Mellon Arena
Encyclopedia
Civic Arena is an indoor arena
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that is currently undergoing demolition. It was the first retractable roof
major sports venue in the world, covering 170,000 sq. feet and constructed with just shy of 3,000 tons of Pittsburgh steel. It boasts the largest retractable, stainless steel dome roof in the world supported only by a massive 260 foot long cantilevered arm on the exterior.
Constructed in 1961, for use by the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera
(CLO), the Civic Arena hosted numerous concerts, the circus, political and religious rallies, roller derbies as well as contests in hockey, basketball, fish tournament weigh-ins, tennis, boxing, wrestling, lacrosse, football, ice skating championships, kennel shows, and soccer. The structure has been used as the backdrop for several major Hollywood films.
It primarily served as the home to the Pittsburgh Penguins
, the city's National Hockey League
(NHL) franchise.
It was formerly named for Mellon Financial
, which purchased the naming rights in 1999. Naming rights expired on August 1, 2010 and the arena once again is known as the Civic Arena.
The Civic Arena closed on June 26, 2010. The former Mellon naming rights expired soon after, and the Penguins and all other events moved across the street to the new Consol Energy Center. The arena's owner, the Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, initially voted in September 2010 to demolish the building in 2011. However, in November 2010, the arena was nominated for historic status at the last minute, and demolition was delayed. A final vote by the Pittsburgh Historic Review Commission on the nomination was held on March 2, 2011. The result was the HRC declining the arena for historic status. After votes from City Planning and City Council also declined historic status, a federal lawsuit was filed by those who wish to save the arena in order to prevent its demolition. The 3rd appeals court denied the lawsuit and demolition began Monday, September 26th.
22 million ($ in dollars) arena was built for the CLO in 1961. Funding was provided by a combination of public and private money, including grants from Allegheny County, City of Pittsburgh, and Edgar J. Kaufmann
owner of Kaufmann's
department store. The arena's design incorporated 2,950 tons of stainless steel
from Pittsburgh. The Arena was designed for the CLO, which previously held productions at Pitt Stadium
. The roof, which is supported by a 260 feet (79.2 m) arch, is free of internal support leaving no obstruction for the seats within. The roof, which has a diameter of 415 feet (126.5 m), is divided into eight sections. Six of the sections could fold underneath two—in 2½ minutes—making the Civic Arena the world's first major indoor sports stadium with a retractable roof. A total of 42 trucks mounted on 78 wheels, 30 of which are individually driven, support and move the six moveable sections. The trucks, gear motors and 480-volt AC motor drive that moves the roof sections were designed and manufactured by Heyl & Patterson Inc.
, a local specialist engineering firm. The stadium's capacity fluctuates depending on the event being hosted, but has increased due to additions between 1972 and 1991. The arena originally consisted only of lower bowl seating, but over time, upper decks were installed in the arena's "end zones" to increase capacity. In December 1999, Mellon Financial
purchased the Arena's naming rights in a 10 year, $18 million agreement, which renamed the arena Mellon Arena.
hosted the arena's first event.
Major political rallies were part of the early history of the arena with the most attended being the campaign address by Lyndon B. Johnson
on October 27, 1964.
Sporting events including roller hockey, boxing matches including Muhammad Ali
(Knockout on January 24, 1963), Sugar Ray Robinson
, Sonny Liston
and Floyd Patterson
as well as Roller Derby
featuring the hosting New York Chiefs took place at the Arena. America's first high school basketball All-Star game, The Dapper Dan Roundball Classic
was held there annually between 1965 and 1992. The University of Pittsburgh
and Duquesne University
, Philadelphia 76ers
, Pittsburgh Pipers, Pittsburgh Condors
, Pittsburgh Rens
, Pittsburgh Piranhas
, and the Harlem Globetrotters
hosted regular-season basketball games at the Arena. World TeamTennis
and the Pittsburgh Spirit
Major Indoor Soccer League team also hosted matches at the Arena. The 1983 United States Figure Skating Championships
and first and second round games of both the 1997
and 2002 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
s were held at the Arena. World Wrestling Entertainment
has frequently been to the Arena over the years. WWE Raw
and WWE SmackDown have taken place there. Six pay-per-views have also taken place at the Mellon Arena: SummerSlam (1995)
, King of the Ring (1998), Unforgiven (2001)
, No Way Out (2005)
, Armageddon (2007)
, and the final pay-per-view; WWE Bragging Rights in 2009. The final WWE event was Raw on May 10, 2010. The weigh-in of the 2005 Bassmaster Classic
was held at the arena being globally televised by both ESPN
and ESPN2
.
Elvis Presley
played his final New Year's Eve show at the Civic Arena on December 31, 1976, and played to a sellout on June 25, 1973. The Beatles had their lone Pittsburgh concert to a sellout crowd at the arena on September 14, 1964. The arena has hosted other major concerts by every act from Frank Sinatra
to Garth Brooks
to Jimmy Page
/Robert Plant
.
The Doors
recorded their May 2, 1970 concert at the Civic Arena. This would be released 38 years later as "Live in Pittsburgh 1970" aka "Pittsburgh Civic Arena (The Doors album)
". It is considered by most music critics to be The Doors very best live recording.
The Grateful Dead
's performances, on April 2-3, 1989, were recorded and later released as a live album, entitled, Download Series Volume 9
, as well as sparking a riot by "Dead Heads" on the final day of the concert, an event that was national news and featured by Kurt Loder
on MTV News
following the arrest of 500 by the Pittsburgh Police
.
The World Heavyweight Title was fought at the arena on November 6, 1981 between Larry Holmes
and Renaldo Snipes
.
The final event was to be a Maxwell
concert on July 10, 2010. However, the show was canceled. On June 8, 2010, the arena's management group, SMG, announced that James Taylor
and Carole King
's Troubadour Reunion Tour
concert stop would be the final event at Mellon Arena on June 26, 2010.
