Ak-Sar-Ben (arena)
The Ak-Sar-Ben Race Track and Coliseum was an indoor arena and horse racing complex in the central United States, located in Omaha, Nebraska.
Aerial view of the facility in 1993 | |
Omaha Location in the United States Omaha Location in Nebraska | |
| Address | 6800 Mercy Road |
|---|---|
| Location | Omaha, Nebraska, U.S. |
| Coordinates | 41.240°N 96.013°W |
| Owner | Ak-Sar-Ben Future Trust Douglas County |
| Capacity | 11,500 (Grandstand) 7,200 (Coliseum) |
| Construction | |
| Opened | July 6, 1919 (Race track) June 9, 1929 (Coliseum) |
| Renovated | 1921, 1938, 1965, 1986 |
| Expanded | 1928, 1975 |
| Closed | August 8, 1995 (Race track) September 2002 (Coliseum) |
| Demolished | October 8, 2004 |
| Construction cost | $1 million ($17.6 million in 2023 dollars) |
| Tenants | |
| Omaha Knights (USHL) (1945–1951) Omaha Knights (IHL/CHL) (1959–65, 1966–75) Omaha Racers (CBA) (1989–1997) Omaha Lancers (USHL) (1990–2002) | |
Built to fund the civic and philanthropic activities of the Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben, the thoroughbred race track was built in 1919, and the Coliseum in 1929. The racetrack closed in 1995 and the arena in 2002; the facility was demolished in 2005, and is currently being redeveloped for a variety of uses, including dormitory housing for the University of Nebraska Omaha and the Aksarben Village development.
Ak-Sar-Ben is "Nebraska" spelled backwards; the Knights originally said they were turning Nebraska around, thus "Ak-Sar-Ben."
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