North Charleston Coliseum
Encyclopedia
The North Charleston Coliseum is a 14,000-seat multi-purpose arena
in North Charleston, South Carolina
. It is part of the North Charleston Convention Center Complex, which also includes a Performing Arts Center, and is owned by the City of North Charleston and managed by SMG. The Coliseum was built in 1993 (the Performing Arts Center and Convention Center opened in 1999), and is located on the access road to the Charleston International Airport
.
The Coliseum is home to the ECHL
's South Carolina Stingrays
professional ice hockey team and serves as an alternate home for the Charleston Southern University
basketball team. It is the area's primary venue for concerts and other major indoor events expected to draw large crowds. The Coliseum is currently undergoing an expansion project intended to increase concourse space, provide additional points of sale, and create venues for banquets, receptions, and other smaller-scale events.
, a minor professional ice hockey
team that plays in the ECHL
. When construction first began on the arena there were no plans to include ice-making equipment. However, after an ECHL franchise application for the city of North Charleston had been pre-approved by the league in April 1992, the city council approved the funds required for the installation of an ice surface into the building that was already well under construction. The Stingrays began play there for the 1993–94 ECHL season.
It is the alternate home arena for the Charleston Southern University
basketball team. Typically, Charleston Southern University uses the Coliseum for non-conference games that draw audiences greater than their home arena's 798-seat capacity, such as cross-town rivals College of Charleston and The Citadel. Furthermore, its size allows them to play major conference teams such as Virginia Tech at home (some major conference arenas do not seat 10,000). In addition, The North Charleston Coliseum has hosted the Big South Conference
(1993–94) and the Southern Conference
basketball tournaments.
The Coliseum has previously hosted arena
and indoor football teams, as well as an NBA Development League
team.
pay-per-view (1996), WCW Uncensored (1997), Shania Twain
(2004), PBR Built Ford Tough Series
(2006), Wheel of Fortune
(2006), and American Idol
auditions (2007, 2011).
Other major concerts and events have included Oprah Winfrey
(2006), Walking with Dinosaurs
(2008), Kid Rock
(2008, 2011) The Dave Matthews Band (since 2005), Katy Perry
(2011), Kenny Chesney
(2011) and Prince
(2011).
, who owned the 400-acre Centre Pointe development tract, donated 30 acres of that land valued at approximately $100,000 an acre to the city for construction of the coliseum. The coliseum was originally planned to be part of a redevelopment dubbed "City Center," which was to include the coliseum, a convention center, a performing arts center, a transportation hub, a library, an art gallery and museum, an arts school, parking garages, and scenic park areas, and was to have been completed by 2000. As of June 2011, only the coliseum, convention center, and performing arts center have been completed.
In September 1988, the city considered five architectural firms for design and supervision of the coliseum's construction, eventually settling on Odell Associates, Inc. City Council approved a $25 million budget for design and construction of the coliseum and by February 1991 accepted a $19.8 million bid for the construction contract by McDevitt and Street Co. of Charlotte, NC
. Construction began on April 29, 1991, with an estimated completion time of 20 months. In September 1992, the City Council approved $879,000 to fund installation of an ice rink in the coliseum, which at that time was scheduled for completion by December 26 of that year. The ECHL
Board of Governors met in November 1992 to vote on bringing a hockey franchise (whose application had been pre-approved that April) to the Charleston area. At that meeting, the league approved creation of the expansion franchise
for the 1993–94 ECHL season, giving the coliseum its first professional sports team as a tenant.
star Alan Jackson
, for which the traffic problems were reduced due to early arrivals and improved traffic direction. The city expedited the expansion of available parking spaces from 4,000 to 5,030 soon after.
volunteer from Columbia, SC
. Coliseum officials believed the issue was with the board's hoisting mechanism, which was manufactured by a New Jersey company that had recently experienced hoist failures in two of its mechanisms, one resulting in a scoreboard dropping to the floor. The fall also caused a crack in the coliseum floor, but it was repaired and no damage was found to have been done to the piping system that makes ice for the coliseum floor. Garrett's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the company that manufactured the scoreboard, the company that had recently inspected and passed the scoreboard, and Ogden Entertainment, the coliseum's managing company. The lawsuit was settled for $3.5 million. An upgraded scoreboard featuring improved video panels and a safer hoisting setup was installed in October 1999.