(AHL) played home games at the Duquesne Gardens
, located in the Oakland
section of Pittsburgh. The team played 20 seasons in the Gardens prior to its demolition, which made room for an apartment building. The Arena opened on September 17, 1961. With the Arena available, the Hornets resumed play in the 1961–62 season
and went on to win the Calder Cup
in the 1966–67 season
.
, the city of Pittsburgh was selected to host one of six new franchises. With a hockey seating capacity
of 12,508, Pittsburgh's Mellon Arena was eight seats over the NHL's minimum seating benchmark. Due to its outward appearance, the Arena was nicknamed "The Igloo
" which led to the naming of the Penguins. The Penguins debuted at the Civic Arena on October 11, 1967 in a 2–1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens
. Andy Bathgate
scored the Penguins's first goal in the arena. It was the first NHL game played between an expansion team and an "Original Six" team. The Penguins won their first game at the Arena on October 21, when they became the first expansion team to beat an original NHL franchise—besting the Chicago Blackhawks 4–2. On January 21, 1990, the Civic Arena hosted the 41st National Hockey League All-Star Game
. Pittsburgh's Mario Lemieux
scored three goals on his first three shots—the first coming 21 seconds into the game. He later scored a fourth goal and was named the game's Most Valuable Player. The arena also hosted the 1997 NHL Entry Draft
, as well as games of the 1991
, 1992
, 2008
, and 2009 Stanley Cup Finals
. The 2008 Finals marked the only occasion that the Stanley Cup was presented on Mellon Arena ice, after the Penguins were defeated by the Detroit Red Wings
in six games.
The Penguins originally planned to wear a jersey patch to commemorate their final season in the Igloo, but it was later scrapped.
The Pittsburgh Penguins played their final regular season game at the Mellon Arena on April 8, 2010 when they defeated the New York Islanders 7-3. More than 50 former Penguins were in attendance for a pre-game ceremony and "team picture."
The Pittsburgh Penguins played their last game in Mellon Arena on May 12, 2010; a 5–2 defeat at the hands of the Montreal Canadiens
to eliminate them from the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs
in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. This means the Canadiens both opened and closed the Penguins' career at the arena, handing out defeats at both events.
every March. From 1978 to 1982 many of the current Big East Conference powers Atlantic 10 powers fought for their conference crown at the center. For the final season, the Mellon Arena hosted a record crowd of 16,056, the third-largest conference basketball championship crowd in the nation that year.
. On February 24, 1967 at the arena, Wilt Chamberlain
set the all-time record for consecutive NBA field goals as well as single NBA game field goal percentage, a record that still stands. The Arena also hosted dozens of pre-season NBA contests from the 1960s until 2009.
Pittsburgh Pipers from 1967 to 1968 and the Pittsburgh Condors
from 1970 to 1972.
The Pittsburgh Pipers were part of the inaugural season of the American Basketball Association in 1967-68, which quickly became equals and rivals to the older National Basketball Association. The Pipers, led by future Hall of Famer Connie Hawkins, would win the ABA's first ever championship over the New Orleans Buccaneers before a sold out crowd for Game 7 in the Civic Arena on May 4, 1968.
In the early days, The Pittsburgh Dome was also popular name choice, but nothing came of it.
In April 1988, city Councilman Mark Pollock proposed renaming it the Richard S. Caliguiri Arena, after the city's popular mayor who was diagnosed with amyloidosis
. Caliguiri died a month later, and nothing came of this name, either.
Allegheny County Commissioner Pete Flaherty believed that officially renaming the arena The Igloo would bring marketing potential in 1992. Again, the Civic Arena name stayed.
In 1997, the Penguins sold naming rights to Allegheny Energy
for $5 million, which would've renamed the arena Allegheny Energy Dome. However, the Penguins did not own the building nor its naming rights - the Sports Commission of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County did, and the deal fell through.
But, by 1999, this had changed. When Mario Lemieux bought the Penguins out of bankruptcy, the naming rights were also rewarded to him. They then sold the rights to Mellon Financial for $18 million, and the arena was finally renamed Mellon Arena.
The Mellon Arena name was let to expire on August 1, 2010, with the building now vacant and the Penguins moving to the new Consol Energy Center across the street. The closed building officially became the Civic Arena again.
. The Penguins played their first game at Consol Energy Center October 7, 2010.
On September 16, 2010 The Sports & Exhibition Authority (SEA) voted to demolish the Civic Arena, with no discussion. The vote by the seven-member board was unanimous. Board chairman Sen. Wayne Fontana, D-Brookline, said the board's decision doesn't have to be final — if someone comes forward with a better idea. During the first of seven meetings intended to collect and evaluate ideas for developing the 28 acres (113,312.1 m²) site, the demolition of the arena was stated as just being "one option", according to a SEA spokesman. Historic preservationists want to reuse the building, as a possible park and retail center. However the Penguins want to demolish it and find a developer to create a residential and retail district on the site. Penguins executives have said removing the arena would free up land near the Downtown business district. On January 20, 2010, SEA, the Arena's owner, declined to speculate whether the Penguins could challenge it in court if it decided to reuse the arena instead of demolishing it. SEA stated that if the structure was to be reused, it would be set up in a way that would benefit the redevelopment of the area.
A March 2007 agreement between the SEA and the Penguins states that Civic Arena would be demolished after completion of Consol Energy Center, in July 2010. However, SEA is currently conducting a historic assessment of the arena. It is currently eligible to appear on the National Register of Historic Places
mainly because of its unique, retractable dome. A private consultant to SEA was hired to conduct the survey. The consultant is to follow the state Historic and Museum Commission guidelines to determine whether demolishing the arena, or reusing it, would adversely affect historic structures or artifacts in the area. The recommendations of the consultant to SEA were scheduled to be delivered in June 2010.
