Sheboygan Municipal Auditorium and Armory (commonly known as The Armory) is an indoor arena

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 Sheboygan

Sheboygan, Wisconsin

-Airport:Sheboygan is served by the Sheboygan County Memorial Airport, which is located several miles from the city.-Roads:Interstate 43 is the primary north-south transportation route into Sheboygan, and forms the west boundary of the city. U.S...

, Wisconsin

Wisconsin

Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...

 built in 1942 on the city's lakefront as a WPA

Works Progress Administration

The Works Progress Administration was the largest and most ambitious New Deal agency, employing millions of unskilled workers to carry out public works projects, including the construction of public buildings and roads, and operated large arts, drama, media, and literacy projects...

 project.

It hosted the National Basketball Association

National Basketball Association

The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...

's Sheboygan Redskins

Sheboygan Redskins

The Sheboygan Red Skins were a National Basketball League, National Basketball Association, National Professional Basketball League and professional independent team based in Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA.- Barnstorming roots :...

 from 1942 until 1951. The building was the site of the cross-town basketball rivalry between Central/South High

Sheboygan South High School

Sheboygan South High School is a public coeducational high school serving approximately 1,600 students in grades 9-12. Located on the south side of Sheboygan, Wisconsin, it is part of the Sheboygan Area School District...

 and North High

Sheboygan North High School

Sheboygan North High School, is a high school in Sheboygan, Wisconsin operated by the Sheboygan Area School District. The school opened in 1938 in what is now Urban Middle School on the city's north side, with the current building opening just northeast of Urban in 1961.The building has undergone...

 from the building's opening until 2006, when both schools opened large on-campus fieldhouses that seat approximately 3,000 people.

Many of the events that helped shape generations of Sheboyganites were held at this venue. All Star Wrestling, Golden Gloves Boxing, Lakeland College Basketball, The Harlem Globetrotters, Hank Williams JR., Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show, Johnny Carson, Polar Bears, Hmong Festival, Festival of Trees, Job Fairs, Circuses, Military Gatherings, Rockets for Schools and the Mayor's International Festival appeared at this venue until its closure at the request of GLASEC supporters, while they raise funds for Spaceport Sheboygan.

The building seats 3,500, with permanent balcony seating and bleacher seating on the floor level. At one time the building was used for circus events, local military gatherings, job fairs and events such as the Festival of Trees Christmas tree

Christmas tree

The Christmas tree is a decorated evergreen coniferous tree, real or artificial, and a tradition associated with the celebration of Christmas. The tradition of decorating an evergreen tree at Christmas started in Livonia and Germany in the 16th century...

 showcase and competition. The building is now used a few days a year for GLASEC (Great Lakes Aerospace, Science & Education Center) promotional events.

Future plans

The building is scheduled to become part of the Great Lakes Aerospace, Science & Education Center, a 52000 ft2 complex, which is the headquarters of proposed Spaceport Sheboygan

Spaceport Sheboygan

-Launch site:Sheboygan was first used as a site for launching suborbital rockets in 1995. More than 300 students from Wisconsin and neighboring states developed and ran experiments using eight foot rockets as part of a local Rockets for Schools program. 20 foot rocket were also launched with...

, a rocket-launching and space education facility. The group needs to raise approximately $14.5 million of $17 million .