. Aramark urged city officials to transfer management of the coliseum to SMG, of which Aramark was a half owner at the time, in an effort to leverage SMG's entertainment industry connections to bring more concerts to the area. In an effort to bolster attendance at the coliseum, which had been operating at a loss for two years, SMG took over management of the coliseum in late 2001, agreeing to construct a large freestanding marquee visible from Interstate 526
as part of the management contract.
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 North Charleston, South Carolina
North Charleston, South Carolina
North Charleston is the 3rd largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina with incorporated areas in Berkeley, Charleston, and Dorchester counties. On June 12, 1972 the city of North Charleston incorporated and was the 9th largest city in South Carolina. According to the 2010 Census, North...
. It is part of the North Charleston Convention Center Complex, which also includes a Performing Arts Center, and is owned by the City of North Charleston and managed by SMG. The Coliseum was built in 1993 (the Performing Arts Center and Convention Center opened in 1999), and is located on the access road to the Charleston International Airport
Charleston International Airport
Charleston International Airport is a joint civil-military airport located in the city of North Charleston, Charleston County, South Carolina, USA. The airport serves the needs of the entire South Carolina Lowcountry. The airport has two runways and is operated under a joint-use agreement with...
.
The Coliseum is home to the ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
's South Carolina Stingrays
South Carolina Stingrays
The South Carolina Stingrays are a professional minor league ice hockey team based in North Charleston, South Carolina. The Stingrays play in the South Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference. They play their home games at the North Charleston Coliseum. The Carolina Ice Palace, also located in...
professional ice hockey team and serves as an alternate home for the Charleston Southern University
Charleston Southern University
Charleston Southern University, founded in 1964 as Baptist College, is an independent comprehensive university located in North Charleston, South Carolina. Charleston Southern enrolls a maximum of 3,200 students. Affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention, the university's mission is...
basketball team. It is the area's primary venue for concerts and other major indoor events expected to draw large crowds. The Coliseum is currently undergoing an expansion project intended to increase concourse space, provide additional points of sale, and create venues for banquets, receptions, and other smaller-scale events.
Tenants
The Coliseum is the current home of the South Carolina StingraysSouth Carolina Stingrays
The South Carolina Stingrays are a professional minor league ice hockey team based in North Charleston, South Carolina. The Stingrays play in the South Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference. They play their home games at the North Charleston Coliseum. The Carolina Ice Palace, also located in...
, a minor professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
team that plays in the ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
. When construction first began on the arena there were no plans to include ice-making equipment. However, after an ECHL franchise application for the city of North Charleston had been pre-approved by the league in April 1992, the city council approved the funds required for the installation of an ice surface into the building that was already well under construction. The Stingrays began play there for the 1993–94 ECHL season.
It is the alternate home arena for the Charleston Southern University
Charleston Southern University
Charleston Southern University, founded in 1964 as Baptist College, is an independent comprehensive university located in North Charleston, South Carolina. Charleston Southern enrolls a maximum of 3,200 students. Affiliated with the South Carolina Baptist Convention, the university's mission is...
basketball team. Typically, Charleston Southern University uses the Coliseum for non-conference games that draw audiences greater than their home arena's 798-seat capacity, such as cross-town rivals College of Charleston and The Citadel. Furthermore, its size allows them to play major conference teams such as Virginia Tech at home (some major conference arenas do not seat 10,000). In addition, The North Charleston Coliseum has hosted the Big South Conference
Big South Conference
The Big South Conference is a college athletic conference affiliated with the NCAA's Division I. The conference's football teams are part of the Football Championship Subdivision...
(1993–94) and the Southern Conference
Southern Conference
The Southern Conference is a Division I college athletic conference affiliated with the National Collegiate Athletic Association . Southern Conference football teams compete in the Football Championship Subdivision . Member institutions are located in the states of Alabama, Georgia, North...
basketball tournaments.