On September 16, 2010, the Allegheny County Sports and Exhibition Authority voted unanimously to demolish the Civic Arena. However SEA Board chairman, State Senator
Wayne Fontana, D
-Brookline
, said the board's decision will not be final, unless someone comes forward with a better idea on the use of the Arena. Over the next few months, workers will remove asbestos from the building while a demolition plan is designed. The Board will sell assets from inside and likely award a demolition contract in February 2011. Proponents for retaining the building have vowed to fight the demolition decision in court, and continue to seek landmark status. On November 24, 2010, the building's demolition was delayed due to a last-minute nomination as a National Historic Landmark
. Also, on January 5, 2011, the Pittsburgh Historic Review Commission voted 5-1 in favor for preliminary approval of the arena's historic nomination status. The vote paved the way for a formal hearing on the proposed designation on March 2. The HRC ultimately voted against landmark status on March 2. After also failing to get historic status approval from City Planning and City Council, Preservation Pittsburgh filed a federal lawsuit in an another attempt to save the arena. The 3rd appeals court denied the lawsuit saying it had no jurisdiction in the matter, and demolition began Monday, September 26th 2011. The demolition is not a traditional type of demolition for sports arenas. The arena is being disassembled over time, and is expected to be complete in May of 2012.
Arena
An arena is an enclosed area, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theater, musical performances, or sporting events. It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the...
in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that is currently undergoing demolition. It was the first retractable roof
Retractable roof
A retractable roof is a kinetic architectural element used in many sports venues, in which a roof made of a suitable material can readily be mechanically deployed from some retracted or open position into a closed or extended position that completely covers the field of play and spectator areas...
major sports venue in the world, covering 170,000 sq. feet and constructed with just shy of 3,000 tons of Pittsburgh steel. It boasts the largest retractable, stainless steel dome roof in the world supported only by a massive 260 foot long cantilevered arm on the exterior.
Constructed in 1961, for use by the Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera
Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera
Pittsburgh Civic Light Opera is a nonprofit professional theater company based in the Cultural District of Downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA....
(CLO), the Civic Arena hosted numerous concerts, the circus, political and religious rallies, roller derbies as well as contests in hockey, basketball, fish tournament weigh-ins, tennis, boxing, wrestling, lacrosse, football, ice skating championships, kennel shows, and soccer. The structure has been used as the backdrop for several major Hollywood films.
It primarily served as the home to the Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
, the city's National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL) franchise.
It was formerly named for Mellon Financial
Mellon Financial
Mellon Financial Corporation, was one of the world's largest money management firms. Based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, it was in the business of institutional and high-net-worth-individual asset management, including the Dreyfus family of mutual funds; business banking; and shareholder and...
, which purchased the naming rights in 1999. Naming rights expired on August 1, 2010 and the arena once again is known as the Civic Arena.
The Civic Arena closed on June 26, 2010. The former Mellon naming rights expired soon after, and the Penguins and all other events moved across the street to the new Consol Energy Center. The arena's owner, the Sports & Exhibition Authority of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County, initially voted in September 2010 to demolish the building in 2011. However, in November 2010, the arena was nominated for historic status at the last minute, and demolition was delayed. A final vote by the Pittsburgh Historic Review Commission on the nomination was held on March 2, 2011. The result was the HRC declining the arena for historic status. After votes from City Planning and City Council also declined historic status, a federal lawsuit was filed by those who wish to save the arena in order to prevent its demolition. The 3rd appeals court denied the lawsuit and demolition began Monday, September 26th.
Construction and design
The US$United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
22 million ($ in dollars) arena was built for the CLO in 1961. Funding was provided by a combination of public and private money, including grants from Allegheny County, City of Pittsburgh, and Edgar J. Kaufmann
Edgar J. Kaufmann
Edgar J. Kaufmann was a prominent Jewish German-American businessman and philanthropist. He owned and directed Kaufmann's Department Store, the most prominent one in 20th century Pittsburgh and western Pennsylvania...
owner of Kaufmann's
Kaufmann's
Kaufmann's was a department store that originated in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was owned in the early 20th century by Edgar J. Kaufmann, patron of 'Fallingwater' and the Kaufmann's Desert House. In the post-war years the store became a regional chain in the eastern United States, and was last...
department store. The arena's design incorporated 2,950 tons of stainless steel
Stainless steel
In metallurgy, stainless steel, also known as inox steel or inox from French "inoxydable", is defined as a steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5 or 11% chromium content by mass....
from Pittsburgh. The Arena was designed for the CLO, which previously held productions at Pitt Stadium
Pitt Stadium
Pitt Stadium was a stadium located on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in the Oakland section of Pittsburgh in the U.S. state of Pennsylvania from 1925 to 1999. It served primarily as the home of the University of Pittsburgh's football team, the Pittsburgh Panthers...
. The roof, which is supported by a 260 feet (79.2 m) arch, is free of internal support leaving no obstruction for the seats within. The roof, which has a diameter of 415 feet (126.5 m), is divided into eight sections. Six of the sections could fold underneath two—in 2½ minutes—making the Civic Arena the world's first major indoor sports stadium with a retractable roof. A total of 42 trucks mounted on 78 wheels, 30 of which are individually driven, support and move the six moveable sections. The trucks, gear motors and 480-volt AC motor drive that moves the roof sections were designed and manufactured by Heyl & Patterson Inc.
Heyl & Patterson Inc.
Heyl & Patterson Inc. is an American specialist engineering company, founded in 1887 and based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.-19th Century:Heyl & Patterson was founded by Edmund W. Heyl and William J. Patterson in downtown Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, initially as a sales agency for elevator and...
, a local specialist engineering firm. The stadium's capacity fluctuates depending on the event being hosted, but has increased due to additions between 1972 and 1991. The arena originally consisted only of lower bowl seating, but over time, upper decks were installed in the arena's "end zones" to increase capacity. In December 1999, Mellon Financial
Mellon Financial
Mellon Financial Corporation, was one of the world's largest money management firms. Based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, it was in the business of institutional and high-net-worth-individual asset management, including the Dreyfus family of mutual funds; business banking; and shareholder and...
purchased the Arena's naming rights in a 10 year, $18 million agreement, which renamed the arena Mellon Arena.
