Omaha Civic Auditorium

Omaha Civic Auditorium
Omaha Civic Auditorium
OmahaCivicAuditorium.jpg
Omaha Civic Auditorium
Location 1804 Capitol Avenue, Omaha, Nebraska 68102
Coordinates 41°15′42″N 95°56′24″W / 41.26167°N 95.94°W / 41.26167; -95.94Coordinates: 41°15′42″N 95°56′24″W / 41.26167°N 95.94°W / 41.26167; -95.94
Opened 1954
Owner City of Omaha
Operator Metropolitan Entertainment & Convention Authority (MECA)
Surface multi-surface
Capacity Concerts: 10,960
Basketball: 9,300
Tenants
Omaha Beef (IFL) (2000–present)
Omaha Lancers (USHL) (2009–present)
Creighton Bluejays Men's Basketball (MVC) (1961–2003)
Kansas City-Omaha Kings (NBA) (1972–1975)
UNO Mavericks (CCHA) (1997–2003)
Creighton Bluejays (Women's Basketball, Volleyball) (MVC) (2003–2009)
Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights (AHL) (2005–2007)
Omaha Vipers (MISL) (2010-present)
UNO Mavericks (Summit League) (2011)

The Omaha Civic Auditorium is a multi-purpose convention center in Omaha, Nebraska. Opened in 1954, it surpassed the Ak-Sar-Ben Coliseum as the largest convention/entertainment complex in the city, until the completion of CenturyLink Center Omaha in 2003.

Contents

Facilities

Arena

The Civic Auditorium arena currently seats up to 9,300 people for sporting events and up to 10,960 for concerts.

In the past, the arena was home to the Creighton Bluejays men's basketball team, the Creighton women's basketball and volleyball teams, and the University of Nebraska at Omaha hockey team.

Today, it is home to the Omaha Beef indoor football team. It is also used for trade shows, concerts, smaller conventions, and local graduations. On 5 February 2009, the Junior-A United States Hockey League announced on its website that the Omaha Lancers franchise would be moving to the Civic Auditorium from the Mid-America Center across the river in Council Bluffs.

It was announced on August 18, 2010 that the MISL is expanding into Omaha starting with the 2010-11 season. The team, tentatively called Omaha Vipers, will play at the Civic Auditorium.

The arena was the site of the Missouri Valley Conference men's basketball tournament title game in 1978 and 1981. It was also the site of the seventh WWF In Your House pay-per-view in 1996. Billy Graham's Nebraska Crusade took place at the arena in 1964. The University of Omaha-Nebraska Mavericks will be coming home to the Auditorium in 2011, as the university's men's basketball team will be moving into the arena as they enter NCAA Division I.

One of Elvis Presley's Final Concerts

One of Elvis Presley's final concerts was held at the Civic Auditorium on June 19, 1977. The concert was filmed for a CBS TV special: Elvis in Concert. Elvis wore the Mexican Sundial suit in concert.[1]

"You're no Jack Kennedy"

A memorable event at the Civic Auditorium was the 1988 U.S. vice-presidential debate between Democrat Lloyd Bentsen and Republican Dan Quayle. The debate produced one of the most famous quotes in American political history.

Quayle, then a U.S. Senator from Indiana, had been a relative political unknown and reporters covering the campaign wondered if he would make a suitable president if something were to have happened to George H.W. Bush, who selected him as his running mate. In response to a question, Quayle pointed out that he had as much experience in the Senate as John F. Kennedy had prior to being elected President of the United States in 1960. To which, Bentsen, a Senate veteran from Texas, responded: "Senator, I served with Jack Kennedy, I knew Jack Kennedy, Jack Kennedy was a friend of mine. Senator, you're no Jack Kennedy."

The Civic Auditorium along Capital Avenue.

Music Hall

The Civic Auditorium Music Hall, located on the east side of Omaha Civic Auditorium is used for concerts, Broadway shows, and other events. It currently seats 2,453 and is well known for its intimate yet casual atmosphere.

Exhibit Hall

The Civic Auditorium exhibit hall features 43,400 square feet (4,000 m²) of space for conventions and trade shows.

Mancuso Hall

Mancuso Hall is a large-events venue used for parties, trade shows, concerts, banquets, and conventions, among other events. 25,000 square feet (2300 m²) of space, Mancuso Hall seats 2,500 for concerts and 1,500 for banquets.

See also

References

  1. ^ [1]

http://www.elvisconcerts.com/tours/tour1977.htm

External links

Events and tenants
Preceded by
None
Home of the
Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights

2005 – 07
Succeeded by
i wireless Center
Preceded by
Cincinnati Gardens
Home of the
Kansas City-Omaha Kings (with Municipal Auditorium (Kansas City)

1972 – 75
Succeeded by
Kemper Arena
Preceded by
Vinardi Center/"Old Gym"
Home of
Creighton Bluejays Men's Basketball

1961–2003, 2010
Succeeded by
Qwest Center Omaha

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем решить контрольную работу

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Civic Auditorium — is a name commonly used for a city s auditorium and/or arena: Canada Oshawa Civic Auditorium in Oshawa, Ontario Estevan Civic Auditorium in Estevan, Saskatchewan United States Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Pasadena, California Bill Graham Civic… …   Wikipedia

  • Omaha, Nebraska — Omaha redirects here. For other uses, see Omaha (disambiguation). Omaha   City   An aerial view of Downtown Omaha from the ea …   Wikipedia

  • Omaha Beef — Founded 1999 League Indoor Football League Team history IPFL (2000–2001) …   Wikipedia

  • Omaha Lancers — City Omaha, Nebraska League …   Wikipedia

  • Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights — Gründung 2005 Auflösung 2007 Geschichte Utica Devils …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Omaha Vipers — Founded 2010 Stadium Omaha Civic Auditorium (Capacity: 9,300) Owners Manuel Alfer …   Wikipedia

  • Omaha Bryan High School — Location 4700 Giles Road Omaha, NE Information Type public high school Motto Academics, Activities, and Athletics Principal Robert Aranda Faculty …   Wikipedia

  • Omaha — Spitzname: Gateway to the West Downtown Omaha von Osten Lage im Bundesstaat und im County …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights — This article is about the American Hockey League team. For information about Omaha s previous professional ice hockey team, see Omaha Knights. Omaha Flames redirects here. For information on the defunct PDL franchise, see Omaha Flames (soccer);… …   Wikipedia

  • Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights — Ak Sar Ben Knights d Omaha Pour les articles homonymes, voir Knights …   Wikipédia en Français

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”