The Coliseum has previously hosted arena
Arena football
Arena football is a variety of gridiron football played by the Arena Football League . It is a proprietary game, the rights to which are owned by Gridiron Enterprises, and is played indoors on a smaller field than American or Canadian outdoor football, resulting in a faster and higher-scoring game....
and indoor football teams, as well as an NBA Development League
NBA Development League
The NBA Development League, or NBA D-League, is the National Basketball Association's official minor league basketball organization. Known until summer 2005 as the National Basketball Development League , the NBA D-League started with eight teams in the fall of 2001...
team.
Events
In addition to sporting events, the arena hosts concerts, comedy shows and various other events. The Coliseum has served as the venue for several televised events, to include WWF In Your HouseWWF In Your House
WWF In Your House is a video game for the PlayStation, DOS, and Sega Saturn released in 1996. It was developed by Sculptured Software and published by Acclaim Entertainment.-Description:...
pay-per-view (1996), WCW Uncensored (1997), Shania Twain
Shania Twain
Shania Twain, OC is a Canadian country pop singer-songwriter. Her album The Woman in Me , brought her fame and her 1997 album Come On Over, became the best-selling album of all time by a female musician in any genre, and the best-selling country album of all time. It has sold over 40 million...
(2004), PBR Built Ford Tough Series
Built Ford Tough Series
The Built Ford Tough Series is the "major league" tour of the PBR competitions. It is a 30-city event series culminating in the PBR World Finals every year in Las Vegas, Nevada. The top 45 riders of the PBR compete in the BFTS with the rankings determined by points and money won...
(2006), Wheel of Fortune
Wheel of Fortune (U.S. game show)
Wheel of Fortune is an American television game show created by Merv Griffin, which premiered in 1975. Contestants compete to solve word puzzles, similar to those used in Hangman, to win cash and prizes determined by spinning a large wheel. The title refers to the show's giant carnival wheel that...
(2006), and American Idol
American Idol
American Idol, titled American Idol: The Search for a Superstar for the first season, is a reality television singing competition created by Simon Fuller and produced by FremantleMedia North America and 19 Entertainment...
auditions (2007, 2011).
Other major concerts and events have included Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey
Oprah Winfrey is an American media proprietor, talk show host, actress, producer and philanthropist. Winfrey is best known for her self-titled, multi-award-winning talk show, which has become the highest-rated program of its kind in history and was nationally syndicated from 1986 to 2011...
(2006), Walking with Dinosaurs
Walking with Dinosaurs
Walking with Dinosaurs is a six-part documentary television miniseries that was produced by BBC, narrated by Kenneth Branagh, and first aired in the United Kingdom, in 1999. The series was subsequently aired in North America on the Discovery Channel in 2000, with Branagh's voice replaced with that...
(2008), Kid Rock
Kid Rock
Robert James "Bob" Ritchie , known by his stage name Kid Rock, is an American singer-songwriter, musician and rapper with five Grammy Awards nominations...
(2008, 2011) The Dave Matthews Band (since 2005), Katy Perry
Katy Perry
Katy Perry is an American singer, songwriter and actress. Born in Santa Barbara, California, and raised by Christian pastor parents, Perry grew up listening to only gospel music and sang in her local church as a child. After earning a GED during her first year of high school, she began to pursue a...
(2011), Kenny Chesney
Kenny Chesney
Kenneth "Kenny" Arnold Chesney is an American country music singer and songwriter. Chesney has recorded 15 albums, 14 of which have been certified gold or higher by the RIAA. He has also produced more than 30 Top Ten singles on the U.S...
(2011) and Prince
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
(2011).
Planning and construction
Planning for the coliseum began in 1985, when a city-sponsored study determined that the city could support a venue seating 10,000-plus people. In October of that year, the McNair Realty and Development company of Greenville, SCGreenville, South Carolina
-Law and government:The city of Greenville adopted the Council-Manager form of municipal government in 1976.-History:The area was part of the Cherokee Nation's protected grounds after the Treaty of 1763, which ended the French and Indian War. No White man was allowed to enter, though some families...
, who owned the 400-acre Centre Pointe development tract, donated 30 acres of that land valued at approximately $100,000 an acre to the city for construction of the coliseum. The coliseum was originally planned to be part of a redevelopment dubbed "City Center," which was to include the coliseum, a convention center, a performing arts center, a transportation hub, a library, an art gallery and museum, an arts school, parking garages, and scenic park areas, and was to have been completed by 2000. As of June 2011, only the coliseum, convention center, and performing arts center have been completed.
