (formerly the Youngstown Convocation Center) is a 5,700-seat multi-purpose arena in Youngstown, Ohio, United States. It was built in 2005, thanks in a large part to a $26 million HUD redevelopment grant secured in 2000 by Congressman James A. Traficant, Jr. It is home to the Mahoning Valley Thunder, an arena football team in the af2. The Chevrolet Centre is nicknamed The Chevy Centre/The Convo by most in the area.

The arena's grand opening was on October 29, 2005, when it hosted a concert by 3 Doors Down. The first hockey game was played about a week later, on November 4.

In Fall 2007, the city hired Eric Ryan Productions of Struthers, OH to temporarily operate the arena until the city could find another company to manage the facility. SMG and Global Spectrum are the final two companies in the running to run the Chevrolet Centre. The Chevy Centre was formerly managed by the International Coliseums Company, a subsidiary of Global Entertainment, which owns the Central Hockey League. On Friday, April 4, 2008; the city of Youngstown signed a deal with Ticketmaster to become the official ticket provider of the Chevrolet Centre. The arena itself is owned by the city.

The arena, which was initially named the Convocation Center when it opened in October, was renamed a few weeks after its opening on Friday November 18, 2005, when General Motors acquired the naming rights, and was renamed what it is at present. Choosing Chevrolet for the naming rights was highly appropriate because one of the brand's more successful cars, the Cobalt, is manufactured in nearby Lordstown, Ohio.

On October 4, 2008, it was announced that GM had decided not to renew their naming rights deal with the city. The city is in the process of negotiating with local Chevy dealers to keep the name of the facility the same. [http://www.vindy.com/news/2008/oct/04/gm-exits-name-deal-with-arena/]

Other facts

The arena's first sold-out performance(s) were on November 12, 2005, when it hosted two concerts by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra. Both 2:30 and 7:30 shows were sold out. The first sold-out hockey game was on January 14, 2006.

The Chevy Centre gained a second sports tenant in 2007. The Mahoning Valley Thunder played their first home game on March 31, 2007.

The Chevy Centre has been at the forefront of what is hoped to be a major downtown revitalization in the city of Youngstown. The downtown economy has benefitted since its opening, primarily from guests patronizing its bars and restaurants before and after events. In a deal that is unique compared to most American cities, the city and other private firms came to an agreement that allowed people to park for free in downtown on days when there is an event at the arena.

The Chevrolet Centre hosted its first outdoor concert on July 5, 2006, when Rivers Edge, Evans Blue, and headliner Shinedown performed in the arena's east parking lot before 2,500 concertgoers.

Selected Events

* October 22, 2005- Youngstown Convocation Center open house
* October 29, 2005- 3 Doors Down, Shinedown, Alter Bridge (first event)
* October 30, 2005- Tony Bennett
* November 4, 2005- First Steelhounds game
* November 12, 2005- Trans-Siberian Orchestra (First sold out event)
* November 23, 2005- Lil Jon
* November 27, 2005- Clay Aiken
* December 28-31, 2005- Disney on Ice
* January 14, 2006- First sold out Steelhounds game
* January 19, 2006- Larry the Cable Guy
* April 4, 2006- Korn, Mudvayne, 10 Years
* April 10, 2006- John Mellencamp
* On June 30, 2006, Metal Bands Slayer, Mastodon (band), and Lamb of God (band) were scheduled to play here. Unfortunately, the show was moved to Cleveland.
* July 5, 2006- Shinedown, Evans Blue
* September 12, 2006- Staind, Crossfade, 3 Days Grace, and Black Stone Cherry
* On February 13, 2007, Metal band Slayer backed out of another Youngstown show that was moved to Cleveland.
* March 31, 2007- First Mahoning Valley Thunder game
* April 5, 2007- Ludacris presented by Youngstown State University
* July 1, 2007- Tool (band)
* July 3, 2007- Stevie Nicks
* August 7, 2007- WWE Smackdown and ECW. (First televised event in Youngstown)(Sold Out)
* June 11, 2008- Carrie Underwood with special guest Jason Michael Carroll (Sold Out)
* October 18, 2008- "Hot Ice--Cool Sounds", Skating Show with music by Peter Cetera and the Cleveland Pops Orchestra. Will be shown on NBC, December 25th, 2008.

External links

* [http://www.chevroletcentre.com Chevrolet Centre Official Website]
* [http://www.gettix.net Buy Chevy Centre Event Tickets Here: gettix.net]