Freeman Coliseum
Encyclopedia
The Joe and Harry Freeman Coliseum is a sports and concert venue in San Antonio, Texas
, USA, built in 1949.
It has been host to thousands of events including the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, concerts, trade shows, motor sports, circus, professional sports including professional bull riding, basketball, hockey, boxing and wrestling.
It was the home of the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo
, until the opening in 2003 of the adjacent AT&T Center
, formerly known as SBC Center.
Although the main rodeo event is in AT&T Center
, stock show and exhibit aspects of the rodeo are still held in Freeman Coliseum.
The arena seats 9,500 for motor sports, rodeos and professional bull riding, 9,800 for basketball and up to 11,700 for concerts, boxing and wrestling. It contains a 77 feet (23 m) ceiling height. When used for trade shows, the arena features 31250 square feet (2,903 m²) of space, plus 129500 square feet (12,030.9 m²) of exhibit space in four adjacent exhibit halls--the 60000 square feet (5,574.2 m²) Morris Center, the 36000 square feet (3,344.5 m²) Exhibit Hall #1, the 20000 square feet (1,858.1 m²) Freeman Building and the 13500 square feet (1,254.2 m²) Exhibit Hall #2.
The Coliseum was home to the San Antonio Rowels and its national team rodeo league competition, as well as two professional hockey teams, the Central Hockey League
San Antonio Iguanas
and later the International Hockey League San Antonio Dragons
from 1996-1998.
The building hosted several professional wrestling events - The WWF's
Tuesday in Texas in 1991 and the WWF Survivor Series
in 1994.
It was the largest indoor arena in San Antonio until HemisFair Arena
opened in 1968. Since then, many top recording artists have made their San Antonio concert debuts at the Coliseum.
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, USA, built in 1949.
It has been host to thousands of events including the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo, concerts, trade shows, motor sports, circus, professional sports including professional bull riding, basketball, hockey, boxing and wrestling.
It was the home of the San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo
San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo
The San Antonio Stock Show & Rodeo in San Antonio, Texas, USA is one of the largest livestock shows and rodeos in the country. Started in 1950, the annual event takes place over three weeks in February...
, until the opening in 2003 of the adjacent AT&T Center
AT&T Center
AT&T Center is an indoor arena, located in San Antonio, Texas, USA. It seats 18,581, for basketball , 13,800, for ice hockey and 19,000, for concerts or religious gatherings and contains 2,018 club seats, 50 luxury suites and 32 bathrooms .It was completed in 2002, as the SBC...
, formerly known as SBC Center.
Although the main rodeo event is in AT&T Center
AT&T Center
AT&T Center is an indoor arena, located in San Antonio, Texas, USA. It seats 18,581, for basketball , 13,800, for ice hockey and 19,000, for concerts or religious gatherings and contains 2,018 club seats, 50 luxury suites and 32 bathrooms .It was completed in 2002, as the SBC...
, stock show and exhibit aspects of the rodeo are still held in Freeman Coliseum.
The arena seats 9,500 for motor sports, rodeos and professional bull riding, 9,800 for basketball and up to 11,700 for concerts, boxing and wrestling. It contains a 77 feet (23 m) ceiling height. When used for trade shows, the arena features 31250 square feet (2,903 m²) of space, plus 129500 square feet (12,030.9 m²) of exhibit space in four adjacent exhibit halls--the 60000 square feet (5,574.2 m²) Morris Center, the 36000 square feet (3,344.5 m²) Exhibit Hall #1, the 20000 square feet (1,858.1 m²) Freeman Building and the 13500 square feet (1,254.2 m²) Exhibit Hall #2.
The Coliseum was home to the San Antonio Rowels and its national team rodeo league competition, as well as two professional hockey teams, the Central Hockey League
Central Hockey League
The Central Hockey League is a mid-level professional hockey league, owned by Global Entertainment Corporation. Its current champions are the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, which defeated the Colorado Eagles four games to three in the 2011 playoffs....
San Antonio Iguanas
San Antonio Iguanas
The San Antonio Iguanas were a minor league professional ice hockey team based in San Antonio, Texas. The first expansion team in the Central Hockey League, they were active for seven seasons from 1994–1997 and 1998-2002. Their home arena was the Freeman Coliseum. Bill Goldsworthy initially...
and later the International Hockey League San Antonio Dragons
San Antonio Dragons
The San Antonio Dragons were a minor league professional ice hockey team in the International Hockey League for two seasons in 1996–97 and 1997–98. The Dragons were based in San Antonio, Texas and played at the Freeman Coliseum and occasionally the Alamodome....
from 1996-1998.
The building hosted several professional wrestling events - The WWF's
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. is an American publicly traded, privately controlled entertainment company dealing primarily in professional wrestling, with major revenue sources also coming from film, music, product licensing, and direct product sales...
Tuesday in Texas in 1991 and the WWF Survivor Series
Survivor Series (1994)
Survivor Series was the eighth annual Survivor Series pay-per-view professional wrestling event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It took place on Thanksgiving Eve, November 23, 1994 at the Freeman Coliseum in San Antonio, Texas...
in 1994.
It was the largest indoor arena in San Antonio until HemisFair Arena
HemisFair Arena
HemisFair Arena was an indoor arena, located in San Antonio, Texas, United States.It was home to the NBA's San Antonio Spurs, from 1973 to 1993 and the San Antonio Force, of the AFL, during the 1992 season, their only year of existence....
opened in 1968. Since then, many top recording artists have made their San Antonio concert debuts at the Coliseum.