Allen County War Memorial Coliseum

Allen County War Memorial Coliseum
Memorial Coliseum, The Jungle
Former names	War Memorial Coliseum
Location	4000 Parnell Avenue, Fort Wayne, Indiana 46805
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
Broke ground	January 24, 1950
Opened	September 28, 1952
Owner	Allen County
Operator	Allen County
Surface	200x85 ft (hockey)
Construction cost	1952: $2,647,390 1989: $26 million 2002: $35 million
Architect	A.M. Strauss
Capacity	Ice hockey / Concert: 10,500 Basketball: 13,000
Tenants
Fort Wayne Firehawks (CIFL) (2010–present) Fort Wayne Flames (AISA) (1986–1989) Fort Wayne Freedom (CIFL) (2008–2009) Fort Wayne Freedom (NIFL / UIF) (2003–2006) Fort Wayne Fury (CBA) (1991–2001) Fort Wayne Fusion (AF2) (2007) Fort Wayne Komets (CHL) (1952–present) Fort Wayne Mad Ants (D-League) (2007–present) Fort Wayne Pistons (NBA) (1952–1957) Indiana Kick (AISA) (1989–1990) IPFW Mastodons (Men's NCAA Basketball) (2001–present)

The Allen County War Memorial Coliseum is a 13,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Fort Wayne, Indiana, initially built in 1952 for nearly $3 million in Fort Wayne's Johnny Appleseed Park. The Allen County War Memorial Coliseum was originally designed to seat 8,000 for hockey or 10,240 for basketball. In 2002, an extensive renovation and expansion was put into motion, which raised the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum's roof by 41 feet, therefore 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.

The Allen County War Memorial Coliseum ranked 20th in the world among similar-sized venues by Venues Today, a concert and event publication for 2007.^[1]

Sports

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

• the Fort Wayne Komets of the Central Hockey League,
• the Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne NCAA men's basketball team,
• the Fort Wayne Firehawks of the Continental Indoor Football League, and
• the Fort Wayne Mad Ants of the NBA Development League.

The arena has also been home to the National Basketball Association's Fort Wayne Pistons from 1952 until the team's move to Detroit, Michigan in 1957.

Events

In basketball, Allen County War Memorial Coliseum has hosted two NBA Finals, in 1955 and 1956, as well as the NBA All-Star Game in 1953^[2] in addition to hosting the 2000, 2001, and 2002 Mid-Continent Conference Men's Basketball Tournaments. The Coliseum was also the host venue to the 2000 NCAA Men's Division I Volleyball Championship matches. The University of Notre Dame will accommodate the 2010 NCAA Men's Division I Ice Hockey Tournament Midwest Regional at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum.

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.^[3] 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.^[4] 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.^[5]

References

1. ^ Fort Wayne News. Fort Wayne/Allen County Convention and Visitors Bureau. Retrieved on 2008-07-25.
2. ^ NBA All-Star Games - Names and Numbers. Basketball Digest, (March, 2002). Retrieved on 2008-05-16.
3. ^ Who We Are. Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. Retrieved on 2008-07-24.
4. ^ Our Facility - Parking. Allen County War Memorial Coliseum. Retrieved on 2008-07-24.
5. ^ Glenn, Jenni, (2008-07-21).A fresh image for Holiday Inn; City hotel first in state with new logo, amenities. The Journal Gazette. Retrieved on 2008-07-25.

External links

• Official site
• 2002 Construction details (PDF)
• Fort Wayne/Allen County Convention and Visitors Bureau
• Timeline: Important Precedents in Stadium Design by Columbia University

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