History and events
On September 17, 1961, the Ice CapadesIce Capades
The Ice Capades was a traveling entertainment show featuring theatrical performances involving ice skating. Shows often featured former Olympicand National Champion figure skaters who had retired from amateur competition....
hosted the arena's first event.
Major political rallies were part of the early history of the arena with the most attended being the campaign address by Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
on October 27, 1964.
Sporting events including roller hockey, boxing matches including Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali
Muhammad Ali is an American former professional boxer, philanthropist and social activist...
(Knockout on January 24, 1963), Sugar Ray Robinson
Sugar Ray Robinson
Sugar Ray Robinson was an African-American professional boxer. Frequently cited as the greatest boxer of all time, Robinson's performances in the welterweight and middleweight divisions prompted sportswriters to create "pound for pound" rankings, where they compared fighters regardless of weight...
, Sonny Liston
Sonny Liston
Charles L. "Sonny" Liston was a professional boxer and ex-convict known for his toughness, punching power, and intimidating appearance who became world heavyweight champion in 1962 by knocking out Floyd Patterson in the first round...
and Floyd Patterson
Floyd Patterson
Floyd Patterson was an American heavyweight boxer and former undisputed heavyweight champion. At 21, Patterson became the youngest man to win the world heavyweight title. He was also the first heavyweight boxer to regain the title. He had a record of 55 wins 8 losses and 1 draw, with 40 wins by...
as well as Roller Derby
Roller derby
Roller derby is a contact sport played by two teams of five members roller skating in the same direction around a track. Game play consists of a series of short matchups in which both teams designate a scoring player who scores points by lapping members of the opposing team...
featuring the hosting New York Chiefs took place at the Arena. America's first high school basketball All-Star game, The Dapper Dan Roundball Classic
Roundball Classic
The Roundball Classic, originally known as The Dapper Dan Roundball Classic is well known in the sports world as the first national high school All Star basketball game...
was held there annually between 1965 and 1992. The University of Pittsburgh
University of Pittsburgh
The University of Pittsburgh, commonly referred to as Pitt, is a state-related research university located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded as Pittsburgh Academy in 1787 on what was then the American frontier, Pitt is one of the oldest continuously chartered institutions of...
and Duquesne University
Duquesne University
Duquesne University of the Holy Spirit is a private Catholic university in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. Founded by members of the Congregation of the Holy Spirit, Duquesne first opened its doors as the Pittsburgh Catholic College of the Holy Ghost in October 1878 with an enrollment of...
, Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
, Pittsburgh Pipers, Pittsburgh Condors
Pittsburgh Condors
The Pittsburgh Condors were a professional basketball team in the original American Basketball Association. Originally called the Pittsburgh Pipers, they were a charter franchise of the ABA...
, Pittsburgh Rens
Pittsburgh Rens
The Pittsburgh Rens were an American basketball team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that was a member of the American Basketball League. The founder of the ABL, Abe Saperstein, was the owner of the Harlem Globetrotters who had competed for many decades against the New York Rens and eventually...
, Pittsburgh Piranhas
Pittsburgh Piranhas
The Pittsburgh Piranhas, were a semi-pro basketball team, that began play in 1994 as part of the Continental Basketball Association. The team played all of its home games at the A.J. Palumbo Center located on the campus of Duquesne University in Pittsburgh...
, and the Harlem Globetrotters
Harlem Globetrotters
The Harlem Globetrotters are an exhibition basketball team that combines athleticism, theater and comedy. The executive offices for the team are currently in downtown Phoenix, Arizona; the team is owned by Shamrock Holdings, which oversees the various investments of the Roy E. Disney family.Over...
hosted regular-season basketball games at the Arena. World TeamTennis
World TeamTennis
World TeamTennis is a coed professional tennis league played with a unique team format in the United States. Each match consists of five sets. Each set features a different configuration . Coaches, before the match, decide the order in which the sets will be played...
and the Pittsburgh Spirit
Pittsburgh Spirit
Pittsburgh Spirit were an indoor soccer team based out of Pittsburgh and were one of the original six teams that played in the Major Indoor Soccer League...
Major Indoor Soccer League team also hosted matches at the Arena. The 1983 United States Figure Skating Championships
1983 United States Figure Skating Championships
The U.S. Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition organzied by the United States Figure Skating Association. In addition to determining the national champions, the event was used to determine the U.S. teams for the World Figure Skating Championships. Skaters competed...
and first and second round games of both the 1997
1997 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 1997 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 64 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 13, 1997, and ended with the championship game on March 31 in Indianapolis, Indiana...
and 2002 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
2002 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament
The 2002 NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Tournament involved 65 schools playing in single-elimination play to determine the national champion of men's NCAA Division I college basketball. It began on March 12, 2002, and ended with the championship game on April 1 in Atlanta, Georgia...
s were held at the Arena. World Wrestling Entertainment
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...
has frequently been to the Arena over the years. WWE Raw
WWE RAW
WWE Raw ) is a sports entertainment television program for WWE that currently airs on the USA Network in the United States...
and WWE SmackDown have taken place there. Six pay-per-views have also taken place at the Mellon Arena: SummerSlam (1995)
SummerSlam (1995)
SummerSlam was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by the World Wrestling Federation . It was the eighth annual SummerSlam event. It took place on August 27, 1995 at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania....
, King of the Ring (1998), Unforgiven (2001)
Unforgiven (2001)
Unforgiven 2001 was the fourth Unforgiven professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Federation . The event took place on September 23, 2001 at the Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
, No Way Out (2005)
No Way Out (2005)
No Way Out was the seventh annual No Way Out pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment . It took place on February 20, 2005 from the Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania....
, Armageddon (2007)
Armageddon (2007)
Armageddon was a professional wrestling pay-per-view event produced by World Wrestling Entertainment , which took place on December 16, 2007 at the Mellon Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It was the eighth event produced under the Armageddon name and starred wrestlers from the Raw,...