In September 1988, the city considered five architectural firms for design and supervision of the coliseum's construction, eventually settling on Odell Associates, Inc. City Council approved a $25 million budget for design and construction of the coliseum and by February 1991 accepted a $19.8 million bid for the construction contract by McDevitt and Street Co. of Charlotte, NC
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
. Construction began on April 29, 1991, with an estimated completion time of 20 months. In September 1992, the City Council approved $879,000 to fund installation of an ice rink in the coliseum, which at that time was scheduled for completion by December 26 of that year. The ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
Board of Governors met in November 1992 to vote on bringing a hockey franchise (whose application had been pre-approved that April) to the Charleston area. At that meeting, the league approved creation of the expansion franchise
South Carolina Stingrays
The South Carolina Stingrays are a professional minor league ice hockey team based in North Charleston, South Carolina. The Stingrays play in the South Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference. They play their home games at the North Charleston Coliseum. The Carolina Ice Palace, also located in...
for the 1993–94 ECHL season, giving the coliseum its first professional sports team as a tenant.
Grand opening
The coliseum opened its doors on January 29, 1993 to a capacity crowd with its first event, the World Cup Figure Skating Champions ice skating exhibition. The opening night was plagued by parking issues that resulted in traffic congestion on local roads and up to an hour delay in clearing the parking lots following the show. The following night saw another sellout crowd for a concert featuring country musicCountry music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
star Alan Jackson
Alan Jackson
Alan Eugene Jackson is an American country music singer, known for blending traditional honky tonk and mainstream country sounds and penning many of his own hits. He has recorded 13 studio albums, 3 Greatest Hits albums, 2 Holiday albums, 1 Gospel album and several compilations, all on the Arista...
, for which the traffic problems were reduced due to early arrivals and improved traffic direction. The city expedited the expansion of available parking spaces from 4,000 to 5,030 soon after.
Tragedy
Tragedy struck on November 10, 1997, when the 5-ton coliseum scoreboard dropped while it was being lowered, landing on and killing Billie Wayne Garrett, a rodeoRodeo
Rodeo is a competitive sport which arose out of the working practices of cattle herding in Spain, Mexico, and later the United States, Canada, South America and Australia. It was based on the skills required of the working vaqueros and later, cowboys, in what today is the western United States,...
volunteer from Columbia, SC
Columbia, South Carolina
Columbia is the state capital and largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The population was 129,272 according to the 2010 census. Columbia is the county seat of Richland County, but a portion of the city extends into neighboring Lexington County. The city is the center of a metropolitan...
. Coliseum officials believed the issue was with the board's hoisting mechanism, which was manufactured by a New Jersey company that had recently experienced hoist failures in two of its mechanisms, one resulting in a scoreboard dropping to the floor. The fall also caused a crack in the coliseum floor, but it was repaired and no damage was found to have been done to the piping system that makes ice for the coliseum floor. Garrett's family filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the company that manufactured the scoreboard, the company that had recently inspected and passed the scoreboard, and Ogden Entertainment, the coliseum's managing company. The lawsuit was settled for $3.5 million. An upgraded scoreboard featuring improved video panels and a safer hoisting setup was installed in October 1999.
New management
In August 2000, Ogden Entertainment—which had managed the coliseum since its opening in 1993—was purchased by AramarkAramark
Aramark Corporation, known commonly as Aramark, is an American foodservice, facilities, and clothing provider supplying businesses, educational institutions, sports facilities, federal and state prisons, and health care institutions. It is headquartered at the Aramark Tower in Center City,...
. Aramark urged city officials to transfer management of the coliseum to SMG, of which Aramark was a half owner at the time, in an effort to leverage SMG's entertainment industry connections to bring more concerts to the area. In an effort to bolster attendance at the coliseum, which had been operating at a loss for two years, SMG took over management of the coliseum in late 2001, agreeing to construct a large freestanding marquee visible from Interstate 526
Interstate 526
Interstate 526 or the Mark Clark Expressway is a beltway, Interstate Highway of Interstate 26 in Berkeley and Charleston counties in South Carolina, USA.-Route description:...
as part of the management contract.