![]() It was host to a number of teams, including the Spokane Chiefs of the Western Hockey League (WHL). The largest crowds in its early years were for a Catholic Mass and stage shows by Lawrence Welk and Liberace, respectively. Opened in late 1954, it had a seating capacity of 5,400.Īfter more than a year of construction, the arena was dedicated on December 3, 1954, in a program headlined by Metropolitan Opera soprano Patrice Munsel, a Spokane native. Spokane Coliseum (nicknamed The Boone Street Barn) was an indoor arena in the northwestern United States, located in Spokane, Washington. Coliseum Flyer: This 1951 flyer ask voters to support a bond measure for the new coliseum. Others include everyone from Paul Revere and the Raiders to Jimi Hendrix to Van Halen. Cocker Ticket: Joe Cocker was one of hundreds of famous acts that played the Coliseum. 1955 Gonzaga basketball in Spokane Coliseum: Photo courtesy of Flickr user: Gonzaga University. Spokane Coliseum parking: Photo courtesy of Flickr user: Manuel Palomino Arjona. Media Images Setlist for Elvis at the Spokane Coliseum 1973: Photo courtesy of Spokane Coliseum Postcard: Exterior of Spokane Coliseum. ![]() All that remains of the once-mighty Spokane Coliseum is this parking lot, which serves the new Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. There were water stains on the ceiling and walls and the ice-making system was unreliable.ĭespite the opening-day predictions that they Coliseum would last as long as the pyramids, wrecking balls swung in 1995. The Coliseum began to look old as well as small. Artists such as Cher, ZZ Top and New Kids on the Block declined to perform in spokane because they could not sell as many tickets as in cities with larger venues. 1990 brought the International Goodwill Games to Spokane, drawing athletes from around the world.Īs concerts grew larger in the 1980s, the once-capacious Coliseum began to look small. It was home to the Spokane Chiefs hockey team, and hosted Gonzaga University basketball games. It featured some of Spokane's top entertainment from 1953 until 1989, including Elvis Presley in 1973 and Kiss in 1977. The city planned a thirteen-day dedication celebration due to the excitement surrounding the new Coliseum. The dedication of the Spokane Coliseum was headed by Patrice Munsel from the Metropolitan Opera of New York City along with the Spokane Philharmonic Orchestra, who beautifully demonstrated the perfect acoustics of the new building to the 8,000 attendees. Construction began in September 1953, it was completed a year later with the total cost at $2,500,000. Development of the site required extensive blasting and landscaping. The site was originally a large rock pile, surrounded by farm land. The land was purchased by the city for $20,000 from Mrs. The Coliseum had the unofficial nickname of "The Boone Street Barn" due to its location on Boone Street and the prior land use mainly as farmland. ![]() In the spring of 1951 the public finally said yes to a ballot measure to give Spokane its coliseum. The interest in building a large auditorium for events began in 1925, but one plan after another failed. The National Guard Armory (now the Laser Quest building), was Spokane's largest indoor venue, which meant seating was limited. "Like the pyramids of Egypt and Grand Coulee dam, Spokane's mammoth concrete and steel structure, the municipal Coliseum, has been built to last," pronounced the Spokane Daily Chronicle on December 3, 1954, the day of Spokane Coliseum's grand opening.īefore 1954, Spokane had no set venue for large events such as music concerts or professional sports.
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