, and the final pay-per-view; WWE Bragging Rights in 2009. The final WWE event was Raw on May 10, 2010. The weigh-in of the 2005 Bassmaster Classic
Bassmaster Classic
The Bassmaster Classic is a competition in professional bass fishing. It was first held in 1971 on Lake Mead, Nevada. Originally it was a fall event , but it switched to the summer in 1984 and then to the late winter in 2006...
was held at the arena being globally televised by both ESPN
ESPN
Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
and ESPN2
ESPN2
ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
.
Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
played his final New Year's Eve show at the Civic Arena on December 31, 1976, and played to a sellout on June 25, 1973. The Beatles had their lone Pittsburgh concert to a sellout crowd at the arena on September 14, 1964. The arena has hosted other major concerts by every act from Frank Sinatra
Frank Sinatra
Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra was an American singer and actor.Beginning his musical career in the swing era with Harry James and Tommy Dorsey, Sinatra became an unprecedentedly successful solo artist in the early to mid-1940s, after being signed to Columbia Records in 1943. Being the idol of the...
to Garth Brooks
Garth Brooks
Troyal Garth Brooks , best known as Garth Brooks, is an American country music artist who helped make country music a worldwide phenomenon. His eponymous first album was released in 1989 and peaked at number 2 in the US country album chart while climbing to number 13 on the Billboard 200 album chart...
to Jimmy Page
Jimmy Page
James Patrick "Jimmy" Page, OBE is an English multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer. He began his career as a studio session guitarist in London and was subsequently a member of The Yardbirds from 1966 to 1968, after which he founded the English rock band Led Zeppelin.Jimmy Page...
/Robert Plant
Robert Plant
Robert Anthony Plant, CBE is an English singer and songwriter best known as the vocalist and lyricist of the iconic rock band Led Zeppelin. He has also had a successful solo career...
.
The Doors
The Doors
The Doors were an American rock band formed in 1965 in Los Angeles, California, with vocalist Jim Morrison, keyboardist Ray Manzarek, drummer John Densmore, and guitarist Robby Krieger...
recorded their May 2, 1970 concert at the Civic Arena. This would be released 38 years later as "Live in Pittsburgh 1970" aka "Pittsburgh Civic Arena (The Doors album)
Pittsburgh Civic Arena (The Doors album)
Live Pittsburgh Civic Arena is a live album by The Doors released in 2008. The concert was recorded in Pittsburgh at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena on May 2, 1970....
". It is considered by most music critics to be The Doors very best live recording.
The Grateful Dead
Grateful Dead
The Grateful Dead was an American rock band formed in 1965 in the San Francisco Bay Area. The band was known for its unique and eclectic style, which fused elements of rock, folk, bluegrass, blues, reggae, country, improvisational jazz, psychedelia, and space rock, and for live performances of long...
's performances, on April 2-3, 1989, were recorded and later released as a live album, entitled, Download Series Volume 9
Grateful Dead Download Series Volume 9
Volume 9 is the ninth in a series of live digital downloads of the band the Grateful Dead released by The Grateful Dead Productions. It was released on January 3, 2006 and is a four disc release of a complete shows the band performed on April 2 & 3, 1989 at Pittsburgh's Civic Arena...
, as well as sparking a riot by "Dead Heads" on the final day of the concert, an event that was national news and featured by Kurt Loder
Kurt Loder
Kurt Loder is an American film critic, author, columnist, and television personality. He served in the 1980s as editor at Rolling Stone, during a tenure that Reason later called "legendary". He has contributed to articles in Reason, Esquire, Details, New York, and Time. He has also made cameos on...
on MTV News
MTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
following the arrest of 500 by the Pittsburgh Police
Pittsburgh Police
The Pittsburgh Police, or officially the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police, is the largest law enforcement agency in Western Pennsylvania and the third largest in Pennsylvania...
.
The World Heavyweight Title was fought at the arena on November 6, 1981 between Larry Holmes
Larry Holmes
Larry Holmes is a former professional boxer. He grew up in Easton, Pennsylvania, which gave birth to his boxing nickname, The Easton Assassin....
and Renaldo Snipes
Renaldo Snipes
Renaldo Snipes, born Reenaold Snipes on August 15, 1956 in Houston, Texas, is an accomplished American boxer, best known for his title championship bout with Larry Holmes.-Amateur career:...
.
The final event was to be a Maxwell
Maxwell (musician)
Maxwell , is an American R&B, funk and neo soul musician. He played an important role in the development of the soul sub-genre, neo-soul.-Early life:...
concert on July 10, 2010. However, the show was canceled. On June 8, 2010, the arena's management group, SMG, announced that James Taylor
James Taylor
James Vernon Taylor is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A five-time Grammy Award winner, Taylor was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2000....
and Carole King
Carole King
Carole King is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. King and her former husband Gerry Goffin wrote more than two dozen chart hits for numerous artists during the 1960s, many of which have become standards. As a singer, King had an album, Tapestry, top the U.S...
's Troubadour Reunion Tour
Troubadour Reunion Tour
The Troubadour Reunion Tour was a 2010 international concert tour by Carole King and James Taylor. It celebrated the 40th anniversary of their first performance together at The Troubadour in November 1970, and was a continuation of their reunion at the Troubadour in November 2007.-History:The tour...
concert stop would be the final event at Mellon Arena on June 26, 2010.
Hockey
AHL Hornets
The Pittsburgh Hornets, members of the American Hockey LeagueAmerican Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
(AHL) played home games at the Duquesne Gardens
Duquesne Gardens
Duquesne Gardens was the main sports arena located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA during the first half of the 20th century. It opened 3 years after a fire destroyed the city's prior sports arena, the Schenley Park Casino, in 1896. The arena was the first hockey rink to use glass above the dasher...
, located in the Oakland
Oakland (Pittsburgh)
Oakland is the academic, cultural, and healthcare center of Pittsburgh and is Pennsylvania's third largest "Downtown". Only Center City Philadelphia and Downtown Pittsburgh can claim more economic and social activity than Oakland...
section of Pittsburgh. The team played 20 seasons in the Gardens prior to its demolition, which made room for an apartment building. The Arena opened on September 17, 1961. With the Arena available, the Hornets resumed play in the 1961–62 season
1961–62 AHL season
The 1961–62 AHL season was the 26th season of the American Hockey League. The league initiates the James C. Hendy Memorial Award for outstanding team or league executives. The league resumes East and West Divisions. The John D. Chick Trophy is first awarded for the West Division champions of the...
and went on to win the Calder Cup
Calder Cup
The Calder Cup is awarded annually to the playoff champion of the American Hockey League. The trophy is the world's second oldest continuous professional ice hockey championship, having first been awarded in 1937 following the 1936-37 AHL season, and continuously being awarded every year.The cup...
in the 1966–67 season
1966–67 AHL season
The 1966–67 AHL season was the 31st season of the American Hockey League. Nine teams played 72 games each in the schedule. The Pittsburgh Hornets finished first overall in the regular season, and won their first Calder Cup championship since being resurrected in 1961–62...
.
Penguins
As part of the 1967 NHL expansion1967 NHL expansion
The National Hockey League undertook a major expansion for the 1967–68 season, adding six new franchises to double the size of the league. This marked the first change in the composition of the league since 1942, when the Brooklyn Americans folded. Thus, the expansion ended the era of the Original...
, the city of Pittsburgh was selected to host one of six new franchises. With a hockey seating capacity
Seating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
of 12,508, Pittsburgh's Mellon Arena was eight seats over the NHL's minimum seating benchmark. Due to its outward appearance, the Arena was nicknamed "The Igloo
Igloo
An igloo or snowhouse is a type of shelter built of snow, originally built by the Inuit....
" which led to the naming of the Penguins. The Penguins debuted at the Civic Arena on October 11, 1967 in a 2–1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
. Andy Bathgate
Andy Bathgate
Andrew James Bathgate is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey centre who played 17 seasons in the National Hockey League for the New York Rangers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins.-Playing career:...
scored the Penguins's first goal in the arena. It was the first NHL game played between an expansion team and an "Original Six" team. The Penguins won their first game at the Arena on October 21, when they became the first expansion team to beat an original NHL franchise—besting the Chicago Blackhawks 4–2. On January 21, 1990, the Civic Arena hosted the 41st National Hockey League All-Star Game
41st National Hockey League All-Star Game
The 41st National Hockey League All-Star Game was held in Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, home to the Pittsburgh Penguins, on January 21, 1990. The game saw the team of all-stars from the Wales conference defeat the Campbell conference all-stars 12–7...
. Pittsburgh's Mario Lemieux
Mario Lemieux
Mario Lemieux, OC, CQ is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He is acknowledged to be one of the best players of all time. He played 17 seasons as a forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League between 1984 and 2006...
scored three goals on his first three shots—the first coming 21 seconds into the game. He later scored a fourth goal and was named the game's Most Valuable Player. The arena also hosted the 1997 NHL Entry Draft
1997 NHL Entry Draft
The 1997 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Civic Arena in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on 21 June 1997.-Selections by round:Club teams are located in North America unless otherwise noted.- Round one :-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:...
, as well as games of the 1991
1991 Stanley Cup Finals
The 1991 Stanley Cup Final NHL championship series was contested by the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Minnesota North Stars. It was the Penguins' first Final series appearance and their first Stanley Cup victory. As of 2011, this is the first and only Stanley Cup Final to feature two teams from the...
, 1992
1992 Stanley Cup Finals
The 1992 Stanley Cup Final NHL championship series was contested by the Prince of Wales Conference and defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins and the Clarence Campbell Conference champion Chicago Blackhawks. The Blackhawks were making their first appearance in the Final since...
, 2008
2008 Stanley Cup Finals
The 2008 Stanley Cup Final was a best-of-seven playoff series that determined the National Hockey League champion for the 2007–08 season. As a culmination of the 2008 Stanley Cup playoffs, the Western Conference champion Detroit Red Wings defeated the Eastern Conference champion Pittsburgh...
, and 2009 Stanley Cup Finals
2009 Stanley Cup Finals
The Red Wings took Game 1, 3–1, as three different Detroit players scored goals off of unusual bounces. The first period featured back and forth action, with each team having a variety of chances...
. The 2008 Finals marked the only occasion that the Stanley Cup was presented on Mellon Arena ice, after the Penguins were defeated by the Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
in six games.
The Penguins originally planned to wear a jersey patch to commemorate their final season in the Igloo, but it was later scrapped.
The Pittsburgh Penguins played their final regular season game at the Mellon Arena on April 8, 2010 when they defeated the New York Islanders 7-3. More than 50 former Penguins were in attendance for a pre-game ceremony and "team picture."
The Pittsburgh Penguins played their last game in Mellon Arena on May 12, 2010; a 5–2 defeat at the hands of the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
to eliminate them from the 2010 Stanley Cup Playoffs
2010 Stanley Cup playoffs
The 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs of the National Hockey League began on April 14, 2010, after the 2009–10 NHL regular season. The Finals ended on June 9, 2010, with the Chicago Blackhawks defeating the Philadelphia Flyers four games to two to win their fourth championship and their first since 1961...
in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. This means the Canadiens both opened and closed the Penguins' career at the arena, handing out defeats at both events.
NCAA Tournaments
The Civic Arena hosted the first and second round regional games of both the 1997 and 2002 NCAA Men's Tournament. The arena's successor Consol Energy Center is scheduled to host them in 2012. It also hosted the women's first and second round games in 2001.Eastern Eight Championships
For five seasons the arena hosted the Eastern 8 Conference Men's Basketball TournamentAtlantic 10 Men's Basketball Tournament
The Atlantic 10 Conference Men's Basketball Tournament is the conference championship tournament in men's basketball for the Atlantic 10 Conference . The tournament has been held every year since 1977. It is a single-elimination tournament, and seeding is based on regular season records...
every March. From 1978 to 1982 many of the current Big East Conference powers Atlantic 10 powers fought for their conference crown at the center. For the final season, the Mellon Arena hosted a record crowd of 16,056, the third-largest conference basketball championship crowd in the nation that year.
NBA Regular Season Games
Between 1964 and 1973 the arena hosted 14 regular season NBA games, primarily as a satellite city for the Philadelphia 76ersPhiladelphia 76ers
The Philadelphia 76ers are a professional basketball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They play in the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . Originally known as the Syracuse Nationals, they are one of the oldest franchises in the NBA...
. On February 24, 1967 at the arena, Wilt Chamberlain
Wilt Chamberlain
Wilton Norman "Wilt" Chamberlain was an American professional NBA basketball player for the Philadelphia/San Francisco Warriors, the Philadelphia 76ers and the Los Angeles Lakers; he also played for the Harlem Globetrotters prior to playing in the NBA...
set the all-time record for consecutive NBA field goals as well as single NBA game field goal percentage, a record that still stands. The Arena also hosted dozens of pre-season NBA contests from the 1960s until 2009.
ABA Pipers and Condors
The arena was the home court for the ABAAmerican Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
Pittsburgh Pipers from 1967 to 1968 and the Pittsburgh Condors
Pittsburgh Condors
The Pittsburgh Condors were a professional basketball team in the original American Basketball Association. Originally called the Pittsburgh Pipers, they were a charter franchise of the ABA...
from 1970 to 1972.
The Pittsburgh Pipers were part of the inaugural season of the American Basketball Association in 1967-68, which quickly became equals and rivals to the older National Basketball Association. The Pipers, led by future Hall of Famer Connie Hawkins, would win the ABA's first ever championship over the New Orleans Buccaneers before a sold out crowd for Game 7 in the Civic Arena on May 4, 1968.
Naming
In 1957, before the arena was opened, the under-construction building was officially known as the Civic Auditorium Amphitheater. By 1961, when it opened, Pittsburgh sign makers had decided that Civic Arena fit better on street signs, and the new, shorter name stuck. Still though, for the few years after it opened, it was sometimes referred to as the Civic Auditorium.In the early days, The Pittsburgh Dome was also popular name choice, but nothing came of it.
In April 1988, city Councilman Mark Pollock proposed renaming it the Richard S. Caliguiri Arena, after the city's popular mayor who was diagnosed with amyloidosis
Amyloidosis
In medicine, amyloidosis refers to a variety of conditions whereby the body produces "bad proteins", denoted as amyloid proteins, which are abnormally deposited in organs and/or tissues and cause harm. A protein is described as being amyloid if, due to an alteration in its secondary structure, it...
. Caliguiri died a month later, and nothing came of this name, either.
Allegheny County Commissioner Pete Flaherty believed that officially renaming the arena The Igloo would bring marketing potential in 1992. Again, the Civic Arena name stayed.
In 1997, the Penguins sold naming rights to Allegheny Energy
Allegheny Energy
Allegheny Energy is an electric utility headquartered in Greensburg, Pennsylvania. It owns and operates electric generation facilities and delivers electric services to customers in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Maryland, and Virginia...
for $5 million, which would've renamed the arena Allegheny Energy Dome. However, the Penguins did not own the building nor its naming rights - the Sports Commission of Pittsburgh and Allegheny County did, and the deal fell through.
But, by 1999, this had changed. When Mario Lemieux bought the Penguins out of bankruptcy, the naming rights were also rewarded to him. They then sold the rights to Mellon Financial for $18 million, and the arena was finally renamed Mellon Arena.
The Mellon Arena name was let to expire on August 1, 2010, with the building now vacant and the Penguins moving to the new Consol Energy Center across the street. The closed building officially became the Civic Arena again.
Replacement, debate, and demolition
At its closing in 2010, the Civic Arena was the oldest and third smallest arena in the NHL by official capacity (the Islanders and Oilers arenas seat fewer). In later years, the arena's staff was forced to use space for multiple purposes never intended in the building's original design. The Penguins franchise agreed to a deal with city and state officials to fund a new home arena for the franchise in March 2007. The Consol Energy Center is located across the street from the site of Mellon Arena and has a higher seating capacitySeating capacity
Seating capacity refers to the number of people who can be seated in a specific space, both in terms of the physical space available, and in terms of limitations set by law. Seating capacity can be used in the description of anything ranging from an automobile that seats two to a stadium that seats...
. The Penguins played their first game at Consol Energy Center October 7, 2010.
On September 16, 2010 The Sports & Exhibition Authority (SEA) voted to demolish the Civic Arena, with no discussion. The vote by the seven-member board was unanimous. Board chairman Sen. Wayne Fontana, D-Brookline, said the board's decision doesn't have to be final — if someone comes forward with a better idea. During the first of seven meetings intended to collect and evaluate ideas for developing the 28 acres (113,312.1 m²) site, the demolition of the arena was stated as just being "one option", according to a SEA spokesman. Historic preservationists want to reuse the building, as a possible park and retail center. However the Penguins want to demolish it and find a developer to create a residential and retail district on the site. Penguins executives have said removing the arena would free up land near the Downtown business district. On January 20, 2010, SEA, the Arena's owner, declined to speculate whether the Penguins could challenge it in court if it decided to reuse the arena instead of demolishing it. SEA stated that if the structure was to be reused, it would be set up in a way that would benefit the redevelopment of the area.
A March 2007 agreement between the SEA and the Penguins states that Civic Arena would be demolished after completion of Consol Energy Center, in July 2010. However, SEA is currently conducting a historic assessment of the arena. It is currently eligible to appear on the National Register of Historic Places
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places is the United States government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects deemed worthy of preservation...
mainly because of its unique, retractable dome. A private consultant to SEA was hired to conduct the survey. The consultant is to follow the state Historic and Museum Commission guidelines to determine whether demolishing the arena, or reusing it, would adversely affect historic structures or artifacts in the area. The recommendations of the consultant to SEA were scheduled to be delivered in June 2010.
On September 16, 2010, the Allegheny County Sports and Exhibition Authority voted unanimously to demolish the Civic Arena. However SEA Board chairman, State Senator
Pennsylvania State Senate
The Pennsylvania State Senate has been meeting since 1791. It is the upper house of the Pennsylvania General Assembly, the Pennsylvania state legislature. The State Senate meets in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. Senators are elected for four year terms, staggered every two years such...
Wayne Fontana, D
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
-Brookline
Brookline (Pittsburgh)
-Early settlement:Brookline was a part of the larger West Liberty Borough before its absorption intoPittsburgh in 1908. Early in its history, the area was mostly inhabited by miners and farmers...
, said the board's decision will not be final, unless someone comes forward with a better idea on the use of the Arena. Over the next few months, workers will remove asbestos from the building while a demolition plan is designed. The Board will sell assets from inside and likely award a demolition contract in February 2011. Proponents for retaining the building have vowed to fight the demolition decision in court, and continue to seek landmark status. On November 24, 2010, the building's demolition was delayed due to a last-minute nomination as a National Historic Landmark
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark is a building, site, structure, object, or district, that is officially recognized by the United States government for its historical significance...
. Also, on January 5, 2011, the Pittsburgh Historic Review Commission voted 5-1 in favor for preliminary approval of the arena's historic nomination status. The vote paved the way for a formal hearing on the proposed designation on March 2. The HRC ultimately voted against landmark status on March 2. After also failing to get historic status approval from City Planning and City Council, Preservation Pittsburgh filed a federal lawsuit in an another attempt to save the arena. The 3rd appeals court denied the lawsuit saying it had no jurisdiction in the matter, and demolition began Monday, September 26th 2011. The demolition is not a traditional type of demolition for sports arenas. The arena is being disassembled over time, and is expected to be complete in May of 2012.
Use as a filming location
Civic Arena has served as a filming location for several major Hollywood productions including:- The Fish that Saved PittsburghThe Fish That Saved PittsburghThe Fish That Saved Pittsburgh is an American sports/fantasy comedy film that was released in 1979. The movie was directed by Gilbert Moses and co-produced by David Dashev and Gary Stromberg. It was produced by Lorimar and distributed by United Artists. The rights to the film are currently owned by...
, a 1979 basketball film starring Flip WilsonFlip WilsonClerow Wilson, Jr. , known professionally as Flip Wilson, was an American comedian and actor. In the early 1970s, Wilson hosted his own weekly variety series, The Flip Wilson Show...
, Stockard ChanningStockard ChanningStockard Channing is an American stage, film and television actress. She is known for her portrayal of First Lady Abbey Bartlet in the NBC television series The West Wing; for playing Betty Rizzo in the film Grease; and for her role as Ouisa Kittredge in the play Six Degrees of Separation and its...
, and Julius ErvingJulius ErvingJulius Winfield Erving II , commonly known by the nickname Dr. J, is a retired American basketball player who helped launch a modern style of play that emphasizes leaping and play above the rim....
as members of the fictional Pittsburgh Pisces NBA team. - Sudden DeathSudden Death (film)Sudden Death is a 1995 American action film starring Jean-Claude Van Damme and Powers Boothe. The film's story was written by Karen Elise Baldwin, the wife of then-Penguins owner Howard Baldwin. It also features Dorian Harewood and Raymond J. Barry, and is directed by Peter Hyams. It has been...
, a 1995 film starring Jean-Claude Van DammeJean-Claude Van DammeJean-Claude Camille François Van Varenberg , professionally known as Jean-Claude Van Damme, is a Belgian martial artist and actor, best known for his martial arts action films, the most successful of which include Bloodsport , Kickboxer , Double Impact , Universal Soldier , Hard Target , Timecop ,...
as a retired Pittsburgh firefighterPittsburgh Fire BureauThe Pittsburgh Bureau of Fire is the 630-strong fire department of the City of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania. The Bureau dates its history back to September 12, 1793, with the initial purchase of a fire engine and the opening of a fire station at the corner of First Avenue and Market Street in...
who tries to save the Vice President from terrorists during the pivotal Game 7 of the Stanley CupStanley CupThe Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
finals. - Rock StarRock Star (2001 film)Rock Star is a 2001 American comedy-drama film directed by Stephen Herek and starring Mark Wahlberg and Jennifer Aniston. It tells the story of Chris "Izzy" Cole, a tribute band singer whose ascendance to the position of lead vocalist of his favorite band was inspired by the real-life story of Tim...
, a 2001 film starring Mark WahlbergMark WahlbergMark Robert Michael Wahlberg is an American actor, film and television producer, and former rapper. He was known as Marky Mark in his earlier years, and became famous for his 1991 debut as a musician with the band Marky Mark and the Funky Bunch. He was named No. 1 on VH1's 40 Hottest Hotties of...
as a musician heading to the Pittsburgh arena for a concert in 1987. - Zach and Miri Make a Porno, a 2008 Kevin SmithKevin SmithKevin Patrick Smith is an American screenwriter, actor, film producer, and director, as well as a popular comic book writer, author, comedian/raconteur, and internet radio personality best recognized by viewers as Silent Bob...
film; one of the final scenes is shot outside the arena. - She's Out of My LeagueShe's Out of My LeagueShe's Out of My League is a 2010 American romantic comedy film directed by Jim Field Smith and written by Sean Anders and John Morris. The film has, in its starring roles, Jay Baruchel and Alice Eve, and was produced by Jimmy Miller for Paramount Pictures and DreamWorks and filmed in Pittsburgh,...
, a 2010 romantic comedy; the arena and the Pittsburgh Penguins are featured as the backdrop to a date night.